When Hermione Fights
by LotusAivy
Summary: No one knew what she was planning and where her path would lead her. No one guessed what she was willing to sacrifice to achieve her goals. But whoever can look behind her facade comes quickly to the realisation that: This beauty is a beast. A Hermione Granger FF. Dark. Multiple relationships: HG/SB (Sirimione), HG/DM (Dramione), HG/SS (Sevmione), HG/LM (Lumione).
1. Knockturn Alley

_Welcome to the biggest fanfiction ever created at this very moment. This is a translation from German to English and it is rated either M or E depending on the platform you are reading on._

 _We are available on Ffnet, AO3, wattpad, and our own bulletin board._

 _The story has been written on for over six years, with over 4 million words in over 640 chapters and it is still not finished. Today, on the 28th of October 2018, we have one more year to go to reach the final chapter on the 31st of October 2019.  
_

 _We hope you enjoy this amazing story with us and continue to follow Hermione on her path from the end of Goblet of Fire until the Battle of Hogwarts._

 _From Chapter 1 – 57/58 this version has any explicit scenes cut out. From 58/59 onwards, the scenes are edited to be less explicit instead._

 _We appreciate any reviews, be they praising or constructive criticism._

 _-Aivy_

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 _Chapter 1 reworked by Lena. Updated 28th October 2018_

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 **Knockturn Alley**

Darkness, nothing but darkness surrounded me. Not only the darkness of night -no - life itself was filled with darkness. I lived in dark times after all, unfortunately. I had realized and accepted this fact faster than the others, as it was often the case. That was why I stood here in this damned alley and tried, despite the darkness, to blend in further with the shadows.

I pulled the hood of my black robe far down over my face to avoid any chance of being recognized. I was hurrying towards my goal with purpose, walking over the worn cobblestones like all the other disguised shapes. No one here was interested in anyone else because everyone had something to hide.

Tonight I would implement the first part of my plan. Afterwards, I could begin to carry out the rest of my life plan, step by step. It was not going to be easy, but when was this ever the case?

He was back!

He - the embodiment of ultimate evil - had been on our heels since our first year at Hogwarts. Now that he was back a lot was about to change.

Poor Harry!

I still felt awfully sorry for him, as Harry had been chased by him from the very beginning. And then Harry had played a major role in His reincarnation. He had been cast in the lead, as it was his blood that made the reincarnation of Voldemort possible. As for me, I would not be Hermione Jean Granger if my brain had not kicked in as soon as Harry had reappeared from out of nowhere with Cedric's dead body in his arms.

Yes, I was sad, even devastated by the events, but I never took the time to allow myself to grieve. In the end, it did not help in any way and it certainly would not bring Cedric back from the dead. I still could not grasp it. Cedric, the good and handsome Hufflepuff, was no longer among us.

Later that evening in the hospital wing Harry had given Ron and me a summary of everything that took place in the graveyard but I could not allow myself to mourn. I had to spring into action! He had gathered his loyal followers around him and would soon be getting back to his old strength and that was the reason I was standing here at midnight in Knockturn Alley, trying to become one with the darkness. A new era had begun now that he had returned. Nothing would ever be the same. It would not be like the past fourteen years! Our time of peace and our quiet life was irrevocably over!

Now was the time to prepare to fight. The war was coming. Time was running out and I was willing to use as much of it as I could grasp. A smile appeared on my lips as my thoughts wandered towards anyone who could claim to know me. I imagined how all of them, the Weasleys, the professors, the other students, their parents and Harry would have a heart attack if they knew where geeky little Miss Gryffindor roamed about at this time of day.

In this alley, you could get everything your heart desired if the price was right.

Anyone who dared to venture into Knockturn Alley knew that they walked on forbidden, illegal ground and also knew the consequences. I was aware of that as well and I was ready to take the risk because I knew I would never get what I desired the legal way. Indeed those who believed they knew me well for years did not, in fact, knew that I was nowhere near as good, dear, naive, and compliant as they thought.

My grin became downright nasty. I knew how to conduct my questionable activities under the cover of darkness, often late at night and always in secret. NO ONE ever noticed me. If they ever found out they would be truly shocked by my actions because in people's perception Harry and Ron were the two driving forces behind our shenanigans. They were the ones who started the dangerous and forbidden actions, not me, the prim and proper Miss Know-it-All.

But not even Harry and Ron knew about my activities inside Hogwarts. They did not have the smallest clue about what was going on and I would bet my right hand that they would not approve. But enough of that, I needed to continue further, way deeper into the alley. I tried to move as discreetly as possible. I could not suppress a little shiver for the environment was too surreal, too squalid. Here was the vermin of the magical society - thieves and murderers. It was a dangerous path to tread. The vermin felt so comfortable here that it was as unsafe in the daylight as it was during the night. The dark alley, which was bigger than one would have thought, was showcasing everything Diagon Alley offered but with a broader variety and what I saw in the displays fascinated me very much. I would return at another day or night, when I had more time to spare. I could really use some of these products.

I carefully moved towards my target. Since I had never been here, I allowed my senses and my research to lead the way. I had been planning this excursion for the past two weeks and yesterday I had prepared myself explicitly for this late night shopping spree. I did not want anything left to chance. It was way too dangerous. Although, in the last few years, I had shown that I attracted danger as well as adventure and I loved it; otherwise I would never have developed such a close friendship with Harry Potter, who was a guaranteed magnet for such situations.

Yes, carrying on alongside Harry was good practice. But to be able to cope with these situations alone and on my own, and to be successful - that required careful planning and preparation...


	2. Preparations and a Successful Deal

_Reworked by Lena. Updated 28th October 2018_

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 **Preparations And A Successful Deal**

Today was the second day of the holidays. I had acted fast, had needed to be fast as I had set myself a strict timetable on my plans which I had worked on for the last three weeks after the tournament. As soon as the train at Kings Cross Station stopped I hugged Harry and Ron goodbye and greeted my parents with a bright smile. Yes, a bright smile! I would've never been so stupid to tell my parents the truth about the magical world. They would've been shocked to learn about the dark and dangerous world their daughter lived in. For them, the magical world was exciting and fascinating, a colourful and happy world, like Diagon Alley. The shopping street was the only thing they knew about my world and they would never see anything else. Thus, we quickly drove home after our brief greeting and I could finally begin putting my plans into action.

"It is good to be home again. Mum, Dad, I missed you!" I declared cheerfully as we entered our townhouse.

"So did we, sweetheart!" my mum responded as we entered the lobby. She pulled me into a hug again.

"And did you plan anything else for today?" I asked eagerly and smiled at both of them.

"No, nothing special. We'll have a nice dinner later, and you... you have to tell us all about your school year!" my Dad replied, intrigued.

"Hmm, yeah, sure. But I just need to go pick up some things from the pharmacy... I've run out of some stuff at Hogwarts," I explained.

"Do you want me to come with you, sweetheart?" my Mum asked.

"No, it's okay. I know you're excited about dinner and I don't want to keep you from the preparations." I said with an excited smile.

Meanwhile, my dad had pulled out his wallet and gave me £100 with a cheeky smile. "Well, enjoy and don't come back too late!" He said with a soft expression on his face.

"Thanks, Dad, see you in a bit," I turned to the front door giving my parents a grateful smile while leaving our house again. It wasn't too far to the shop and the soon I arrived I stepped quickly into the store and grabbed a trolley. There was a lot I needed.

I started my shopping trip with standing slightly desperately in front of the huge selection of makeup. I bought everything from powder to concealer, eyeshadow and liner, mascara and lipstick, just everything. I continued to the nail polish and finally to the hair section of the shop. This was going to be more difficult. I didn't want to and I couldn't colour my hair, but I needed different hair for what I had planned to do, period. Another approach was necessary - a wig was too expensive. Well, what did this shop offer? It took a while and a lot of scanning the shelves until my eyes landed on the hairpieces. There was a black band with hair attached which I could pull over my head. Perfect. If I pulled the strap over my forehead and tied my hair up in a bun, no one would notice that my hair was not dark blond and straight.

In the evening the next day, I stood in my room with a lot of make-up on my face and my fake hair in place. No one would recognize me as Hermione Granger since I definitely did no longer look like myself. I looked older, not like the fifteen-year-old I was, but still not more than 19. No one would ask me any stupid questions in this disguise. I waited until Mum and Dad went to bed and fell asleep. Unsurprisingly it didn't take long thanks to some drops of sleeping potion I had put into their glasses of red wine which they drank during dinner. It was shockingly naughty of me to put my parents to sleep. Just thinking about it made me giggle deviously, but I am what I am, always prepared and always well elaborated. That's why I didn't have to worry about my parents figuring out that their daughter had left for the night.

Alright, now some of you will probably ask yourselves: What the heck is she doing? You will find out soon because I finally arrived at my destination.

I stood in front of a shop that almost looked like a carbon copy of Borgin & Burkes. Far in the back, I could see a dim light shining through the dingy window written on the crooked sign over the door stood: "Dark and Hell Wand". Through my investigation, I was able to find out that this shop stayed open every Wednesday from 11 pm to 1 am for the not-so-legal transactions which I was quite pleased with. It would've been so much harder to do what I planned during the day.

Taking a deep breath I squared my shoulders, opened the door resolutely and stepped confidently into the dark, dirty, shop that smelled quite musty and like old wood. Here and there you could see spider webs. Far in the back, where the lantern provided some light, stood an unappealing looking, older man, around 60 years old, with grey, long and unwashed looking hair. He watched me warily, evaluating my appearance as I approached him.

"How can I help you Mrs..?" his oily voice croaked at me.

I tried to keep my voice even and answered: "Why do you think I am here?"

"I don't know, you tell me?" he answered skillfully, putting the question back on me.

He analyzed me warily and tried to see under my hood. The fear that I might be an Auror could be seen on his face. It was the reason I decided to take off the hood. I didn't care if he saw my face because I knew my disguise was good. Still, my heart pounded loudly because I didn't have any proper defence yet, just my wand which I was wearing under my gown. But I wasn't willing to get into trouble with the ministry because of this stupid underage law. I was not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts as I still was underage.

He stared at me after I had pulled my hood back, greedily absorbing my appearance. One could almost see the saliva drooling out of his mouth. I needed to act quickly! My face turned into a cold and nasty expression never showing any emotion. I held my head a little higher to show him some more of that confidence. 'Don't appear nervous.' I thought to myself repeating it like a mantra. Even though my heart pounded faster and faster with every second fueled by the anxiety I felt, my mantra gave me the reason to hold my head even higher. I wanted to seem as arrogant as possible.

"I don't have forever; my time is precious!" I sneered in best Malfoy manner. After four years Draco Malfoy had proven to be good for something, even if it was just to teach me how to act like an arrogant pureblood.

"Now, can you help me or don't you want my money?" I asked sharply and bent forwards over the counter in a slightly provocative manner, my voice carrying the hint of a threat.

"I, I... Certainly, Madam. What are you looking for?" he stuttered and crouched. It seemed like my act was working which left me feeling relieved.

"In times like this..., I want... a second...," I said allusively and looked at the man with narrowed eyes. The rules were not to say too much. Luckily I had figured out the tone to imply what I wanted and even luckier I was a fast learner.

"Oh. I understand, certainly Mrs..? Of course, I can help you. If I could quickly...?" he asked submissively raising his eyebrows.

I realized that he had come to the conclusion that I was too young to be an Auror. He opened his hand and released a measuring tape, which hovered in the air and fully unfurled itself. Immediately it started to measure me, particularly my right hand and up my arm, just like Ollivander's had done. Afterwards the man, in his shabby dark blue gown, shuffled into the back chamber and came back with five boxes. We began to test and search. Back when I was eleven it had taken us almost half an hour to find my first wand, vine with dragon heartstring. This time though, I found it after the third try.

I was dumbfounded everything worked so fast here. I tried to hide my surprise, though. My face was a motionless mask as I swung the wand. I immediately felt an intense, magical tingle in my fingertips and soon after, a bunch of black roses emerged at the tip of the wand which fell onto the counter. Yes, I had found my new wand! A smile slid over the expression of the old vendor which exposed stubby, yellow teeth. Cold shivers ran over my spine. I was the daughter of dentists after all.

"My lady, apparently the search has already come to an end. A good wand has chosen you. Hawthorn birch with the tail hair of a thestral. An exquisite piece - very rare. Not many wands are made of bright, white wood!" He mellifluously elaborated looking quite pleased with himself.

"What do you mean by that...?" I asked in a suspicious tone. I was curious, but I didn't want him to think it was too important to me.

"Well, wood like this is very peculiar, extremely powerful. Very few can handle wands like this. They are not too good commercially, that's why you will never see something like that at Ollivander's. Also the substance of this wood is often said to be dark!" A nasty grin laid on his lips as he said this: "It does not harmonize with light materials such as unicorn hair. Never, do you understand?" Now he muttered into his nonexistent beard: "Really fascinating, that this rare piece would react in the hand of such a young woman." He gave me a strange look. Now was the moment, I thought, to leave before he could ask me any more questions.

"How much do I owe you?" I asked quickly, wanting to escape as soon as possible.

"Alas, what, how? Well, oh yes... It's 30 Galleons for you!" The fat man said with an implied bow and a naughty smile. A cynical snort escaped from my lips, but fine, I wouldn't haggle. To do something like that would be below my proposed dignity. Therefore I pulled out a pouch from the deep pockets of my gown and fished out the necessary Galleons which I put on the dirty counter and stored my new wand away into my inner gown pocket. Now I had an operational wand, which wasn't registered. I was no longer defenceless.

Now I was able to defend myself without being scared of being caught. Marvellous. I loved it when everything went according to plan. No words were exchanged afterwards, no small talk. The deal was finished. It was a different way of doing business than in Diagon Alley. With a brief nod and with the gown trailing behind me I left the shop, pulled up my hood and quickly disappeared into the darkness.


	3. Apparating

_Hi there, I actually planned to upload this chapter on Saturday, but I realized I have to go to work later today so I just wanted to give you the new translated chapter._

 _My dear Queenie is really happy to see her story translated. And we hope you enjoy it._

 _Newly Betad by: SapphireDragonis A huge thank to her!_

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Apparating

I was searching a quiet, dark corner for myself, so that I would be unseen. Many emotions have been running around endlessly inside me. Joy because everything worked as I planned. Fear, because today was the first time I would try to apparate. Alright, I was only 15 and one was only allowed to apparate from the age of 17, but not me, that's why I was in all that farce. Now I had a non registered wand and I planned to use it. Besides I read all about this topic and I felt relatively comfortably prepared. As I said, this law again was a arbitrary act of the ministry!

Thus, I didn't think about it too much, but rather breathed deeply through my lunges three times, focused myself on the inner core of my magic and held my new wand tightly in my right fist. As soon as my concentration was strong enough, I focused, as described in the books, the place I wanted to re-appear, my parents garden. Just as I visualized it, I swung my wand in the hand motion that I had practiced, and anxiously held my breath.

It felt like all the air would squeeze itself out of my lungs and myself, my whole body would be pulled through a very tight garden hose. I permanently twisted around myself, like a spinning top, I pinched my eyes together at the same time, because I knew if I would want to focus myself I wasn't allowed to get distracted. It would've been fatal, to lose control in this circumstance, I needed to constantly think about my destination, otherwise it could happen that I splinched myself. That's what the law of the ministry was all about, because kids used to have such a bad concentrativeness. Sure, if one would think about Ron or Neville, both of them would still kill themselves today.

Ehw, I felt sick! Soon, I wouldn't be able to hold that strain any longer. I could feel, how sweat formed itself on my forehead. The wand in my hand trembled pathetically. The moment I thought I wouldn't be able to bear the strain any longer, my body finally got released out of this squeezing tightness. Finally, confused I blinked and recognized our garden. Phew! Little graceful I slumped, breathlessly, but with a relieved sigh to my knees, into the grass. Focused I breathed in and out, to stop the dizziness in my head. Still, everything was spinning around me. Very well, apparating wasn't that easy!

But for my first time, without any help, I thought it wasn't that bad! Especially since I even overcame a greater distance. Since in Hogwarts one learned the magical jump in smaller stages, from circle to circle. Well, I have to blame myself.

Actually one learned apparition for weeks, to learn the basics and after that one get taught how to do greater, further jumps, not the other way around. But as I said, as my eyes flew frantically over my body, everything went well, I realized happily I was still complete. A mischievous grin spread across my lips, even though my head hurt. Today was a good day, no, stop, a good night! Yes, I needed to learn to love night more than the day, to become one with it, if I would want to convert my plans, as I planned to do.

Not to fear it, but to indulge myself to it, like a good friend, which would perform good service for me, that should be my aim.

Oh yes, a lot would change in the next time!

But back to the present. I swayed myself up from the ground and stretched my body. It felt like, one would have sore muscles in its limbs. My legs felt very wobbly. I assumed it was everything a question of practice. But I've always been good at that. Night was young, lets get to work. The garden would be my great hall, just without the rings. I focused myself and jumped from one end to the other, back and forth, to the side, faster and faster.

After an hour of wildly disappearing and reappearing back and forth, I exhaustedly and sweating dropped down on our big oak. My lunges dismissed my rattling breath. With a harsh gesture of my hand I stroked my fake hair out of my face, sweat glittering on it. My head dropped on my neck and totally exhausted I closed my eyes. Heaven, this was a hard piece of work.. My body.. I felt like I've been puked out and I felt sick too. Still, I felt already better, because I didn't feel dizzy anymore and I didn't need as much focus as on my first time, to get where I wanted to be.

I stopped for today, as it was almost three o'clock in the morning and I had things to do later on, a good reason to focus on far routes, so that I would be able to perfect those too. Thus I dragged myself, tired as I was, as quiet as possible, as I thought the sleeping potions of my parents wouldn't act as strong as before, up the stairs in my own bedroom. I pulled my clothes over my head, threw the fake hair in a corner and dropped, just in my underwear, totally exhausted on my bed and engulfed very quickly in a deep, almost comatose sleep.

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 _Please give us some of your thoughts in the reviews as we are just curious how our English people like it. :)_

 _Cate and Queenie_


	4. Knockturn Alley Again

Queenie asked me, when the next chapters will be uploaded. So I just upload them, now. I have the 5th chapter already done, but I give you piece by piece. :) Trying to do two a week.

A Huge Thanks to the Amazing Beta: Marvelgeek42 *giving out some Butterbeer and chocolate frogs*

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An annoying beep woke me up from my well-deserved, but unfortunately way too short sleep. Reflexively my hand flicked into the air and bashed to the noisy, stupid thing, which immediately became silent. Sometimes, I hated myself. Moaning, I rubbed grains of sand out of my tired, sticky eyes. It was all my fault if I tried to train myself to just manage my life with five hours of sleep. I researched it, and it was possible to do so!

Oh yes, it still was obscure to me how I would manage this, but I hoped to reach it after time went by with discipline and continuity. Napoleon and old Fritz from Prussia did manage it too! I shouldn't read that much, just because of this I came up with such bullshit! Alright, I never slept that much, just only around eight hours, but I unfortunately still felt these three hours, which I denied myself for the last three weeks, in my bones, but I was too stubborn and never allowed myself to be weak. Anyways, enough with bathing in my own self-pity, chop-chop, rise and shine, a long day with a new purpose waited for me. After a relaxing shower, whilst my cramped muscles after the apparate training in the night loosened themselves, I went to the kitchen, where I was welcomed by a friendly "Hello" from my parents. Soon after, my Mum reached me a steaming mug of black coffee, and I sank into a chair. I inhaled the aromatic, tangy scent and carefully took the first sip, causing my spirits to finally turn on.

Smiling, I looked up. "Thanks," I breathed more into the mug than anywhere else.

"As always, my little girl. What have you planned for today?" My Mum asked cheerfully and apparently well rested, which wasn't a surprise after a dose of sleeping potion. I started to feel a tiny bit envious. Now Dad lowered his newspaper and peered over to me. It seemed I didn't look like the blooming life itself after just five hours of sleep, I thought sarcastically, as he questioningly lifted his eyebrows, whilst he examined my appearance, and I could see the concern in his kind, brown eyes. I quickly answered my mums question, before he could say or ask something.

"Well, I thought, I'll drive to London today and go shopping for a little while," I said exaggeratedly cheerful and continued to drink coffee out of my mug.

"Oh, if I would've known, I'd have placed my appointments differently and accompanied you, sweetheart, because we haven't done anything like this in ages, but wait, maybe. I would quickly need to..", meant my Mum in a sad tone of voice and started to excitedly dig in her bag, which she pulled to herself to grab her diary. I quickly looked at her, trying to look sorry, because it absolutely wouldn't fit with my plans if my Mum would force herself on me.

"Sorry Mum, maybe another time, but I wanted to go to the National Portrait Gallery. You know how much I love it and I missed all the portraits!" I murmured more to myself; it was the truth, I liked the portraits of the old monarchs and important personae of England. I was passionate about them in the past, and for every visit to London, we needed to stop by at the museum. But today, the gallery just wasn't good enough, as I know the moving and talking portraits of dead people of the magical world! But my parents didn't know this; I almost didn't tell them any relevant information about the world of wizardry. It made it easier for me in several instances, like right now, because I knew how my Mum would react to my statement and she didn't disappoint me. Her eyes got big.

"Okay, but of course, my darling. Well, it's unfortunate, my patients booked my whole day out, but as you said, I'd be really happy to accompany you to a city spree for the next time."

She stood up and fled behind the kitchen counter like she couldn't imagine worse than standing for hours in front of portraits, it wasn't my mums world. When I looked up, my dad mischievously looked at me; I grinned back. It was too delightful when someone was so predictable. A half an hour went by when my parents came, ready for their day of work, to say goodbye, I still sat in the kitchen in front of my fourth mug of coffee. I still waited five minutes, after the door closed behind them, just in case they would come back again.

Quickly I stood up and went into my room on the first floor, where I opened my wardrobe and took a gown black as the night, put it around me and stood in front of the mirror. I took my white wand out of the inner bag of my gown, focused it on my hair and spoke a transformation spell. Now I didn't need the fake hair anymore. My lion curls were now smooth and fell just to my chin, thanks to the magic, a second spell after and my hair was dark blonde. Oh yes, pleased I looked into the mirror, for this was a big change, but even my full brown of my eyes should turn, and I spoke the spell which would change my eye colors. Now two water blue eyes looked towards me, perfect!

I didn't want to change my facial structures, as I wasn't a metamorphmagus it would require a higher skill of magic. Not, that I couldn't do it, but it was too complicated, even for me. It should be a quick way to transform into my spy-personality, and there was still makeup. If I would put a bit more makeup on my face no one, really no one, would recognize me.

When I was finished, a different woman, looked back at me, I didn't look like a fifteen-year-old student anymore. I had to say; I liked my new look. Yes, I could leave it as it was. I shot a picture with my digital camera, which I quickly printed and glued into my book of strategy, next to it, I quoted the spells, which I used for my transformation and my name, which I chose for my new identity: "Minna Cale". It made no sense to stop halfway, everything needed to be perfect.

I went into the living room, positioned myself in the middle of the room and thought about everything I taught myself in the garden. Focus and one appare later I stood in front of the wall in the Leaky Cauldron, which would lead me into the Diagon Alley.

Deep satisfaction went through me. I was a little bit proud of myself because I successfully apparated this far distance and everything went just great. No dizziness and no nausea. I mastered the process of apparition as it seemed, one less problem. Still, I needed to practice the routes more, but I could always do that later.

Quickly I raised my wand, touched with it the correct order of the stones and soon after the gate opened. Swiftly I walked into the very medieval-tinted alley and got lost in the stream of people. I still had a lot to do, whilst around me the usual, colorful, joyful chaos of the Diagon Alley ruled, it was a part of its charm. No one took the warnings, that he came back, for real.

No one wanted to see that it started all over again. Everyone wanted to believe the ministry and Minister Fudge, wanted to believe that Harry and Dumbledore's' allegations had been a lie, just to make themselves relevant. That's how we don't help anybody but Voldemort himself, but the crowd had always been blind. Everyone here was so happy and joyful, no one took the warnings for real, as I could see now with my own eyes.

All the more, the parents were here with their kids who were back home from Hogwarts. After all, the kids needed to be occupied in their holidays. In front of the Quidditch shop, one could see them, their nose pressed against the glass or the full Fortescue's Ice Cream parlour. I pulled my hood over my face, as in a few seconds I would get into the junction of the Knockturn Alley and no one, okay, almost no one, as young as me and a woman at that, would voluntarily and without company enter the alley, and still show one's face.

Today Knockturn Alley was busier than it normally was at midnight, even in a grimy and rundown street as this. I was surprised, as I had guessed that everyone was a creature of the night! But in this alley it seemed like the night had already begun because diffused, dusky light dominated the path. Here too, I rapidly scurried in my dark veiled shape, anxiously to be careful and watched, while I passed, the windows of the shops. I ignored the shapes which squeezed themselves along the walls and buildings.

Ah, here it was, the shop of the wands. No, it still didn't look more likable than at night. My target was directly opposite of it. The dark magic apothecary for potion ingredients. The moment I walked into a smoky, slightly intoxicating smell various spices blew towards me. It was very dim in the shop, and it looked bigger from the inside than outside, as the many shelves have been filled with all the ingredients.

The shelves have been filled with various and most unusual things; one could imagine: hearts, from snakes, chickens or dragons, maybe even from humans. Yuck, how disgusting! I averted my gaze and found myself in front of eyes of different genera, whether pickled, dried or nature.

Green lacewings, mandrakes, Asphodelus, dittany, flobberworm mucus, rat spleen, but even such things as well visible placed, sealed glass of unicorn blood! It was jaw-dropping. Or I could see abominations like components from a carcass of a thestral, simply things one would never get in the Diagon Alley.

I almost couldn't stop myself from cheering out loud. It was like paradise. And so I wasn't surprised when I saw at the counter, the owner of the shop, bargaining with a not unknown looking man. I maintained relaxed, neither did I look like Miss-Know-It-All, nor would he expect me, Miss Granger, in a place like this. Thus, I unerringly and quite callously took a basket and calmly passed every single shelf, took a piece for some potions here and there, which I will brew in the course of my holidays and since some of them will need a very long time to be finished, I needed to start as soon as possible.

I listened to the conversation of the two men attentively in the background, unfortunately, interrupted invariably, so that I couldn't understand one coherent phrase. From what I picked out, I could hear, that Snape obtained the important duty to brew potions for You-Know-Who. It didn't surprise me; so I just mentally shrugged my shoulders.

Well, the Dark Lord was fast too, one had to give him that much credit. At the time when I saw the professor running out of the hospital wing to get to the Dark Lord, I was sure, that it had started, the war. Led as the cold war of the Muggles, America against Russia, east against west.

No instant, open fights yet, but the maneuvering in the background! The Dark Lord was too cunning for everything else and he still needed to get stronger, but one could feel the tendencies of a cold front, especially since I saw Snape here, as he bought ingredients like a lunatic, for a ridiculously low price, mind you! Here the dark mark and the name of the Dark Lord had value, always helped with threats. No shop owner in the Knockturn Alley trusted the Ministry, but the Death Eaters, yes they immediately believed in their revenge!

Fudge was such an idiot! But that wasn't my problem for a start. Whilst I thought about it, I counted the lacewings for the polyjuice potion. Suddenly I could feel a tingling in my neck, then it struck me, I couldn't hear any voices anymore. The conversation was obviously over, and Snape seemed to have turned around, to see my black guise bent over a translucent vessel of lacewings. I was sure he knew this shop inside out, I thought spitefully. Still, it didn't ruffle me, and I continued to count. Go away, you grumpy, greasy bloke, I mentally told myself.

Finished! I put the lid back up, put the lacewings in a transparent bag and put them in my basket, turned around and pretended to be busy, as two deep dark obsidians hovered over me. He couldn't see much, I never opened my hood, but still showed the half of my face. I tried to go ahead as dainty and normal as possible. I was sure he knew that there weren't many potions where an ingredient like that was needed. The question was, would he be imposing and curious, or would he not give a shit about it, as he did not give a crap what the students did in the school.

I went to the next shelf and observed the display accurately and in all the patients I had. Don't get nervous, for he would stand ready like a hunter, feeling the preys tension.

"Mr. Snape, do you wish for something else? I hope everything is still to your likings?" I heard the chemists slimy and submissive voice.

I glanced over to Snape, how he stood in the corridor in his whole, dark, glory, which I meant cynically. But he didn't make a bad figure, as he stood there. Impressive, yes, that was the right word. Snape turned to the direction of the voice's face. "No, Mr. Sals, everything is up to my standards!" then, he turned around so that his gown blew up in a dramatic departure and he disappeared.

Phew, Thank God he was gone! But I should continue, so I meticulously examined all the shelves, before I turned myself to the chemist. He too haunted my every movement with eagle-eyes, but I wouldn't want to have his fear of thieves.

"Well, what can I do for you?" He approached me already. I heaved the basket onto the counter. He had a particular, greedy glance in his eyes, due to the amount of ingredients, as he needed to compensate the loss, which brought Snape with him.

"This. And if we were to agree on a price, maybe even more..." I said with a slightly colder, deeper voice than usual.

My eyes wandered around the shop, while he measured the ingredients, weighing and wrapping up. After he had finished everything to his satisfaction, he looked up from his counter and examined me with a piercing glimpse of his muddy brown eyes, whose white was more yellow, as I thought he drank Firewhiskey for a very long period

"That would be 250 galleons, my lady!" He meant with a slimy grin. I slid back my hood a tiny bit, pulled up an eyebrow and looked skeptically at him. Did he think I was stupid?

"Yes, the price sounds reasonable..!" I said slowly and with steel in my voice. My expression showed the same rigidness, "... If you would add Boomslang skin and a bicon horn, as well as a vial of unicorn blood!" One could see how his grin vanished off his face, but I didn't feel sorry.

"My lady, this.. This is not possible, the horn and the Boomslang skin are on the black list, and besides do you know how rare this blood is, it's very precious..." I interrupted his whining stuttering with a harsh gesture of my hand.

"Listen, good man, I know that you have both ingredients, maybe I should go back to the ministry..." I stopped for a dramatic pause and looked directly into his eyes, to make him understand that my unspoken threat was earnest. "Either you agree to my offer, or you can put all the ingredients back again," I said with an indifferent voice and made a step back.

"No, No, wait, please, it would still be cheaper for 300 Galleons, but I could live with it", he sounded broken.

"275, my last word!" I hissed with an angry voice. He shifted about obviously uncomfortable, but I didn't change my expression and looked at him coldly and expectant. After seconds of pondering, he nodded slowly and started to fill the vial reluctant, went into the storage room and came back after a short time with the illegal ingredients.

I pulled out my pouch and started to count the money. Well, a visit to Gringotts was needed today. With greedy eyes, Mr. Sals ogled at the coins. Almost reluctant he handed me the bag with the ingredients and the very precious vial with the silver fluid as extra, that one I put in the inner bag of my gown, as it was safer there. I nodded thankfully at him and determined turned around.

"I wish you a beautiful day, Madam!", He called cynically behind me. However, I was already out the door and walked swiftly towards the bookstore. Here I could move in, all in all, I gave myself a lot of time, to examine all the gray and dark books. My stack grew quite high in no time at all.

Oh yes, I was well versed in the matter of dark magic! Well, what shall I say, I was well versed in the light magic as well. Now many are probably wondering where from because my friends would freak out if they'd know, but in my third year at Hogwarts, when I had the time-turner, I didn't just lay around lazily. I used that year and the precious artifact whenever I could had the chance to do so.

I knew, when there was a unique opportunity in front of me and that year with the time-turner was an unique opportunity, which I would never have again. As I was a strategist, I soon left the general library behind me, as she always stood open, but the forbidden section, that was a different story. Thus, I used the borrowed time to study the whole, yes, I mean the whole, part. I had read and studied all the books in the forbidden section. This was successfully done after a half a year already and then dedicated my time to intensify the studies of the interesting book of this section.

Since then, one could call me a dark witch! No, I still didn't like the unforgivable curses, but contrary to Dumbledore, I saw the use in blood- or ritual magic and also the power and strength, which lay behind these spells. Almost no white spell would reach that kind of power. Additionally, I still believed that it is up to the wizard itself, how he used these spells. Even white spells could be devastating in its impact, and no, no one knew about my attitude, that would be even better. It was a well-protected secret of mine.

I pensively smiled, as I thought about the expressions of McGonagall, Dumbledore, the Weasleys or Harry, if they'd know, even Snape's mask would very possibly shift and the Malfoys, alas, what a funny thought. I was in the bookstore for almost two hours and found around 20 books, I hadn't seen was certainly enough for today, I thought as I carried them to the till. I let the hunched witch shrink my books, so that I could hide them in the bags of my gown. Unfortunately, I couldn't do the same with the potion ingredients because it wouldn't agree with them and they have been too expensive to waste them.

My next stop lead me to Borgin & Burkes. Harry told me everything about it in our second year when he accidentally landed in the store on his first floo network travel, and out of his story, I decided that I would find what I was looking for in this store.

"What can I do for you?" A white-haired man asked forcefully after the door closed behind me. I pulled back my hood again a tiny bit so that he could see in my face. "I'm searching for a knife," I said briefly. I again was examined, because one didn't know the word trust here, even I didn't trust here, that's why it wasn't that bad.

"Yes, of course, I have something like that, but what are you exactly looking for?" he asked slowly and pulled up an eyebrow appraisingly.

"Made of silver, maybe two pieces, light in the hand.. Show me something!" I commanded with certainty, not to say arrogant.

"Of course, of course, Madam, whatever you wish!", he said submissively and pulled up a piece of cloth from under the counter, which he unrolled with a sway. On the dark green velvet lay beaded a row of silver, sharp, pointed knives, some broader, some longer, some crested, others very dull. A naughty smile spread across the outline of the man's face.

"Pretty, the little ones, eh? I could recommend these! For whom is it? A gift?", He asked curiously, though seemed very slimy. I didn't answer immediately and ignored him on purpose, took my time and examined every example very carefully because I already imagined the one I wanted. I immediately rejected the first ones, too clunky for a knife. I had small hands, that's why my hand wandered unerringly to a pretty pair of daggers. I stroked over the golden colored handle.

"Oh yes, a good choice, the Horus dagger, 37 cm long. A light blade. It's made of silver and encrusted with glyphs, a beautiful piece. The blade is enhanced so that it won't go blunt; the golden handle shows the head of a horus. He lies comfortably in a small hand, as he is a light and handy dagger!", he spoke ecstatically, and he went lavish.

If I would've allowed myself, I would've smirked. After that performance I feisty grabbed a dagger. Oh yes, I could feel it, when there was magic in something, one could intuitively feel if something suits you or not. The Horus handle sat perfectly in my hand. It went slightly warm in my hand. Again, I grabbed the second Horus dagger and held both in my hand. Yes, it felt right, and they met the requirements. I nodded and put the blades back down the counter.

"How much?" I asked plainly.

"50 Galleons each, but one moment." He bent down "With the each proper leather sheath, they get invisible if you put them on, very precious!" he said and thrust the two daggers into the sheaths.

I nodded. "That will be alright." I again pulled out my noticeable lighter pouch and began to count the 100 galleons. I couldn't believe how lucky I was; I didn't think about invisible sheaths. I shoved the counted galleons to Mr. Borgin, then I opened my cloak, placed the two leather sheaths with the daggers around my thighs and let the gown slide back above it.

I briefly looked up, nodded to Mr. Borgin and disappeared quickly out of the store, which I still needed to get used to.

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This Fanfiction just got a load more of Advertisement online as people write about it, but all in German I do apologize.

I hope you enjoyed it again, thank you for reading, following and maybe reviewing? ;)

Wishing you a great time!

Cate and Queenie.


	5. Gringotts

Hi again. I hope you've had a great weekend so far. :)

I just thought I upload the 5th chapter of WHF.

Though now, I'm still on the 6th chapter to translate, as the chapters get longer and longer. So please bear with me.

I thank you a lot for all the followers we gained and I hope you still enjoy it. Let us know what you think about it.

A very big thank and loads of Butterbeer to: FangirlHufflepuff who betad this chapter and is a huge help in my team. Thank you.

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Gringotts

Now I was finished in Knockturn Alley. With my new wand, I checked the time, it was almost 3 pm, which was quite late. This is true, but I had already achieved a lot. Now my steps lead around the corner into the Diagon Alley, a glimpse left and right, in the shadows of the buildings I pulled the hood back again.

Here in the bright Diagon Alley I would attract attention with my head covered, which I just didn't need. Everything was so busy, the same as when I arrived here before. As soon as I saw the big, white, slightly skewed building of Gringotts. I stepped up the blank and the - from the sun - shining white steps to the entrance. After I passed the polished bronze gate I saw the security goblins, which always bow for every customer who enters the building, in their scarlet, golden embroidered uniform, greeting them and stepped into the impressive marble porch of the bank.

I went to one of the counters, of which behind it a not so attractive goblin sat on a footstool and stamping documents. The moment he looked up, I stepped closer to the counter.

"Good day", I said and lead my hand to my chest while bowing my head and upper body slightly.

Surprised the goblin examined me with warily widened eyes. I lifted my head again and focused my eyes demandingly towards him. Wizards have been in the goblins bad books, and as I thought had good reasons to mistrust us. Their mistrust towards the magical world lead far back, as far as the 14th century, when the magical council tried to arrange a political regulation with all the human-like and magical creatures.

Bathilda Bagshot wrote in A History of Magic, "The goblins did not want to subordinate themselves to the wizards, because they felt it to be unworthy, to be denoted and treated like heteronomous magical creatures. Despite the goblins boycotts the magical council succeeded, to enforce a hierarchic rank order quite successfully. Even the goblins riots in the 16th century did not help them, to release them from the incapacitation through the wizards, besides the magical council decided that it would just be allowed for pure magical humans to use wands."

Indeed the goblins didn't need a wand to carry out magic, as they can carry out magic through their long fingers, but still they saw it as a decision to the degredation of their kind, which was truly understandable. They still were instructed to employ cursebreakers today, as they even with their magical skills weren't able to get hold on to treasures, which were protected through powerful spells. That's why I wasn't surprised when I got to feel their mistrust from centuries ago. Goblins weren't used to get treated with respect from wizards, as my curtsy represented.

"Yeeeesss..." he said sardonically and gave me a cheeky look. However he seemed to catch himself quite quickly again.

"I'm here for a confidential matter and would like to talk to someone under four eyes!" I said firmly.

The goblin nodded and said: "Whatever you wish, Madam, please follow me!" He heaved himself from his high footstool and walked in front of me to a door on his left side. He held it open for me, we passed through it, and then we stood in a plain corridor, where many doors lead away. He impatiently waved at me, indicating to follow him and opened a next door on the very back. I could just hear him say something in his own goblin-gibberish and saw how he bowed like me before.

You have three guesses, to where I learned the goblins curtsy. Exactly, I had read it in a book. I stepped next to him and he said: "Please, Mr. Rangok for you, Madam."

Now I stood in the door. "Thanks for your help", I turned to the goblin who lead me here, gave him my polite curtsy and stepped, without a glimpse behind me, through the open door, which closed itself, as if by magic.

A goblin sat behind a sophisticated, crested baroque desk, he seemed a bit taller than the other one who directed me to him. He too wore a red golden uniform, though had more stripes on his shoulder. I repeated the greeting. Yes exactly, as I said, I had it from a book about magical creatures and their customs. Even though I called myself a dark witch, I still thought, that all creatures should be treated the same, no matter if goblins, house-elves or centaurs.

"My pleasure, Mrs..?" I heard Rangok with a deep timbre in his voice say, he apparently seemed surprised about my respectful greeting from my part, but also very pleased. As wizards saw themselves as higher, better race, goblins were considered to be cunning and malicious, which they were in a certain level. Though I hoped, to build a good base of business with my respect and courtesy, as they were essentially important to my plans.

"Oh I'm sorry, Mr. Rangok, my name is Granger, Miss Hermione Granger!" I heard myself say honestly.

"Oh... but... please take a seat! You can see I am obviously confused, because I remember you looking differently... You understand... The Prophet!" he apologized warily and suspiciously. In the meantime I sat down, put my hand in my lap and looked Rangok in the eyes.

"Well, Mr. Rangok, it is, because I wear a camospell... One moment..." I said and took my wand out of my gown and swung it over my head. All camospell released themselves. "Well, I hope you can recognize me know based on the picture, that it is me!" I added and showed him a slight, sarcastic lift of the corner of my mouth. Now I lifted my wand again and whispered spells towards my hair and my eyes and obtained again the looks of "Minna Cale".  
"All just safety measures. I hope for your discretion!" I said very quietly but certain. Rangok examined this all with big, deceitful shiny eyes and a slight amazed open mouth.

"Err, no, no. I mean, of course. We take the wishes of our customers very seriously. I promise you, that no one will receive the information that you, are you! But I'm astonished, you are just 15, as old as... the... the-boy-who-lives, as long as I can remember. How come that you are allowed to use magic?" There was disbelief in the goblins voice, he still sat in front of me slightly shocked and confused.

"Exactly, actually I am not allowed to use magic. But how I am still able to do this, should not interest you!" I said harsh and continued soothingly:

"Please understand, I have secrets, no one can know!" I shrugged my shoulders apologetically.

"You are right, it doesn't concern me! But I am pleased to see you, Miss Granger. How can I help you, lastly time is money!", finally he showed his business side and a greedy, devious glint appeared in his eyes.

"You are so right. Well, my requests are varied.

First: Four years ago my grandma and my aunt both died in an airplane crash. I was the beneficiary of their life insurance and the heiress of both women's capital. My parents put the money to a muggle bank on my name, now my question and request, could you get this money to Gringotts, so that I will always have access to it?", I asked and watched him eager.

"Well, Miss Granger, we are working close with the muggles and also their banks together, please give me a few minutes", he answered and opened one of the drawers of his desk. He took out a parchment "Miss Hermione "Jean", I added "Ah yes, Miss Hermione Jean Granger then, born on?" "19.09.1979 in Chelsea, London", I answered, and Rangok started to write like a wildman. I leant back in my seat and observed what he did. He shoved the parchment in a slot of metal on his desk and the paper vanished. At this time he already was after something else and immediately a paper flew from somewhere and landed next to him, fascinating!

A diabolic grin, which didn't really make goblins look friendly, lay now on his sharp tailored face.

"Well, what it shows me, it won't be a problem, Miss Granger. You have been registered as beneficiary everywhere and our law about ones wealth is a bit different than that of muggles, anyway if you assign us..?" he tried to appear reputable, but all in all he just appeared devious.

"Yes, I do, get the money! Into a new one, or is my current vault safe enough?" I tilted my head and examined my opponent calculatingly.

"Just in a moment Miss. Ah here, no. I would recommend a high security vault with blood tariff. The one you have is a standard vault, in which are at the moment 10.000 galleons!" the little, teeming goblin showed himself bustling.

"Come again? High security vault, is it that much?" I looked astounded and flabbergasted. After all it destroyed my mask of indifference, as my parents just told me that my future was secured and that I wouldn't need to worry about my financial situation.

"Wait a minute, Miss Granger. So, please, your documents are ready, read it, please!"

He handed me a stack of documents, then continued to speak, "In this one you instruct us with the assignment, to collect the money at the muggle bank, if you agree with that you just have to sign with this blood quill," I received no other reaction than cold activity from this magical creature.

I did as I was told to, read the document thoroughly, and though couldn't see anything negative, except the 1.5% expense allowance for the goblins. Energetically I grasped the quill and signed. Based on my knowledge about the short pain, similar to an injection, which accompanied the writing with this blood quill, I could stifle any emotions, knowing, that Rangok would watch and register everything meticulously.

The last line was done and the document immediately lifted itself up and vanished quickly!

"Very well, we can continue with the next point," he said. I just gave him a nod, as I absolutely didn't want to show him, that his velocity amazed me.

"The second point would be my hereditary house in Wiltshire, 'Rose Cottage'. I don't know, if you provide something like this, but I would like it if I could protect it professionally?" I asked appraisingly.

"Correct! We do indeed provide something like that. Things of value don't always have to be galleons. Gringotts does protect everything of value, for that we have a versatile protection group, one moment please," he explained solicitously and appeared to be completely in his element.

He turned around, so that he was able to get to a shelf behind himself on the wall and to get a folder out of the drawer. He opened it and looked eagerly at me again, the chance of a deal seemed to spur the goblin.

"I could offer you an on-site-appointment tomorrow, at 5 p.m.," I shortened the whole scenario with a quick objection "That's alright, I will be at Rose Cottage tomorrow at 5 pm, I also want to give my blood for a blood protection!" I said determinedly. The corner of Rangok's mouth pulled itself slightly sardonically up.

"Despite your young age you already know exactly what you want, Miss Granger. Splendid! Saves my time," he bared his teeth to a threatening smirk, which appeared very spiteful to me.

Due to the goblins hidden compliment I bowed my head slightly, to express my thanks.

"Good, then we have settled this point too!" A rustle could be heard and a document shot out of a slot of the wall behind. It landed on the table in front of him. "And hereby we are on point once again," he tossed in and flew diligently over the documents.

"Well, I'm pleased, to inform you, that we opened a blood security vault in the high security sector. Due to your inheritances you have around 6 million pounds or rather 3.5 million galleons ready. Your aunt also left a block of shares in worth of 500.000 pounds at the moment, behind, that all has been transferred into your new vault at this very moment", he informed me succinctly and casually, as to how my current financial belongings are at this very moment. My heartbeat increased noticeable, I never knew that I was rich.

Wow, unbelievable, I needed to process this news in the evening. Considered in a trice it would ease my future plans and actions, one concern less, neat. By now I was already very pragmatic and took it however it came.

That's when I said fancy "Pleasant, Mr. Rangok, that it proceeds so smooth. I ask you, to convert the 6 million pounds into galleons and to sell the block of shares to the best possible but also as fast as possible, leave it in pounds though, in other words muggle money, as I still want to own such funds too. Furthermore I want, that Gringotts will enhance the money and retracts wins, I don't want that the gold gets dusty."

The goblins head transmuted into a continual nodding, similar to a nodding dog, as it shot spitefully through my head.

"Good, good however you wish. I noted everything and it will be accomplished. Please sign both of these documents here, again with the blood quill. Please regard, that 0.15 percent of the content in the vault goes as provision to us, when we work with the money", he explained busily.

I read, looked up, nodded and signed again and gazed almost as hypnotized to the ink, which was my blood. I regarded how the deep dark-red withdrew itself from the snow-white parchment. It had something, something very definite.

"As a result of this you will obtain a blood-money-pouch, which is directly linked to your vault, so that you won't need to fill it again", he handed me a dark brown pouch, in the other hand a delicate stiletto-dagger, or to put it in another way, a knife. "You need to drop blood in the pouch, ten drops should be enough."

I took both items, opened the pouch and put it on the desk, took the knife in the right hand and lifted my other hand above my wallet. With a feisty streak I went through the palm of my hand, cut myself. Again I knew about Rangok's observation and again I wouldn't grant him a sign of my emotions. Without distorting my face I closed my left hand to a fist and let the blood drop into the pouch. After ten drops I pulled my wand over the wound and spoke an Episkey to the cut, which closed itself in seconds.

"You're welcome. Now it hasn't any use for anyone apart from you, Miss Granger. Furthermore I have a card for you, like the one you know from the muggles. With that card you can get money on every cashpoints or counter, for this you need to sign again at the back with the blood quill and write down a four-digit combination!"

I took the card, which resembled a muggle credit card and did what he told me to do, it immediately began to hiss loudly and the numbers vanished.

"Now, please follow me. You still need to pay for the vault with a blood tariff." And he already raised himself eager and hastily up from his big office chair and walked towards the door on his left. I immediately raised myself to follow him.

Here the surroundings weren't impressive anymore, but rather creepy with bare dark stone and the now torches illuminated the corridor. I followed him down a narrow tunnel until we approached a wagon, which would drive us on railroad tracks down into the depth. We seated ourselves into the wagon and soon the bumpy and swift drive began into the labyrinth of Gringotts. It lasted a while until the wagon stopped abruptly.

Now Rangok paused in front of a huge, silver double door and showed me the spot on the middle of the door, on which I would need to press my hand on.

"Please, lay down your hand here." He pointed out and I followed his instruction and was a hundred percent sure, that my hand shortly would be stung. Well, I won, because a short pain followed and soon the door quickly shone golden.

"Marvelous, would you like to visit the content of this vault now?" he asked sedulous.

A look at my watch and I shook my head. "Another time." Soon we took the way back into the office. After everything was settled and I really put away all my things, I looked again with a spell at my watch. By now it was 6 pm and still I wasn't finished yet.

"Very pleasant, how come, that you overcame the drive so well? Many of our customers don't like to get a trip down very often. Can I do something else for you, Miss Granger?" He seemed almost disappointed to my ears that I wasn't hanging over the wagon puking out my soul, those goblins were just a mean folk.

"I love rollercoasters, a muggles invention which is kind of intense, to be compared with this trip down, to be honest I enjoyed it and yes, there would be so much more I need, but I think, that would blast the time frame, as I already am slowly running out of time," I said.

"Absolutely, no problem, I will give you an appointment to sort out the last points, would the day after tomorrow be fine for you, let's say 1 pm?" Mr. Rangok offered immediately zealous.  
I nodded. "Gladly and thank you for everything, see you then!"

I raised myself up, as well as the goblin, raised my hand to my heart, bowed and swiftly left the Diagon Alley, to be able to arrange the dinner for my parents on time.

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I hope you're still interested. ;)

We thank you for reading.

Cate and Co.


	6. Insights of my past

Alola! (A Pokemon Sun/Moon Greeting).

I've come to upload the next chapter!

Please do enjoy.

A huge thanks again to Beta: PeridotPi! *mentally sending Butterbeer to you*

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Insights of my Past

Oh well, there went my plan to practice my Apparating for further routes. I didn't have any time, but I still took several long minutes to concentrate to be able to get into my room at my parents' house. And that's exactly where I stood seconds later, after a very loud bang in the middle of my room.

I quickly spoke to the 'Tempus'. 6.20 pm; I didn't have much time until seven pm, when my parents came home from work. However, I was a witch, and what's more, one with a non-registered wand. This was the perfect moment for my wand to show what it was made of.

I first conjured my real identity, then put the bag with the potion ingredients carefully onto my desk (I'd clear them away later), grasped around in the inner pocket of my gown to get the unicorn blood vial there, and finally put the vial in an upholstered casket on my table. I was sure it would serve me well someday. Next I pulled out my down-scaled books from my inner pockets and threw them onto my bed, increasing their sizes with a swipe of my wand. I'd focus on them later on.

I took off my deep black gown and hid it in my wardrobe. I already wanted to bolt out my room, but the thought of the Horus daggers gave me pause. Oh gods, it wouldn't have been good if my parents had seen me with these weapons. What a problem that would've been. But thankfully, the daggers were still invisible. Nevertheless, I quickly unbuckled the knives and hid them in my bedside table. I would occupy myself with the how and when they got invisible, as I wanted to test it myself. I would never rely fully on Burgin's statement — that was the thing with trust: it was good, sure, but control was better.

I slowed down my thoughts for a bit. Velocity is good, but to breathe for a second, to think through everything again and then to go ahead is always better. That's how I would present myself: the good, innocent Hermione, who couldn't kill a fly.

I whizzed into the kitchen and swung my hawthorn wand like a madwoman. At my command, the doors of the cabinets clattered and the plates zoomed madly through the modern kitchen. Whilst the table in the kitchen set itself, I took all the ingredients for our Piccata Milanese out of the fridge and the cabinets.

Next I bewitched the kitchenware so that the cutlet started to bread itself. Meanwhile I got a pot, to cook the spaghetti in. I was so busy that when I next looked up to the clock, the front door was opening. My parents were five minutes too early. I ended all the spells with a quick "Finite incantatem", quickly put away my wand and bent down for the pan to fill it with oil. Right on time for my parents to enter the kitchen.

"Hello, child! Oh, how lovely, you're almost finished, do you still need help?" my father asked, friendly and caring, but still trivial.

"I'm good, thanks, just have a seat. Or would you please prepare something to drink?" I asked. My father just nodded and walked to the fridge. Sometimes I was sad about the coldness and distance between me and my parents, but I also knew that I couldn't change anything about it anymore.

When I was finished, all three of us sat at the table, our food in front of us. Today, preparing the food, I'd felt for the very first time in my life like Molly Weasley. I started to vividly realize that this would never be for me, no, absolutely not. I made a disgusted grimace, like I had just bitten into a lemon.

Sure, I could do it, it wasn't difficult magic, but fun equated to something different in my own eyes. Just thinking about it made me vehemently wish to be back in Knockturn Alley.

But I was soon snapped back to reality. "Enjoy your meal!" my parents and I wished each other as we started to eat.

"How as your day?" I was immediately asked.

"It was fantastic! The gallery restored a lot of exhibits again, and they made new never-shown masterpieces accessible," I said, beginning my pompous monologue with information about the city's art scene. I sounded awfully precocious and like a know-it-all, but I almost didn't listen to myself as I played the role very well. My parents, I could see, were fooled by my act.

Perfect! I even could see in their eyes, that they had mentally turned off. I mean, who could blame them with that teaching lecture I was delivering? But it also showed that the past four years have gone past my parents without a trace. It was almost as if I attained the full age when I turned eleven and moved out from home forever, into an unbelievable fantasy world that my parents would refuse to believe in their whole life. Retrospectively, I thought it was the point of our utterly, absolute and final alienation. Harry may have lost his parents through Voldemort, but even I lost mine one way or another. I never had them.

Why would anyone ask? Well, for the average muggleborn, life wasn't easy, especially not with their environment consisting of parents, acquaintances, relatives, friends, classmates and teachers. I was never a normal kid, and not because of my extraordinary intelligence. Had I been born in a wizard family, I would have still been more intelligent than average, but otherwise I would not have attracted too much attention. Everything would have been normal. But in the world of muggles, impulsive outbursts of magic and their impact were only just explained at the age of eleven, when the child's Hogwarts letter arrived; by then the kid had already been falling into the well.

At a very young age I could read, write and do math, and by the age of four I already mastered the hurdle. But I'd already had some feisty magical outbursts. I was a cheerful child, but when it didn't go the way I wanted, strange things would start happening. Vases or glasses would burst out without a known cause. My parents would've been so proud of me had it not been for their inability to explain the weird occurrences around them. Instead, they were cautious and scared, but inwardly torn too because of their love for me, their only child. They just wanted the best for me, but indeed saw the strangeness in me that they didn't understand. It was a time of uncertainty and sorrows! It was not easy for either my parents or me, a thoroughly cheerful child. With whom could they have talked about it without being sent to a mental institution, or losing their daughter to the authorities? No one.

That was why I also grew up isolated. And with whom could I have talked? I found comfort early on in books. When I went to school, my 'otherness' just became more obvious to other kids. I believe, that was a reason too as to why I remained an only child. My parents had the fear that another child of theirs would develop the same thing I had. I could quite understand their motives. I was an abnormality. I was a loner too. I struggled to find a counterpart or even friends, devoured every book that I could get my hands on. I even skipped three grades, which didn't make the integration any easier. But circumstances like this always lead to a doom loop, which one never could escape. Behind my back I was called a freak and monster.

Those who should've become my friends in these years became my dreaded enemies! Children could be quite evil, mean, and hurting, and the world of books and knowledge became more and more my friend. A friend who understood me and stayed with me. I was known as nerdy and weird, as sometimes inexplicable things happened in my immediate environment. Everyone was pretty much scared of me. Once a teacher infuriated me. Well, what shall I say, I had a temper. One second she was completely fine, the other she stood in front of the whole class with turquoise hair. Afterwards, she didn't even look at me anymore. Not to mention the obviously shocked pupils. Once I got hunted by another pupil on the schoolyard. I ran and ran and, all at once, I was in my garden at home. Humans are naturally inclined to fear something they don't understand. And that's exactly what I was.

I really was a bit odd and as the years went by, I realized with my brilliant mind that I had to hide my 'otherness' better. I needed to learn to control my feelings, my temper, and hide my terrifying brilliance behind ambition, because by now I saw that even my parents started to dread me more and more. Not only because of the magical outbursts, but also because of my enormous knowledge, which I knew how to use to my advantage. If I think about it, I started to become the person who I am today at age eight — I banished the real, one and only Hermione deep down inside me.

It became better. I didn't allow myself any deep feelings anymore, became distant and unapproachable, buried myself even more into books and tamed my temperament to excessive know-it-all with precocious explanations. Which probably didn't make me more likeable, but at least I didn't spread any fear and terror anymore, as I wasn't angry and I didn't bluster myself into situations that I couldn't change anyways. The old Hermione didn't care about it. She liked it, when the other kids were scared, but she and I, we knew we couldn't risk it towards my parents. So I adjusted.

It took my mind for a ride when one morning an owl flew by with an official-looking letter. A letter that said my name, spelled correctly, and to my amazement, the exact location of my bedroom. How odd.

It was with an open mouth that I anxiously joined my confused parents at the table and began to loosen the sophisticated red wax seal. We were more than flabbergasted by the time we'd reached the end of the letter. I, Hermione Jean Granger, was a witch and should go to a school for witchcraft and wizardry for the next school year.

Mum and Dad looked at each other and me with big unbelieving eyes. It explained everything for which they had never found a rational explanation before! There was magic, I performed magic. I was a witch! We all were gob smacked, dumbfounded and shocked! My brain was at full blast. I was a witch. I could perform magic. I was normal in a way, because this was one thing that always bothered me — not being normal — but I finally had, after ten long years, an explanation.

First we still doubted, until a old, oddly-dressed woman stood in front of our house and demanded admittance. Mum almost succumbed into frightened faint when the woman introduced herself and insisted that both me and my father should be present. She introduced herself as Charity Burbage, a professor of my future school. I confidently shook her hand.

The teacher, Charity Burbage, had for a year already taught the subject "Muggle Studies" at Hogwarts. She explained what this utterly new world meant to me and my parents.

Her remarks were exciting. But it couldn't have fixed my relationship towards my parents. Too much chinaware had been destroyed on both sides during times of doubts and mistrust. Not that they didn't love me or I didn't love them, but closeness was based on trust and that just couldn't be built so quickly after the past few years. We hadn't been a normal family for the last eleven years. Everything was built upon secrecies, the hiding and camouflaging for my 'otherness'. I was brilliantly educated to wear the perfect mask, like an actress.

After my initial shock, astounding silence set into my mind. There were just barely three months left until I would step into a new world, and I wanted to know everything, everything one could know about witches and wizards, as soon as possible. I had eleven lost years of knowledge to catch up.

That's what I also immediately told my parents and the teacher, and I requested to visit Diagon Alley the very same day — to get my school supplies, but more so to buy different books for myself, so that I could prepare myself for this new, magical world. Mum and Dad were surprisingly keen and cooperative and the teacher too offered to show us the way, just so that we could find our way around. My parents almost looked relieved, as they had finally got an adequate explanation for who I was.

Perhaps they cherished the idea that I'd be far away and they'd only see me on holidays. I don't know, I didn't even care and I was indifferent towards it as long as I got the books as soon as possible.

Nothing stood in my way for my first departure to Diagon Alley. We went to Diagon Alley four more times before it was time to go to Hogwarts, as I finished all the books and needed more material. I read like the devil was behind me. I downright devoured the huge reams, qualified myself with enormous knowledge about the magical world and tried to catch up as much as possible. Within a month, I'd learned the whole subject material for the first two years. Only the theoretical material, of course, since I couldn't do practical work with my brand-new wand. We were only allowed to use magic in school, but when I was there I would show that none of the spells would give me any difficulties and that I would succeed with the very first try.

When I thought about it today and compared myself to the likewise muggleborn Creevey brothers, it struck me that they weren't as gifted or powerful or intelligent as me, but they had cheerful, amiable minds. They integrated themselves among the Gryffindors, something I never managed, since my only two friends were Ron and Harry.

I had too many facets in my personality, I indeed appeared good, nice and faithful, an overachiever if ever there was one, but I also seemed aloof, know-it-all and mournful. I even scared the magical kids with my curiosity and skills, even though, or especially because I was a muggle born. That's how even there I lived a quite lonely, isolated life, which was unfamiliar to me, since I didn't have any privacy anymore. To share my dorm with Lavender, Parvati and two other Gryffindor was a huge test for me. I never again took down my mask.

The situation changed only at our first Halloween party at Hogwarts, when Harry and Ron came into my life, rescued me from the troll and became my first real friends. I stood loyal and sincere by their sides, even though — and I'm so very sorry about saying it — I used to get gray hair from their adolescent gormlessness and simplicity and (occasionally) stupidity, but I felt more for them than for anyone else before. They became my surrogate family in the past years. With them I found, for the first time in my life, warmth and affection.

But enough about the past. Enough. I brought myself back to the present, finding that I'd subconsciously continued my monologue about the paintings: "But conclusively I need to adhere that I liked the coronation portrait of Elisabeth I the most!" I ended my lecture and released my parents. They startled out of a kind of semi-consciousness when I finished speaking. Both smiled at me mellowly.

"That's very nice, Hermione, and what have you planned for tomorrow?" My mum looked at me questioningly.

"I wanted to go to my old sports school to register myself for a course during holiday," I declared with a smile.

"Oh, that's surprising, how did you get that idea?" my dad asked, interested.

"Well, there's no sport activity provided in our school. Just Quidditch, and that's not really for me, but I kinda wanted to get a bit fitter. When I climb up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room, I'm totally out of breath. So I intended, starting tomorrow morning, to go jogging every day from 7 to 8 am, to improve my condition," I told them with a certain nod.

I saw astonishment in their eyes.

"That's nice, sounds good, I'm just a bit surprised and your father too. You defended yourself with hand and feet back a couple years ago, when we tried to register you there," my mum said with a shrug. I smiled.

"Yes, I can remember, but I still went there for almost three years and, even though I didn't want to admit it, I started to have fun. I would've continued, if I hadn't gone to Hogwarts," I stated.

My dad took two glasses out of the fridge and uncorked a new bottle of red wine, glanced up and began to speak: "Well, you have my full support in this matter, Hermione. One should never abandon their body. When did you want to go to the center tomorrow?"

"Mh, at around 10 am, why?" I watched him questioningly, whilst we three switched to the living room. Mum handled the remote controller.

"Oh, no reason, I could take you there," my dad offered me, unusually caring.

"No worries, I don't want to complicate your schedule," I refused thankfully, because I had planned to brew potions a little bit and I couldn't have them in the house.

We spent the rest of our time quiet, watching the end of the evening news, until they started to yawn.

"I'm really tired, darling, how about you?" my mum asked my dad.

"Yes, I can barely keep my eyes open. The day was more exhausting than I thought at first," my dad said, before muffling a yawn behind his hand.

"Then maybe you should go to bed," I interjected mischievously. I'd primed 5 bottles of wine with my sleeping potion so far, while we'd watched the news. If they went to sleep now, I could operate more freely and wouldn't have to worry about stumbling over them. "I'm tired too, from the tours today. There was an unusual number of people there today," I said, stretching my body demonstrated.

"Well, good night sweetheart. Good luck at your school tomorrow!" And they left.

Time for other things now.

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Soon, you'll be able to read a special for this chapter with the name:  
The Parents' Sins

It is a very long one, so please bear with me.

Thanks for all the reads and follows and likes. ;)


	7. Potions

A Little Nibble for you guys. Queenie wrote this chapter years ago at 1 am in the morning in bed. Maybe a good nibble to read before you sleep. Enjoy. The Chapters are building up to the story so no worries. ;)

A huge Thank to Beta: FangirlHufflepuff *sending you loads of Butterbeer*

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Potions

I still had a lot to do. As I closed the door of my room behind me, I cast a silencing spell so no one would hear anything coming from my room. I wanted to make it my point of operation, because it was clearly less conspicuous than our garden, but the apparatus brought with it a loud bang and in order to not call my parents attention to the plan, the Silencio had to be done. I had read in a book that a few highly skilled wizards were able to suppress the background noise, for example, Dumbledore or Voldemort, and I had also watched it with Snape and Malfoy. I had intended to learn to do it, and when I thought about how well the learning of the apparatus was done without help, I hoped to master this hurdle with sufficient time and effort too.

I was still doing a muggle defense spell that would warn me if someone wanted to enter my room, although this was no longer possible due to the closure charm I threw at my door at last. It would not have been a good thing, if for example, my parents would have heard of what would happen in the next few weeks. When I had done everything, I let my eyes wander through the room. The night would be long. I walked up to my desk and picked up the ingredients, then I took them to my bathroom, which was very plainly decorated in beige tiles. So I turned my attention to the double sink, aimed at it with my wand and turned it. The basin wandered to the left, into the rearmost corner, diminishing and the rest of the table grew significantly in length and width.

A perfect shelf to brew potions, with enough space to prepare the ingredients. The porcelain was a very suitable underlay. It was always nice to see what a gifted witch I was. I got my cauldron and started to build up everything, then I took a look at my reference book and read it again, even though I had already dared to brew this not so easy potion in my second year, great concentration and attention was necessary to perfect the polyjuice potion.

Lacewing flies, Leeches, Knotgrass, Fluxweed, Horn of a Bicorn, Boomslang skin, and a piece of the person to be turned into (e.g., hair). All the ingredients were to be added to the brew in predetermined order and at certain intervals. The required boomslang skin, as well as the horn of the bicorn were not available in the public trade, blah, blah, I knew that too, it had to be acquired illegally. The preparation of the potion lasted for several weeks, with certain phases of the moon being observed before the last ingredient was added by the person whose appearance was to be obtained. In the end, the potion looks like dark, sluggish bubbling mucus, when the last ingredient is added to the potion, it takes individually different colors as their personal essence.

Now I began to rub, cut, chop and crush individual pieces. I proceeded very carefully. I filled the pot with a little water and ignited the fire. Gradually, I added the ingredients to it, stirring once counterclockwise, sometimes in the other direction, and thus set the basis for the potion. I reduced the heat or increased it as indicated. I was careful to follow all the steps carefully.

Just before 11 pm the base was as far as could be. I removed the cauldron from the fire in order to cool slowly. I levitated the cauldron into my bathtub, because there it would stay for the next days until the next brewing stage.

I was satisfied, for I progressed well.

Now I prepared everything for the next potion. At the end of the holidays, I hoped to have a supply of skeletal wax, different strengthening potions, health potions of different strengths, sleeping-potions and healing-ointment against wounds or fire-curses and blood-forming potions. This would be a good basis on which to build, because for what I was planning, it would be necessary to be prepared for many possibilities.

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G'night!

BTW. Still looking for a beta. ;)


	8. The Sensei

Hi again, As Queenie always updates her German chapters on Wednesdays, I thought of doing the same. So I will try to upload one chapter a week, on Wednesday. Today is Wednesday, so here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

Newly Betad by the great: 46 ! Thanks a lot.

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The Sensei

Just before seven, my love-rending alarm clock rang again and again and took me out of my well-earned, but far too short sleep. But as a result of how smoothly everything had been, I happily went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth and washed my face. Then I tied my hair to a ponytail to get myself ready to run. In the end, I took another quick look at the two potions which were steeping. Everything okay, fantastic.

I put on a pair of trousers and a t-shirt, my sneakers, and ran down the stairs, out of the door, and into a good jogging pace to our nearby park, where I could turn my rounds. An hour later, I hated myself a lot! Did I ever say I could not stand myself? Okay, here again, a memo to me: I just do not particularly like myself today. I had a crimson head that was close to the explosion and barely got any air with my burning lungs. Crap! Each breath burned without end. Had I already said that I had stupid ideas? Actually, yes I did.  
These were the thoughts that went through my head as I opened the door to our house feeling like a pile of misery. Fortunately, it was not so hot in summer, despite the fact that I sweated. I was standing in the hall, panting, just like a poor old steam-engine. Mum and Dad immediately came out of the kitchen to see me, but I couldn't speak. So I only waved at them, exhausted, and was allowed to look into their laughing faces, went to the stairs and pulled myself up, incredibly unelegant, almost crawling, and heaved myself into the shower.

Man, it did well as the lukewarm water ran down my body and massaged my muscles. Then I rubbed myself with a healing ointment, which relaxed my muscles and left only a slight pain in the tissue, but no soreness. I also had the advantages of being a witch.

Oh Goddess, thanks for the magic! I would not have been able to move for a week. My muscles were totally overused (?). I dressed up accordingly to the wonderful summer day, with a spaghetti top and short jeans. Now there was only one thing to do before I could devote myself to breakfast. I rushed to my cupboard and carried a shrunken kettle out of it, which I moved into the bathroom and enlarged there with a charm. The ingredients for the skele wax I had already prepared during the night before. The potion was quickly set and had to simmer for 24 hours with moderate heat supply before I had to add chopped burdock roots. Then stir five times in a clockwise direction and simmer for an additional eight hours.

I allowed myself a satisfied sigh, stretching the still slightly aching limbs before I left my room. Down in the kitchen, my coffee was waiting for me, and I drank thirstily. I was already better, but I still was knocked out.

"Oh dear, how was it? You looked very engaged when you came back," Mum said diplomatically, and Dad nodded approvingly. Yes, I can kid myself, I looked finished, but they always expressed themselves like that.

"It was okay, just unaccustomed, but I'll be alright. You must leave soon, right?" I asked and again drank from my coffee.

"Uh yes, just bring me your registration with your coach tonight. I'll make the payments to him then!" Dad pointed out.

I looked at him with pleasure, glad that he supported me in this, that felt well.

"Alright, and thank you! I wish you a beautiful day," I said to them, really glad that everything went so smoothly and shortly afterward I was alone again and so I devoted myself to my varied tasks. Once again I took a look at the skele wax. It looked really good. It was a relatively easy potion for me, but time-consuming. Next, I headed for the martial arts center with a bag, my sportswear inside, the bag slung over my shoulder.

I entered the school at about ten o'clock and looked around attentively. The room presented minimalist, puristic in black, red and white, as Japan Chic I would describe the ambiance. A young, Asian-looking man, whom I estimated for 25 years, stood with an open facial expression behind the reception bar.

"Can I help you?" He asked kindly, looking out of big, dark, slightly slit eyes.

"I would like to be taught in close combat. I've been studying karate for three years now, and I'd like to get back in now, with intensive training, maybe?" I said in a questioning tone.

"Sure, we do everything. Do you want only Karate or something else? Luta Livre, Jiu Jitsu, and do you want single training? Because our Sensei would teach this personally, and between us, he's not going to go easy on you!", He asked curiously "Oh, the name's Jack by the way!", And showed a series of bead-whitened teeth.

I giggled happily. Jack had no idea, for whoever experienced Professor Snape and survived would be prepared for anything. Any other strict teacher would be like an innocent lamb, for so demanding, unjust, cynical, and mean, that was already unique.

"Pleasant, I'm Hermione. And no, I don't just want karate, rather something of everything, a rather individual martial style? Freefighter, if you have something like that? And I think that single training is the most efficient, but you can estimate that better as a professional?", I looked at him and batted my eyelashes. That was so ridiculous, I knew what I wanted, period. From the far back a first semester in a white Asian combat robe with a black belt, short, formerly black hair, mottled, apparently Asian-looking, came closer.

"Can I help, Jack?" Asked the stern-looking man. He was small, but wiry and vigorous. Sipped a little.

"Yes, Sensei. Hermione here would like to be taught, individually."

Jack mentioned as Sensei lifted his eyebrows irritatedly and took my appearance skeptically in.  
"Do I know you?" He asked after a few seconds of reflection.

"Yes, Sensei, that's right. I was here the last time four years ago, and before that I've been taught karate for three years, from Mr. Naruito," I said. Deliberately, Sensei nodded, gesturing with his hand to follow him, I did as told, after a short nod to Jack. He took me to a small office located further back.

"Well, what can I do for you, little lady?" He began.

Here I had to talk enough tacheles to show that I was neither a little lady, nor a little girl, and I did not need to speak about the hot mush. One should not underestimate him, despite his strict, calm, deliberate nature, and I wanted him to teach me to survive in battle. So here and now a trust base had to be created without me saying too much about myself and the world I come from. I sat upright in my chair, raised my face to him, and looked at him openly and honestly.

"I hope you can help me. I'll try to be as open and honest as I can, Sensei, but I admit there are things I can't be fully honest about" I began, my face filled with seriousness. He looked at me with interest and curiosity, but said nothing, and gestured to me that I could continue with a gesture of his hand.

"Where I come from, there is currently an exceptional situation that will lead to open confrontations sooner or later. In my opinion, sooner rather than later, so my time is limited. I must learn to defend myself, I'm afraid. I can understand if you are skeptical of this statement, but I swear to you, you and my parents will also be affected by this in the future. The times are rough, and unfortunately, there are a lot of crazy people out there. Unfortunately, I can not tell you any more, but you can imagine it like a guerrilla war." I looked at him and could see some skepticism and disquiet in his dark eyes.

"This is hard to imagine, here in London?" He said wisely. "Especially what does a young girl should have to do with it?"  
"Do not be fooled!" I said, "War affects everyone, no matter sex or age, unfortunately. I plan to take an active part, so I need your help" I looked at him urgently. "And no, not in London. But it's still real, and I want to learn to defend myself, please help me, Sensei!", I looked at him with big eyes "As I want to be trained as intensively as possible, I guess that it will not be cheap, But that does not matter" I continued. Hey, he had a school to finance, which means money always helped. I could just understand Malfoy in his manner.  
"You're a strange young girl," he said, "your language is not that of today's youth, and your behavior is very mature!" He paused. "I do not know what to think of it, but your behavior and my inner voice tell me that you speak the truth and need help!" He took a deep breath and seemed lost in thought before he continued. "Well, this is a school of fighting! What would you want to learn from me?" He asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Melee, an individual style, Karate, Judo, Kickboxing, Krav Maga, Luta Livre, Capoeira, dirty street fight, FreeFighter, to make the opponent opaque in my style, I would have thought. Whether I can, I do not know, sir?" Before he could answer, I continued, "And the fight with two daggers, that would be the coronation! I want to come every day and spend three or four hours for the whole remaining vacation!"

He looked at me with big eyes. "You've thought about this a lot, Miss. To answer your questions, yes, I can teach you such a martial style but it is neither particularly aesthetic, nor beautiful, but extremely useful, and I believe you are in need of something like that. Also, learning to fight with weapons is not a problem, but do you find six days a week is not somewhat exaggerated? And two hours should be enough. Besides, it is no longer good to name what we are talking about." I let a cynical smile slip over my lips. I knew somewhere, everyone had their weak spot.

"Sensei, that is enjoyable to hear! But as I told you, time runs out, two hours a day would be too little. I also started to jog every day in the morning for one hour to improve my fitness. I would also come to you on Sundays, if you had not closed, for I wish to learn quickly, you must never doubt, sir," and looked earnestly into his eyes. He grabbed his chin as he pondered in disbelief.

"Good, you are convincing. I believe that you indeed have problems, or you would not be so committed and so you need fight training. I will help you. Your maturity and your will, as you present here convinced me, also I accept your temporal demand. How it will work out, time will show." He looked at me appreciatively. "Every day from 3 pm to 6 or 7 pm," he decided, leaning back in his chair. "But individual training in this form, as I said, is not cheap," he added.

"I am aware, Sensei! How much ...?" I asked.

"Well, I demand 40 pounds an hour. That would be four hours, then 160 pounds. In the week 960 pounds, how long will your holidays last?" He asked.

"Count eight weeks. I have overheard that we are talking about 8,000 pounds, with registration fee and everything. I hope you treat our training confidentially, also to my parents, because I will pay you. I would only ask you to issue a bill of 500 pounds for my parents. The remaining 7,500 pounds, I would like to pay with my check card!", I reached into my jean's pockets and pulled out my Gringotts debit card, and held it out to the surprised Sensei. Well, I had once rounded up generously.

"Of course, Miss...?" I smiled at him, "Miss Granger," he leaned forward and asked for Jack, who soon came to the door. "Jack, would you debit the card here 7,500 pounds and make a bill for Miss Granger's parents over 500 pounds!"

Jack took the card, baffled and bowed slightly to the Master "Of course!", And turned away.

"So, as this is now clear, Miss Granger, I will ask you to go to the changing rooms and get into more proper clothes for training, because I want to get an overview of what you can do and like. I'll be waiting for you in battle room 5," he commanded at once, and I looked a bit surprised, but then did as I was told. As I stepped out of the door, there was already a smiling Jack holding up my card. "You have to explain this sum to me. You just got up to our best-paying customer," he whispered to me.

"Later!", And gave him a dear smile.

A little while later, I entered the combat room, which was a lot smaller than the one I knew of my earlier hours. Immediately, the Sensei turned and looked at me. I was sure he was not one hundred percent sure as to how to assess me. As soon as I stood on the round mat, I held my hands together as if in prayer and bowed traditionally. He did the same to me, at which point we sat up and then it was already starting.

I stood in the shower of the Center three hours later and stared at the blue spots on my body, I found hardly a place that was not blue. Oh Goddess, everything hurt. The master had given me no mercy; he was a merciless teacher, could compete with Snape a bit, even if he was so far only mentally relentless. Although he had only fought in baby-modus and I frantically attempted to use everything I had ever learned about defense in close combat, I was, as I expected, methodically processed to mince.

I went to my locker, rubbed myself all over with the healing ointment, which I had taken with a brilliant inspiration from home, and was now digging for a vial with a light, refreshing drink to relieve the pain. As I said, he had not spared me. Perhaps you ask yourself where I had all these potions and ointments since I had only begun with the potions. As I had just mentioned, Harry had been in the hospital wing during the tragic events of the tournament, and while everyone had been distracted and busy, I had been serving the expenses.

Yes, they would all have been shocked to death if they knew that I, Miss Granger, had a slight inclination to steal, but if I had such an opportunity, I would always benefit them. You never knew what it was good for. I had just learned that he had returned, that we would all get in trouble and that such potions could be useful, so that had immediately opened up to me. As I said, over the years I had become rather pragmatic in such moral matters, I took it as it came.

The ingredients of the multi-juice drink in the second school year had after all not flown to me. As I set out to leave the center, I noticed that it was much more lively now than this morning. I stopped briefly at Jack's to get the bill for Dad.

"See you tomorrow," we said goodbye, since he was now very busy, although he would have liked to question me. I noticed his astonished look that I could still leave the fighting school standing upright and happy.

He probably wouldn't have guessed that. I giggled a bit, after all, magic was not available for everyone. 

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I hope you enjoyed it alright. :) Next Chapter, next Wednesday!


	9. Rose Cottage

We finally got a new chapter. I had a long time to find a great group of Beta's to help me out and make the chapters as great as possible for you guys! I hope you enjoy it as usual.

A big thanks to all the followers and readers!

A Big Huge Thank to: Alyce Seafire, who betad this chapter! Thanks. :)

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"Rose Cottage"

As soon as I got home, I changed into an airy summer dress. I think everyone can imagine why. With this heat, jeans would rub on my skin. After changing, I had around two hours to spare before meeting with someone from Gringotts at a place I had recently acquired called Rose Cottage.  
So I lay down on my bed, summoned a glass of water, and reached for one of my newly acquired books. A book about healing magic, useful for many known curses, whether it be black or white magic. Very interesting.

I apparated to Rose Cottage. I was a little proud of myself, as this time of apparating was also the most extensive so far. I was whole, and had no splinching. This is great. It means I could try to control the problem of the loud pop hopefully be able to lessen the sound.  
I took a look around. I have not been here for at least five years. Since the death of my Grandmother and Aunt. My dad had no reason to come here, so he shut down the house to preserve it for me.

What I had learned from my conversation with Mr. Ragnok rang in my head. I knew that my parents were well off, sending me to the best schools and giving me the best clothes. The idea that I had my own fortune was still foreign to me.  
I was an extremely lucky girl. Even if I had not received any real warmth and affection from my parents, I always got everything that I needed and wanted to buy.

Since they were both dentists and owned their own practice, they were often too busy to mind their own child. So they tried to compensate for the lack of real warmth and affection for their child.  
Now I couldn't believe my wealth! I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I am rich in both muggle and wizard wealth.  
I stood in front of Rose Cottage. Even with five years uninhabited, it was still in pretty good condition. The garden was a little bit untended but its nothing a few spells won't be able to fix.  
I made a mental note to talk to Mr. Ragnok to ensure that my father won't notice the property suddenly disappearing from the face of the Earth. Which would happen when the wards settle.

As a kid, I liked to stay in the Rose Cottage. With it's stone walls and idyllic thatched roof, it was beautiful. It had this romantic feel around the cottage, which is where it bore the name Rose. Especially with the roses everywhere.  
I heard a distinct pop announcing someone's arrival. The Gringotts protection group are here. I turned expectantly and saw five goblins standing under a large oak tree on the side of the road, looking as skeptical and sullen as usual. I greeted the goblins promptly.

"Good Evening, its nice to see you."

A goblin stepped forward to greet me. He had the most black stripes on his uniform and bowed stiffly.  
"Miss Granger!" snarled the goblin. "I am Grophok and this is my troop"

"Hi, Mr. Grophok, What is the plan?"

"First, we will inspect around the property for any wayward spells then begin the first protective charms and rituals." Explained Grophok in his own friendly way. His smile still rather dangerous and sharp. "Only after we finish adding the protective rituals will we need you to add the blood wards."

"Well, would it be alright if I went into the house. I would like to cast some spells inside. To see what needs to be done for maintenance purposes. Would it interfere with the spells for the wards?"

Grophok shook his head.  
"It would not interfere since we are working on the outer wards of the house." He studied surroundings of the property. "I believe that we can start the blood ritual in half an hour."

I nodded to him gratefully then proceeded towards the house. I opened the gate with a wave of my wand and went for the door. The goblins were whispering amongst themselves.  
I sighed when I opened the door. Not much has changed from when my Aunt and Grandmother lived here. Although here were white sheets covering most of the furniture leaving only the wooden floors exposed. I went straight to work on the first floor. Waving my wand to get rid of years of dust and grime left behind on the décor and furniture in seconds.  
I truly love magic with all my heart! There is no muggle contraption that is comparable to the protection that magic could give to grandma's old antiques.

I could feel nostalgia hit as soon as I was finishing the last of my spellwork. I never met my mother's family, they had all died before I was born. My grandma and aunt were the last of my father's family. I am forever grateful to them for my inheritance. Without it, I wouldn't not have the chance to implement my plans. When I finally finished with the cellar, I left the house to check on the goblins. I suspected they were ready for my last spell. And my assumptions were confirmed when Grophok approached me as soon as I reached the back garden.

"We will begin the blood ritual, Miss Granger." said Grophok  
"Of course, what do I have to do? I know nothing on goblin magic." I confessed hiding my disappointment. I hate being in the dark especially about unusual magics.

"Accompany me to the front door." Instructed Grophok as he walked away not checking whether or not I was following.

I turned and noticed the other goblins closed in a circle and began to chanting rhythmically, creating an eerie atmosphere.

"Please, place your hand on the door knob." He instructed succinctly. I held on the doorknob without hesitation.

Grophok then placed his hand over mine and started chanting into his non-existent beard. I couldn't stifle a gasp as I felt a sharp pain in my hand. I almost recoiled my hand from the doorknob as a reflex, but my hand was restrained by not only Grophook's crooked hand but on the handle by magic. I took a deep breath and concentrated instead on the waves of magic that surrounded us. I could feel the magic settle on the property and I could feel it tingle on my skin connecting itself to my own magic. It was an impressive display of magic and an amazing new experience!

A golden shield manifested itself in front of my eyes, flashing brightly, before it dimmed into a dull glow and disappeared. Grophok removed his claw from mine and my hand was free again. The clenched wave of magic ebbed slowly but surely. I stared at the wound that had surfaced at the palm of my hand casted a healing spell.

Turning to the goblins I bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your help today. I wish you all a pleasant evening."

I quickly apparated home to make dinner, going back to my usual routine.

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Followers and Visitors are a huge success for us already and I hope you still will be a part with us for longer. :)

Cate and Team.


	10. Gringotts Again

And here we are again! With a new chapter! I'm so excited and hope you like it! Thanks so much again for the new followers and favourites!

A huge thank too to the very best: AvalonReeseFanFics, The Beta of this Chapter! *Sending you unlimited Butterbeer through Email*

* * *

Gringotts Again

The next day began shortly before seven and just like yesterdays with a one-hour run through the park. Then I waited until my parents went to work. Subsequently, I had a few hours to look after my potions and books and to work on the plan I was going to discuss with Mr. Rangok. Afterwards, I began to turn into my fake identity, Minna Cale. At 1 o'clock I stood before Mr. Rangok's door in Gringotts.

"Ah, Miss Granger! Nice to see you, come and sit," he greeted me kindly after my bow, and I did as I was told.

"First of all I would like to thank you, because your protection group did an excellent job. I am more than satisfied. In the course of this, I wanted to ask you to redirect payment flows from my father's account to the gardener and his spouse so that they're coming out of my Gringotts account. That way he won't notice that the house is now no longer available and at the same time, I would like you to cancel the orders with the companies concerned! " I listed out getting right to the point of the matter. While I was busy, he eagerly recorded the points on a piece parchment, which, after I had finished, once again vanished no doubt by magic.

"Very thoughtful, Miss Granger. I will see to it that everything is done according to your wishes," he replied tentatively, looking at me in a typically goblin-like manner.

"Wonderful, I must say I'm amazed at your speed," I complimented.

"What do I still owe you for the protection of my house?" I asked curiously.

"Because of the information that Mr. Grophok gave me, I think that 5,000 galleons would be appropriate for the one hour, Miss Granger," snarled the little creature.

I nodded and reached for the blood feather quill lying on the table. I would not begin to get lost with Gringotts and begin to act. Rangok already pushed the parchment to be signed towards me.

"I have one more question. You have failed to mention if you want the dungeon that your parents have set up for you to continue to exist or be transferred to your high-security trust. For the moment, your parents have been paying 2,500 galleons a year for the last 5 years. So far, you have not used much, so the credit on the account is 10,000 galleons," he said, I had no doubt that this was accurate as money went above all for the goblins.

"Keep the standard vault and please use the money," I decided.

"Now, onto a more complex problem!" I began. The goblin made himself comfortable in his chair, and when he was ready he made a small gesture with his hand that signified that I should go ahead.

"You know the subject is that he-who-should-not-be-named is back, and no matter what the Daily Prophet or the Ministry says, I believe Harry Potter!" I told him making my view of things to Mr. Rangok very clear. "In light of this, my whole plans are based on this knowledge," I continued.

"That is why, in the coming summer holidays, I am planning to send my parents abroad with a new identity so that they are out of reach of the Death Eaters who will surely be after me. As a so-called Mudblood and as the best friend of Harry Potter, I fear I must prepare for that outcome!" I said.

"I will not expose my parents to this danger and I refuse to be put into a situation where I could be blackmailed with my parents' life," I explained. I took a deep breath, the goblin remained quiet in front of me, absorbing in the serious information I was relaying him.

"As always, I assume that everything will be treated with the utmost discretion, I for hope your support in the implementation of this plan!" I stared Mr. Rangok directly in the eyes as I made this statement and he gave me an attentive but gentle nod.

"I've been thinking about Australia. They would need new papers, such as passports, birth certificates, driving licenses etc., and obviously a new name. The practice here would have to be sold and a new one bought in Australia. In addition, a house would have to be bought. The accounts would need to be rewritten. Also, my remaining accounts, building savings and saving books would have to migrate to Gringotts ", I explained.

Now I had a quite speechless goblin in front of me, which no longer showed the typically diabolical, slightly malicious features, but only amazement. He was apparently already a step further in thought and now only showed speechlessness because of his gained knowledge.

"Um ..." he croaked hoarsely." Am I right in the assumption that your parents are subject to an obliviate? It seemed to me like that might be your best course of action. You excuse my prying of course, Miss Granger?" The goblin asked, rather uncertainly, his eyes large and filled with disbelief.

"Yes, you are right in that assumption, that is my intention!" I said, quite emotionally and with a straight face, because I was fully aware of how emotionally difficult the extent of my future work would be.

"That comes as a surprise, you understand? I do not think that such an extensive forgetting charm can be reversed again," the goblin waved with an excited hand gesture through the air, and I dared to smile at him. Mr. Rangok looked at me insistent.

Apparently, Grophok had informed him about the visible wave of golden magic at the cottage. They did not seem to belong to the ritual, as I had assumed so far, otherwise he would not have emphasized the power. I understood the message behind his words, but I could not explain it to myself either, because I had consciously done nothing.

"Mr. Rangok, I can assure you that I know what I'm doing. I have thoroughly researched everything, so I am fully aware of the consequences, but I appreciate the benefit that all the participants from this action will have, higher than the resulting losses," I said very coldly, knowing that the goblin feared me now to a certain degree.

The goblin seemed to shrink in size as I remained cold-blooded and unflinching in the face of what I was suggesting. Well, you should never be fooled by me. I was capable, and when others were frightened by the consequences, I rushed at them head first.

I think, from today Mr. Rangok was one of the few people who would not underestimate me. Rather in the category of those who trusted me do to everything, who saw someone to be reckoned with and would never try to annoy me. I read some emotions from his sharp-edged face, so I smiled at him, to show him my confidence in him.

"Just to reiterate, my parents' house in Chelsea is not to be sold. This is to be secured as soon as they is moved, just like the "Rose Cottage", as I intend to keep it," I explained, going back to the essentials.

The old house was from my mother's side of the family, and I had too much of a sentimental attachment to it to let it go. It was a typical London townhouse, bright and friendly. Made of light brown bricks with white sprout windows, a small white staircase leading to the red front door, flanked by two white pillars, ending in a white balcony brim. Behind the house there was our small garden with an ancient oak tree. It was a treasure which I just could not give away.

"Can you help me, can Gringotts help me with all of this?" I asked politely now.

The goblin frowned. "Of course, this should not be a problem. At the same time, you must give us enough time. With what you're asking it may take up to a year to get everything done to your satisfaction," He nodded again, while he spoke and wrote along with it. This goblin was really multi-tasking, I grinned into myself happy that he had managed to overcome his shock quickly.

"Yes, then I agree to your terms."

I fell silent. Meanwhile, Rangok gave me a few isolated sheets of paper, which I read carefully, while he continued on diligently planning out how he would do as I asked. I signed every single one with my blood. After we finished, I continued:

"Unfortunately, we are not finished yet. I will become an adult in the magical world in a few weeks' time, and at that point I become parentless. My question is: could Gringotts take over my guardianship for these two months, pro forma? In addition, a one-year time trip would have to be counted to my age, because of which I would have reached the premature age already for a long time. Specifically, in two months, when I would be 16, but with this one year time travel, actually already 17. "

Rangok could only stare at me in shock, his eyes so wide I thought his eyeballs might fall out of his head.

"Oh, it's not what you think, Mr. Rangok. In my third year of school, I got a time turner, with the minister's approval, as my schedule was so full that I could not manage it without going back in time," I said casually.

He swallowed visibly.

"If that's the case, Miss Granger, that's no problem. I can take your age with a simple identification spell and pass it on to the Ministry, so that the year is calculated for your lifetime."

He fetched a document from his drawer and murmured some spells, pushed it over to sign it and put the quill in front of me. The paper was so enchanted that when my blood touched it, my life-years were counted, and as the document revealed, I was magically indeed a year older. Smiling, I looked up at Rangok, for it confirmed my theory. He nodded, and took the document and stored it in a file.

"I have already prepared the guardianship document, I only need the signature of your parents. I'd suggest that you sign it shortly before the Obliviate next year, "Rangok said, sounding surprisingly indifferent, and the nature of this magical race was evident.

"Yes, I like that idea. That's how we'll do it. Then the two documents will go to the Ministry next year! "I decided.

Rangok nodded, picked up the file and put it in a file cabinet.

"Now the last problem. Although I am of age in the magical world, I still remain considered a child in the world of Muggles. Now my question is: can you change the muggle supplies as well so that I would be already 18 years in their eyes as well? " I spoke in excited rush, maybe a bit too fast but Rangok still understood.

"Fakes, as such, not nearly as big of a problem as the business of finding new identities for your parents. I'll get everything done and will hand it over to you next year, "he finished.

"Still some plans to see too, Miss Granger?" It was because of this sarcastic statement of Rangoks that I allowed a small and honest laugh to escape me.

"How well you know me now, Mr. Rangok!" I said with a clearly amused timbre in my voice.

"I am full of ideas and plans, but unfortunately I almost always seem to be running out of time. To my regret, I have my next appointment at three o'clock so I must be going," I said apologetically to the goblin.

"When would you like to schedule your next appointment with me?" he asked.

"Would two days before the end of the holidays, at 1 pm work for you? By then I will have worked out my ideas and know exactly what I want from you," I suggested, and this time would fit perfectly into my plans.

"Is recorded, Miss Granger. I am looking forward to seeing you again. Oh, there's another thing I need to manage and increase your money in your dungeon: at what time frame do you want to be regularly informed? " He sounded very important.

"The first and the 15th of a month, starting at the beginning of the school year," I said without thinking.

A nod and then it was already noted. I stood up and politely took leave of Rangok. I hurriedly rushed to the next apparating point in Diagon Alley, just to appear again in a small side street, near the school, with a clear popping. So, I still have to work on it, I thought of myself slightly annoyed, it was too loud, like an exploding exhaust.

Immediately I directed my steps to the school, for I had still ten minutes to appear ready before my sensei. An inkling made me suspect that, with a delay on my part, the sensei could compete with Professor Snape, so I did not want to test it.

When I was finally in the kitchen at 7 pm, my aching arms and legs reminded me very clearly of the beatings and kicks I had received today. I was not sure if I would get used to the daily running and fighting, because I would have liked to stop it already. Of course my uncanny cleverness did not leave me a real choice. He said to me: keep going, it's getting better, but dreaming was probably still allowed. Who loved it to hurt at every movement!? Late at night in bed I reviewed the day and planned the following days.

So the first two weeks passed very quickly. Jogging, reading, learning, practicing spells and curses, checking potions and continuing the brewing, fighting, cooking food! And then read again, learn, say spells and curses, also to master apparating without noises, but this could be practiced better in the protection of the darkness, again check potions and continue brewing!

And sometimes sleep!

This was my daily routine when there were no other important points and I progressed well. Because of this pace, I could now devote myself to the next challenge.

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I hope you still like it. ;)

Wishing you some very good days until we meet again. :)

Cate and Co.


	11. Ritas Flat

And here we are again! A huge thank again to all Followers and Readers! We're so happy that at least a few like the story. :)

And a very big thank to: SapphireDragonis, who is the Beta of this chapter! Thank you, I couldn't do it without the great help of my Beta-Team. *sending you Butterbeer too*

Now enjoy!

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Ritas Flat

When I thought about this dung-beetle, the bile came up to me, but it was useful. My parents were gone and I knelt in front of my Hogwarts wardrobe and opened it expectantly. I reached for a preserving jar filled with a branch and different leaves. The green, iridescent, ugly beetle was clearly seen, sitting on a small branch, and its eyes fixed on me rigidly.

My prisoner!

Oh yes, this beetle was the animagus form of this lovely journalist, who had the task of telling lies about Harry and me last year. Something that now cost her dearly. Her slanderous, haggard articles in the daily prophet had driven me to white heat, but revenge, as we all know, should be cold. I looked at the greenish iridescent beetle with a scornful grin on my lips. To deal with me you should think twice, if not three times. I was not an opponent to be underestimated, if one wanted me as an enemy, one could have that gladly, only it won't do well for the other person. See Miss Skeeter!

She could probably sing a song of it now; after all, she had been sitting in this glass for more than a month, and would only be free if I allowed it. I had hit the sneaky bitch when she had also been with Harry and us in the hospital wing, after the disaster of the tournament, as a small beetle. I long had the guess that the reporter could have gotten at the partly true but totally distorted statements in the daily prophet only by espionage, since I or Ron had never told anyone anything, thanks to Sirius and the story of the Marauders, I quite quickly came up with the idea that we could be dealing with an unregistered animagus.

It was only the question in which form?

It had to be something small that fit well into one hand and had wings. How else could she have been listening to Harry at divination, so high in the tower? And Malfoy's strange behavior, which Harry remembered at the time of using a walkie-talkie, was well suited to this conclusion.

In the following time I had observed my surroundings carefully, and when I had seen a slightly green-eyed beetle sitting on the windowsill in the white surroundings of the hospital, I put one and one together. So I quickly and unobtrusively conjured a preserving jar from the kitchen, quietly putting some spells on it, for example, unbreakability - not that she could turn back into a human being - as well as air permeability. After all, I did not want to suffocate her, because she being dead did not help me.

Then, in a fluid motion, I had placed the glass on the windowsill and slipped it over the beetle. And tada, I had screamed out a jubilant jubilee. I had made Miss Skeeter my prisoner! Oh, it had been a wonderful feeling to have shown it to this arrogant goat. Harry and Ron had looked at me as if I wasn't quite alright. I had smiled at them apologetically while I had screwed the glass shut quickly, then I had smacked it mockingly back and forth. The two had still stared at me blankly, but I had not planned to reveal my catch.

"Oh, nothing, just wanted to take this dung-beetle away. Something that has nothing to do in the hospital." I said to the guys and rolled my eyes.

One should leave them their naivety, because Harry would have heard my explanations just like through cotton balls, just as he had been beside the track, which was understandable, as Cedric was murdered before his eyes and he witnessed the Dark Lord rising again. Why did I leave them in the dark for so long?

No, not only because it was satisfying for me and she deserved punishment for the journalistic crap she had spread. I wanted to get something from her and I had not found any time to do so, I also worked out my list according to importance and the beetle was definitely important, but everything else I had done so far seemed more important to me. I smirked at her.

"So, Miss Skeeter, I'll soon release you from your custody, if everything goes as planned, cross your fingers!" I promised her with a malicious expression and put her back into my dark suitcase.

Tonight I would once again leave a little trip into the shelter of darkness behind me. It was already after ten o'clock, when I was preparing to leave. I put my daggers around my waist, put on my black coat, and was once again Minna Cale. Then I Apparated into a dark damp alley near the Diagon Alley. Thanks to extensive research and some money flowing, I had been able to get Rita Skeeter's address from one of her colleagues in the Daily Prophet. Her colleague's breach of confidence was not really surprising, as the dung beetle had "made a lot of friends" over the years. It should be alright, as long as I find out what I wanted to know.

She lived in a tenement house near the Prophet, to get to her job quickly. It was not the first time I'd break in, but the first time outside of Hogwarts, in the real world somehow? And that was exciting. My heart beat a little faster as I scuttled along the walls of the buildings like a dark shadow, anxious to be invisible and as quiet as possible. Quickly I directed my wand to the main door. As I suspected, it was quick to open with a simple Alohomora. Silently, avoiding any unnecessary noise, I snuck into the house. What I wouldn't give for Harry's invisibility cloak now, but more and more adrenaline shot through my veins, despite the fact that I had not done anything forbidden, nevertheless, the feeling was exhilarating.

On the top floor was a single door, the name Skeeter graced it and that was my goal. I had reached my goal unintentionally, so I stopped briefly to calm down my heartbeat, and only then did I dare to break the spells that lay over the apartment.

A first scan showed that she had five spells on the door! That was laughable! A delighted smile lay on my features as I began to work. A few minutes later I closed the door behind me and leaned against it. I could no longer fight against my laughter and let myself go, whilst I barely got any air and finally had to wipe the tears of laughter out of my eyes.

I do not know what I was expecting, but not that!

When, in the second year, I had taken Professor Snape's ingredients from his storage room, I had also had to break his protective charms, which he had laid on the door. I had really gotten a good sweat, and had to break up to twelve spells and then was still afraid to have overlooked one, but I had managed it, even today I was still incredibly proud of myself when I thought of it. But now this was a joke! Did Skeeter only protect her flat that lazily or did everyone do this, because then I did not have to worry anymore, as then it wouldn't be long before I was a master thief.

'Pull yourself together Hermione, you are not here for pleasure,' I called myself to reason. 'Get to work.' I scrutinized the apartment meticulously. It showed me that I had correctly estimated Skeeter. She lived only with, for, and solely because of her work, and she was not even bad at what she did, if only she stayed with the truth. The decor was minimalist and cold, in predominantly dark colors. She was not here often, but I was looking for information that might be important to me. I had thought that this woman, as I judged her, had a definite book about every person of the magical world who played an important role, and could have come to some sort of relevant information through her animagus form. I did not believe that she always chipped everything out immediately or should I say wrote.

After nearly two hours I found it. Miss Skeeter was very predictable in my eyes. I held a thick book in my hands that contained all the secrets she could find. It was more than hard to find since she had shown creativity here, but the book itself was frighteningly easy to crack. While I was reading, I was disappointed by this woman from page to page. She had wonderful material about many important people here, but she had almost everything not followed up at all! Yes, there would be some effort to prove everything, but minimal, considering what secrets one would come to. Despite all my disappointment, this book would serve me well next time, since I had to start not only at zero, but needed to be relatively targeting.

So thank you, Rita, I grinned maliciously as I shrunk the book and put it in my coat pocket. I Apparated right from room to room. That saved me time and her apartment was also badly secured. Only once I returned to my bed, did I then devoted myself to my new reading, for some of it was too amusing, but more about that later!

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That was it!

I hope you enjoyed it!

Wishing you a great week,

Cate and Co.


	12. The Beetle

And we are here again with a new chapter!

A huge thanks as always to all the new followers and readers! *throwing BB-Beans at you*

And a very big huge thanks to the Beta of this chapter: SarcasticPerson *sending you loads of Butterbeer*

Enjoy!

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The Beetle

Today was the day I'd promised to free the beetle. As far as I was concerned, she could live out her days as a miserable insect and the world would be no worse off, but unfortunately there were reasons to keep Miss Skeeter human. Her leave of absence from work – which I had kindly submitted on her behalf – would end tomorrow, and I didn't want her to lose her job. She would be so much more useful to me where she was.

It was around midday when I went searching in my suitcase for the glass jar. I knew I was grinning like a madman - this was going to be fun. I set the jar down on my bed, and my smile turned mean. _Are you scared yet, Rita?_ I thought to myself, as the beetle tried its best to look indignant. _You'll learn your mistake soon enough_. My hands shook a little from anticipation as I opened the jar, and tipped it on its side so that the beetle could get out. _Control yourself, Hermione_. I took a few deep breaths and refocused, aiming my wand at the pitiful thing.

"Just so you don't get any ideas, Rita!' I warned, and the beetle crawled slowly, suspiciously, out of its prison and onto the bed.

"Revolvio Animagi," I exclaimed, pointing to the insect.

The beetle grew and grew and, slowly but surely, transformed into the human form of Rita Skeeter - I had learnt the spell against Animagus transformation in my third year. After we had stopped Wormtail, and Remus and Sirius magically disarmed him, it wasn't difficult for me to find the spell.

"Incarcerus," I quickly threw the next spell that would render Miss Skeeter unable to move. Fascinated, I watched ropes wrap around the body of the reporter and bind her.

My mouth twitched into a smirk as I looked coldly over her horrified face. I could not resist a triumphant grin as I looked at the helpless figure that was lying in front of me. Her make-up was smeared and pasty, and her hair had the greasy look of someone that had not seen water for a long time. A thick pimple glowed red and yellow on her chin. It looked she'd lost a bit of weight too, the poor woman.

I did provide food – not my fault if she didn't like leaves.

Rita looked at me behind her too-big glasses with eyes that said, if she could have, she would have gone straight for my throat. "Hello Rita!", I greeted her warmly, faux-affection smothering the words, but I knew my eyes were cold. This was a fun game, but maybe only for me. Never mind – I was still enjoying myself.

"How are you feeling?' I asked, tilting my head. 'It must have been nice the last few weeks, some time to relax, away from the quick quotes quill?" I was winding her up, blinking at her sweetly and jutting out my bottom lip to exaggerate my 'concern'. I wanted to see if she was foolish enough to react to my words. She lay with her lips drawn into a pencil-thin line, so small you couldn't see her mouth except for the smudged lipstick everywhere, and tied like a package on my bed. On closer inspection, I thought I could see that she was biting her lips, perhaps to stop herself from retorting, screaming, yelling?

"What is it, Rita, you're not saying anything? Or have you gone mute, is that a side effect of longer animagus transformation?" I asked, clearly worried for my dear friend's wellbeing. I threaded my wand into my hair and casually twisted a few curls.

"What do you want?" She hissed at me venomously, and I suppressed a flinch - I'd forgotten how unpleasant her voice was. I dropped the pretence and looked at her coldly.

"There it is. I knew we wouldn't be lucky enough for you to lose your voice,"

I continued provoking her, raising the wand again. She began to twist back and forth, pulling and tugging at the robes.

"Calm down, Rita! Don't worry, you're not going anywhere! I won't keep you too long, I can see you're getting impatient. Is that alright?" I said.

She looked at me irritably, as if she thought I had lost my mind. Apparently, irony was alien to her. I clicked my tongue disapprovingly.

"Rita, Rita, you've just got to learn that I'm in charge here, and you have to do what I tell you!" I told her calmly, accentuating every word. I couldn't hold back a deranged giggled though - Miss Skeeter's face was just too funny. I think she really thought I was crazy.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. I'm not actually crazy, you silly thing!", I answered her thoughts, still giggling.

"... You, ... You're mad!" Rita screamed loudly and tried to kick out with her legs, while the skirt of her crumpled suit slipped up further. I looked at her, waiting, like a parent would treat a child having a tantrum, and waved my wand menacingly before her eyes.

"Rita, shut up. If you don't calm down, I'll hex you, and I'd rather not. I want to talk to you," I said softly, reasonably.

"... You, you can't ... you aren't allowed to use magic," she stuttered, and something like fear flitted over her face. I lifted an eyebrow dismissively.

"Rita, dear, I think you should be over that by now. Do you see an owl from the ministry?" I asked sarcastically, looking pointedly at the window. "I can and will, if you do not do what I say." She seemed speechless, as she stared at me with her mouth gaping open. No manners, this woman.

"So, I suppose you're wondering what I want from you? You know I'm not happy about what you wrote about me this year, but especially about Harry." She stared at me blankly. "Your lies are unacceptable and you know that, don't you, Rita? You only wanted to get on Fudge's good side, right?" She still stared, so I forged on.

"Your punishment for your offenses against me and Harry have just been served in that jar for the last five weeks." I said, tapping the jar with my wand. She rolled her eyes as I delivered her sentence, then began to wail.

"Who...Do. You. Think. You. Are ...?" She was starting to irritate me now, getting louder from word to word.

I'm afraid that just isn't acceptable. _We'll call this a lesson in authority_ , I thought, as I casually shut her screaming off with a silencio. If a gaze could burn, I would be able to heat a dozen ovens and open a bakery at that moment. I clicked my tongue, again.

"Rita, if this continues, we'll be sitting here until next week, and tomorrow you're supposed to go back to work again," I pointed out, ever the voice of reason. She stared at me angrily, but she had at least accepted that she should remain silent.

"I'll summarise for you, to keep this short. I don't know if you've realised, Rita, but I've got you in the palm of my hand. You are an unregistered animagus, which means Azkaban." I caught her eyes widening and smiled, finally dropping my wand and looking at her. "Doesn't look like you want to move in there? Lucky you, because if you just help me out a little here, you've got nothing to worry about. I want you to stop writing nasty articles about Harry, so, anytime you write about Harry now, even just to drop his name, you need my permission. Do you understand that, Rita? If you ever write something about Harry again without having informed me before, I won't think twice about reporting you!"

I had explained all this in a low, controlled voice, my arms crossed in front of my chest, and looked coldly, expectantly into her eyes. I could see her slowly processing my words.

"Oh, I can see some anger in those eyes, my dear! But don't you waste your time trying to be clever, you won't get out of it. If you think about reporting yourself, I can stop you. In fact you won't be able to. Count yourself lucky, because I've been working on some spells in the last few weeks. Yes, that's right Rita, just for you. This spell will make it impossible for you to tell someone that you are an animagus. It's a bit like the Unbreakable Oath, but I don't need your consent!"

This wasn't exactly true. I didn't need her active consent, but she had to allow me to throw the spell at her - but Rita didn't need to know about this and it was a rather dark spell. She looked as if she wanted to cry, a pile of misery and rope on my bed. But compassion wasn't something I had in mind at that moment, even as her eyes started swimming behind her slanting glasses in their unshed tears.

"It's a hobby of mine to invent new spells and the like, you know? Ah, where was I - exactly, so you've got no way out. Oh, of course, and since I wasn't very busy the last few weeks and you kindly left me your book, ... ah, where did I put it? Just a second...!", I made the words deliberately light and playful, even though I knew that I had deeply worried her. I reached out to the table and pulled Rita's revelation book out of the drawer.

"Yes, there we are. So, I have your book!" Rita suddenly began fighting, thrashing against the ropes, trying to shout, or make any sound at all, as though she was trying to scream her soul out of her body.

"Please what? Rita, you know I can't understand you!" I kindly drew her attention to her unfortunate situation. But it was too funny, the way she wallowed on the bed and roared silently with a wide-open mouth, while she looked utterly furious. She had lost her glasses while rolling around, and her white-blond hair was a complete birds' nest. I let her go on quietly; at some point she would get tired. I just leant back to enjoy the entertainment.

"Is that enough, Rita? I'm not sure you'd be able to make a noise anymore, even if I took the spell off, after all that!", I beamed at her jovially, letting her know that I was enjoying her humiliation.

"To answer your silent question, I just happened to be free and nearby, so I went round yours yesterday. I happened to find this book by accident, and I have to say it is a very interesting, sometimes shocking, read!" I told her casually. She knew, of course, that I had broken into her flat, but that made the game all the more funny.

"I'm going to keep it, just to make things clear. You can start another one, if you like, but I'd like to get an extract from you once a month - and before you start again, remember: you're in the palm of my hand. You kept the revelation book like a kind of diary, and I'm sure some of the people mentioned in the book would like an excerpt too. So, if you really want to annoy me, Rita, you might want to think about the consequences," I added threateningly. She was now lying still and quiet, completely exhausted on the bed, as if she had given up. I did not quite believe the silence yet, but I removed the Silencio from her with a swipe of my wand.

"You can talk, Rita," I pointed out, as she cleared her throat.

"Chrm ... chrm ... who are you?" Came the question, slightly croaky, but still cold, and she looked at me suspiciously.

"Please, you know who I am. Hermione Granger!" I replied, laughing as I tucked a long, brown lock of hair behind my ear.

"You can't be! A little girl couldn't pull this off. What did you do with Miss Granger?" Rita hissed softly, trying to get into a sitting position.

"That's really sweet of you, Rita, to care so much about me. I'm sorry to have to disappoint you, but I really am Hermione Granger. You just chose the wrong person to mess with and I think you've learnt, despite my age, that I should not be underestimated. If I see you again, I hope this won't be necessary?" I asked honestly, motioning to the jar and the ropes, wondering if she had learned her lesson.

"No, no! This can't be happening! You must be lying, it can't be!" She continued incredulously, and seemed really shocked.

"Rita, calm down, it's really not that big of a deal. You wanted to fool us, or me, and you got caught in your own trap. It's not that bad, if you just do what I tell you, you have nothing to fear from me!" I said, trying to cheer her up.

"But if you even think about doing something foolish, Rita, well, then no one can help you, but I hope you're not that stupid," I added in a low, threatening tone, and sat waiting for her.

"... do your friends, ... Potter and the others, do they know what you're doing?" Miss Skeeter asked in an accusatory tone, trying to get back in the game.

"I don't think that's any concern of yours, Rita, but no, they don't. We wouldn't want to spoil the good impression I've made, do we?" I looked threateningly into her eyes as she stared at me incredulously.

"So, now you've finally let me finish - do you agree to my terms, Miss Skeeter, yes or no?" I was getting impatient.

"Do I have a choice?", She asked doubtfully, sounding exhausted, letting her head drop to her chin. I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"Of course, Rita. Azkaban is always open for you, and the people whose secrets you take care of would much prefer you to end up there, I think!"

"Hmph! Very funny, Miss Granger! There's nothing else left for me," Miss Skeeter said, more than reluctantly.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Skeeter. This is the beginning of a beautiful partnership!" I grinned at her cynically, and I raised my wand immediately after her forced "Yes."

Quietly, I cast "Credere tacientiae", which means "linked to secrecy" and wrapped my demands in the spell. Since I really didn't trust Skeeter, I threw a second spell, the "Conari pactio predere" over her, which should indicate to me if she thought about revealing things that should stay secret. She would not be able to do this because the first spell was too strong and there was no counter-spell, but I wanted to be informed, because then we could have a little talk to remind her of her loyalties.

I had needed her consent for these two spells, which she had just given me - not really voluntarily, but it doesn't need to be too precise. The charms took hold - I could feel the tense, magical atmosphere in my room, and Rita too, but she was just looking anxiously and exasperatedly around the room, breathing heavily; she didn't really know what was happening to her, or what the charms did to her. My third spell was a masterpiece I had been working on for two years - only for this I would need blood, so I got up, walked to my wardrobe and pulled out one of the Horus daggers. I turned to Miss Skeeter, with the blade raised. She instantly let out a shrill, frightened scream, even though, so far, she had allowed me to cast my spells over her. But now life came into her, she tried to crawl away, even with her tied body, over the bed to get to safety. I rolled my eyes, slightly annoyed, because I'd made it clear I had need of her, so I wouldn't now throw myself at her and stab her - what was this brainless insect thinking?

"Rita, that's ridiculous!" I said vehemently, put my fists on my hips, and tapped my foot several times with annoyance. Fortunately, she stopped at once and looked at me with suspicious, terrified eyes. I approached her, cutting my left hand, which made Skeeter wince and let my right eyebrow lift, then pointed the dagger at her, and pulled her left wrist, which was tightly tied at her waist, ruthlessly.

"Doesn't hurt very much and I'll be very fast," I promised her, but her eyes swam in tears again. A jerk, and the inside of her hand was graced with a red, bloody, but shallow, line. I took her bleeding hand in mine, as if I were to shake her hand to get our blood mixed. Next, I directed my wand to our connected hands and recited "Impetus impedive," which means something like 'preventing attack and ensuring loyalty'. I had to protect myself; if she tried to hurt me in any way or attack me directly, the curse would stop her before she could get close, and send her into a coma from which only I would be able to save her.

This spell worked with the Conari pactio predere, which would allow me to know about Skeeter's silly ideas, and the curse would prevent them from being acted upon. As the curse took hold, white, twisting smoke crept around our hands and sealed the unbreakable bond between Rita and me. She sucked in air through her clenched teeth, and I had to bite my cheek, as the dark magic demanded some effort from me. This spell was not an ordinary one and it wasn't so easy to work. This was difficult, very dark magic that was truly binding, so I had to fight hard and steel my will until the smoke shone silver before finally dissolving, and both Rita and I let out relieved breaths.

Well, I've had some awesome moments, but I was very pleased that the self-developed spells had worked, because the hours, days and months of work had not been in vain. Even though I was tired, and wiped my eyes, I was curious how these hexes were going to work out, after all, today was only the first day, but Skeeter, I think, was really close to doubting her sanity. She looked at me with wide eyes, where disbelief, fear, and misunderstanding could all be seen plainly. I healed our hands with an episkey and stepped back from the bed, but then I could feel my own fatigue, which was even worse than I had thought. Still, good to know that I really was as talented and powerful in magic as I thought, even for my young years.

"Rita, I'm going to tell you what these spells are for so you don't do anything stupid. Then I'll break the ropes." I said in a soothing tone, waiting for a sign that she was able to pick up again, and I took advantage of the time to catch myself and get it done quickly. She closed her eyes and shook her head as if she were shaking off flies, but then she raised her chin, looked at me with clear eyes, and nodded, apparently accepting that these spells were now on her.

"So you know, the first spell binds you to secrecy, about me, especially your animagus form, to your revelation book, and so on - you can not talk to anyone, understood, Miss Skeeter?" I demanded a reaction, somewhat impatiently. Rita just nodded at me.

"The second spell informs me immediately, should you even think about trying to break our agreement, so that I can remind you of your commitment to me, Miss Skeeter?" I wanted to calmly get a renewed confirmation from her. Rita pinched her lips into a narrow, reluctant line, but abruptly nodded.

"Spell number three will prevent you trying to harm me, whether directly or indirectly, by putting you in a coma just before your attempt, and only I will be able to wake you out of this coma!" I coldly continued to explain. Rita looked at me completely destroyed.

"Well, Miss Skeeter, I'm known for thinking of everything, and I think I've managed to assure your loyalty with these three spells!" I winked at her mischievously.

"You can try to break the curses. But I promise you, you won't be able to. I invented them and developed them, and the third especially is unbreakable because of our blood. You should not waste your time, but it's your decision, Miss Skeeter!" I looked at her, warningly.

"So, since we've cleared this up ..." I swung my wand with these words, loosening the ropes: "... you are free again," I declare. The reporter hurried to sit up and began to rub herself with her hands over her arms and shoulders, as if she were too cold despite the summer temperatures.

"You are serious about what you said, aren't you Miss Granger?" She asked tonelessly.

"Absolutely!" Was my dry answer.

"I ... understand ... the last spell would really send me into a coma, if I set my wand on you now?" She asked, almost whispering. "I've never heard of such a spell!" She exclaimed breathily, squeezing her own throat.

"I promise you I have not lied to you, Miss Skeeter. Please stick to the rules and nothing will happen to you. I'm not asking for the impossible!" I tried to make it clear for her in a haughty and clever way.

"Yeah, that's…, I guess I can leave now," she span around aimlessly and seemed very confused, almost completely overwhelmed, by her new circumstances.

"Um, just so you don't forget: Tomorrow you start work again. You have to report to me about the 15th of each month, but earlier if there is going to be an article about Harry or Voldemort, and if you start a second revelation book. If you're unsure about something, contact me with an owl, Miss Skeeter!"

I sounded snappy, but I could feel the tiredness in every fibre of my body, and I did not want to show any weakness in front of Rita.

"Yes, of course, as you wish. I'll stick to it, of course, Miss Granger!" She nodded like one of those Muggle dog toys with bouncy heads. The woman was completely out of it. "Apparate from here," I told her, and she left immediately with a loud bang.

One thing ticked off my list. I really seemed to have shaken Miss Skeeter. Was I really that bad? No, I had been fair, even nice to her, considering the circumstances. A look at the clock was enough to tell me that I had to hurry, I wanted to arrive at my training in time and I wasn't sure I could make it in this condition

I grabbed an energizing potion, but even that only made me feel slightly better - those spells were tough!

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Just some new updates about this Fanfiction:

We have after the Beta's a Smoother, named by myself who started to smooth all the Betad Chapters again, so that we have perfectly English Chapters. This needs some time, but it will be done. LittleKatt is the Smoother for the Chapters that have been Betad. :)

Have you seen our WHF-Youtube Videos? ;)

I was wondering if anyone would be interested in an English WHF-FB Group, as we already have one in Germany with over 100 Members. Let me know anyways. :)

I hope you had fun!

Wishing you some lovely fairy days:

Cate and Co. xx


	13. Practice & Training

Here we are again!

I hope you've had a great weekend!

BTW. Chapter 1 got now fully perfected: Betad & Smoothed. In case someone wants to enjoy it again. ;)

Have fun:

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Practice and Training

These weeks of training had begun to show effect. My condition and fitness had increased exorbitantly. I managed now the laps in the park without breathing like a hippo and also my body began to change. I had often thought that my body was no longer able to withstand this strain, but the mind was willing and strong where the body was weak, and so I had often enjoyed the luxury of regenerative baths, to which I had added many magical plants and oils. All this hard work managed to bring my body to a good level.

Through the lessons of the Sensei I developed muscles in places I had not even known about before the approach. My body changed visibly. Where a feminine softness had prevailed before, my body was now preparing for difficult times. The Sensei was pleased with my zeal and ambition, but also surprised. During my last lesson, he complimented me on my incredible progress in the last few weeks. I thanked him very much for the compliment, but also asked him to take less and less consideration in the fight, and certainly not because I was a woman. In the meantime, I would say that he had accepted my subtlety and, because of my sacrifice, saw himself seized in his honor, to teach me really to fight, without ifs and buts. When one asked Sensei for something, and he followed the request, he did so without compassion. One had previously occupied with the request and thus knew what was due to one.

So he increased step by step the aggression in his attacks. In the following days the training became cruel. When blood flooded for the first time, he was worried about it, but I could calm him down immediately, pointing out that this was just my nose. That blood flowed could happen with such kind of sport sometimes and exactly that was what I wanted, the reality. Now he looked at me like Rita Skeeter did, as if I had lost my mind and as if he would doubt the ability of my mind. I could convince him, however, that other opponents would not take any consideration for a bleeding nose, and told him that I had enough medication in the locker to heal my nose quickly.

What I later too in the locker with my wand, with a simple episkey. The crunching of the cartilages, when they reoriented themselves, did not only hurt in the ears, but the pain could be sustained, although my eyes started to tear and I had to take a deep breath. I got a certain pain resistance, as I said, something better could not happen to me, at least I always tried to convince myself of it. A little makeup against the bloodshot spots on the face, because I didn't really want to explain it to my parents, and I was ready to be seen again. The Sensei looked more than surprised at my healed nose the next day. I gave him a sugary smile, which he replied cautiously. Since we had already agreed that there were some things that would be strange for him, but I would not be able to explain it, he did not ask, because Sensei had accepted this. I could imagine that his curiosity almost killed him, but he was a very controlled man.

Then he did not go easy on me. It became dirtier, more dangerous, and he seemed to lose his scruples. After he realized that he did not hurt me permanently, it seemed to me that he was enjoying this circumstance. I didn't just get bruises, but real injuries and wounds in the now pitiless workout. My mind could be really questioned from here. I became slow but sure tough! Pain from the daily blows gave me less and less trouble, although I did not like them. I learned to ignore and endure a permanent, throbbing pain level and still worked properly. The hours between the training sessions before I could be given new injuries were simply too short for the complete regeneration and so I was doubly thankful for my potions and ointments. But I tried not to take them too often or excessively, since I neither wanted to weaken their effect by becoming too frequent, nor wanted to be dependent on them.

So I learned to live with the daily pain.

It is clear that I sometimes doubted myself and what I was doing, but I would still go the way I choose. Whether I liked it or not. It was at least better than to do nothing, and I forbade myself too much self-pity. It was a good exercise. As always, I was willing to use all the resources at my disposal, but it was also very exhausting, because the spells were not so easy. Nevertheless, it was getting better, although I realized very clearly that I was not a born healer witch.

But I also had to realize that the dark magic curses around Rita had made much less problems than the partly very complicated healing magic. Of course I made it as usual to speak these spells, but it was not really me and I didn't have fun! All in all, it was an excellent preparation for the very uncertain and increasingly dark future. The reports in the Prophet have reported the disappearance of sorcerers over the past few weeks, and just a few reappeared. The Muggle newspapers also wrote about unusual events, which could not be explained for them, but gave me a lot of hints about the action of Death Eaters. All this confirmed me in my actions. I hadn't begun to prepare too early. Especially in such situations, I often had to think about Harry or Ron, and that they were certainly not prepared and enjoyed their holidays in Ron's case and Harry, well, he would be annoyed by his relatives over one or the other meadow.

I had written both Ron and Harry letters. Along with Ron, I had sent Harry chocolate for his fifteenth birthday. In my letters, I tried to console Harry about the horror of having seen Cedric's death in front of his eyes, but I didn't really believe that it helped much, because I myself was heartbroken. I wasn't sure how I should get the two motivated to do more, not just learn more but to see more, hear more. Oh, I don't know just to see this whole thing, much more seriously, because I could not do more than I already did. My wish was that they would grow up and quickly! I knew Harry was not easy, and he clung to a hypocritical youth, considering that he had never had an infancy. I just hoped he did not have too many bad nightmares and managed to distance himself from it. Although I knew he still blamed himself for the fact that Pettigrew had escaped in the third year, and thus had the opportunity to assassinate Cedric when they both had arrived at the cemetery, but that was fate and unfortunately I knew Harry only too well. He just sank safely in self-pity.

I just hoped the best for Harry, and I was trying to concentrate on my tasks before me. Since the third week of the holidays, I dealt intensively with the topic of occlumency and legilimency. This was a topic that I was interested in at an early stage, but when I realized what an effort was behind it, I had pushed it away from me. But now it seemed important to me. When I thought that a Death Eater had managed to sneak into Hogwarts for almost a year, I felt sick!

What kind of information could he have gotten if he had been more magically powerful. So I wanted to not only protect myself, but also prepare for the attack. I got all the information, so that I was able to tackle occlumency, because I put the defense here first in the foreground, which ultimately proved to be very time consuming. In my book has been written:

Occlumency (latin occultare = hiding and mens = thought, spirit) is the magical art by means of which a person is able to shield itself from the thoughts and emotions of others. Whoever masters this art can keep his true attitudes and feelings secret even from those who try to see and influence him with powerful magical means. As with the defense of the imperial curse, this requires much will power: only one's own will can prevent others from seeing their own feelings, the sad, happy, or hurtful experiences. Occlumency is easy to break up when a would-be occlusionist can not concentrate fully on the secrecy of his thoughts and feelings. He is more vulnerable when he is angry or other strong emotions distract him. If he is tired, his opponent has an easy game, because his advance is little resistance. No active occlumency can be used to protect the world of thought in the night from foreign invaders. It is therefore helpful to always consciously empty your own head before falling asleep.

Well, the necessary will should be available and I thought I had enough willpower, otherwise I would have long since abandoned my erroneous routine. I was sure that Snape and Dumbledore had mastered this art, and I would not be surprised if they used it frequently. I had to arm myself against it, because it would not suit me well, if they should so simply sniff around in my secret thoughts. This could lead to consequences that I was not ready to accept. One of the most important things to do to achieve this art, to close one's mind, was to learn meditating. For such a restless mind as mine not the easiest exercise, but I also took up this challenge again, and I began meditating every day, practicing as it was described in the book, emptying the mind just before sleeping.

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I hope you enjoyed it again!

Thanks again for all the new Followers and Readers. :)

See you soon again,

Cate & Co.


	14. Arrival at Grimmauld Place

My Betas are just great! I can't thank these people enough! Here we are, a new chapter just for you.

I thank again for all the followings and readings.

My big Thank for today goes to Beta: fiction . lover 46 Thank you for your hard work. *sending you some butterbeer over too*

Warning!: This has some flirting with Sirius-Hermione inside, just in case you don't like it.

And you guys: Enjoy!

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Arrival at Grimmauld Place

My parents would leave for the South of France in their almost four-week holiday at the end of the week and only return shortly before school. To avoid the whole thing, as a holiday did not really fit into my daily schedule, I had, at the request of my parents, at the beginning of the first week of holiday, contacted the Weasleys and Dumbledore and explained to them that my parents would leave, but I would stay here. Professor Dumbledore said that this was not a problem at all, he had a place for me, as I could not possibly be alone in those times. I had imagined this differently, but that would not stop me from implementing my plans anyway, maybe it made it somehow more difficult, but I would make it. I was very optimistic.

Wouldn't be fun otherwise, if it were too easy! Here my cynicism kept coming back. So I sat in our BMW on Sunday morning and was taken by my parents to Grimmauld Place. In the letter from Professor Dumbledore, it was written that he would be waiting for me at 10 am in the park in front of Grimmauld Place. My father helped me with my luggage.

"Shall we wait, dear?" I heard Mum from the rear of the car.

"No, Mum, it's alright. Not that you'll miss your plane!" I exclaimed.

"Really darling, we'd like to wait!", She said.

"I know that, Mum. But I will not have to wait here for long and I know how much you are looking forward to the holidays. Just go" I smiled at her, relaxed.

Then Dad simply pulled me without a word into a hug and murmured, "Watch yourself, little one! We love you!" He kissed me on the cheek.

"I love you too. I'll see you soon, and have a nice holiday!" I leaned toward Mums's car windows.

"Enjoy! See you soon!" I waved her goodbye, as the car was already moving, and so my parents parted to their holidays and had no idea that they would leave their daughter to a starting war. I looked at the surroundings. Behind me was the fenced typical English town park with its old trees and the green meadow. On the other side of the street were the usual English detached houses of red brick, big and solid. A hardly perceptible, quiet plopping sound next to me, which I only perceived, because I practiced like a madman to get something like this, tore me out of my contemplation of my environment.

Ok, I admit. From this I was still a tiny little bit away! Yes, alright, in contrast to this I sounded like a misfire of a motor, satisfied! Inwardly I made a whining face, as if I were biting something very bitter. I turned to the sound and smiled relentlessly, not looking too deeply into his eyes, and glanced at his gray-robed robes as he wore them. I did not believe the walls were strong enough to defend my mind, but that would not prevent me from creating them anyway.

"Professor!" I said, pretending I'm surprised. "Where do you come from?", feigning a little more being oblivious Hermione. But especially with Dumbledore, my disguise had to stand perfectly! His interference at this time would be fatal and so far I had managed to remain relatively unobserved by him, as Harry's friend, the nerd, no more, but no less.

"Miss Granger, pleased to see you. Am I too late?" He asked habitually friendly and brightly smiling, blinking his bright blue eyes flashing behind his half-moon glasses in good spirits, as he looked around searchingly.

"No, Professor, we were too early, but since the plane was not waiting for my parents, I sent them quickly, or did you want to talk to them?" I asked politely.

"No, no, everything is fine. But now, Miss Granger. You surely want to see your friends as soon as possible, whom are already very impatient," he pulled out a parchment from his robe, which he gave me. I took it and read it carefully. There stood: "The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is Grimmauld Place No. 12!" And the red brick houses were jerking already, sliding sideways, leaving a so far not visible building before my astonished eyes, while the paper burst into flames and fell to ashes.

"Fidelius," I whispered, very impressed.

A giggle at my side made me look at Professor Dumbledore. "You know the spell, Miss Granger?" He asked curiously, sounding more than just in a good mood. I began to recite while we reached the door of the house:

"The old and very complex Fidelius can be used to hide the knowledge of hidden locations or buildings in the memory of a person. Only the so-called secret keeper knows where this place is, and only that person can make this place discoverable and accessible to others. Anyone who does not have the secret keepers information can stand directly in front of the building, or even press his nose against the window, but still can not find what he is looking for. As the name Fidelius (lat. Fidelis = sure, faithful, reliable) implies, the secretary has an absolute trustworthiness," I ended my busy explanation.

I had sounded like a schoolbook, which was positive, because everyone underestimated nerds, since everyone assumed that the knowledge you possessed was only memorized by heart and that one could not know how to apply it. Professor Snape was convinced, and I also think the other professors would be lulled by this preconceived opinion, and that should only be right for me. Being underestimated was better than being overestimated.

"Very impressive, Miss Granger. As always correct, if we were in Hogwarts, I would give you 10 points for this achievement! ", He praised me good-naturedly and sounded like a toddler, who was now humming with pleasure.

"Professor, who owns this house?" I asked curiously, breaking through his good humor.

"Oh, the Blacks, my love."

He opened the door. "Please, come in," and waved his wand in the direction of my luggage, which rose into the air and followed us into the interior of the house. Wow, Sirius's house, a real, real, magical wizards home. I was totally excited and nervous, not to be compared with the clean, cheerful and noisy burrow. I hid my overflowing joy with a frightened and nervous look, because my face should show my insecurity. We entered a gloomy, long hallway. On the walls hung paintings depicting the Blacks who had long since died, who critically eyed us and criticized us with evil and disapproving faces, then to insult us whispering, not to disturb them.

Here and there stood disgusting things like a troll-leg, which was used as an umbrella stand. Everything seemed descended and uninhabited. The spiders on the ceiling and the omnipresent dust all made a very eerie impression, but the past splendor of imposing times was recognizable everywhere. What I liked very much were the silver door handles and knockers, which represented delicate, detail-loving snakes. The professor told me to be quiet with a finger on his mouth, and led me deeper into the old dark-mage house.

We approached a door from which I could hear voices. Dumbledore opened the door and then went through the dusty, dark brown wood staircase, decorated with the tasteless, shriveled heads of the former Black House elves. It wasn't nice here, but a certain atmosphere you could already give the whole thing and I liked the tension here. The burrow couldn't compete. The house exerted an incredible charisma on me, which I would have given myself immediately, had I not had to mimic my role of the good Hermione. We passed through the door, which led us into an old, but clean and large, long kitchen, of which in the middle was a long dining table, with several persons sitting there, most of them with red hair.

"Hermione!", I could hear screams. Ron and Ginny had jumped up and rushed toward me. I was glad to see her, but I hated this, as my true self was too cool to appreciate such affections, but I remained faithful to the part I played.

I put on a wrong smile and returned the hugs.

"Ron, Ginny, nice to see you!" I exclaimed. They sat down and began to discuss the latest Quidditch results, while I greeted the other attendees.

"Mrs. Weasley," I greeted the mother of the two and nodded to her. She smiled at me kindly. "Hermione, dear, how are you?", And another hug. Ughhh, I didn't need that, but good now.

"Thank you, very well, and ... Sirius!" I walked up to him, who was sitting quietly in his chair at the head of the table to greet him. I remembered him, how Harry and I rescued him from his prison in one of the towers at Hogwarts, with a Bombarda, as we rode Buckbeak. "A Black in the House of Black. What a surprise!" I said ironically, handing him my hand, a daring smile graced my face.

He looked at me with flashing, gray eyes and a fat grin on his face. The last year had obviously done him good. He didn't look so hungry, exhausted, and depraved, and his curly, shoulder-length, dark brown hair fell well, clean, and softly shimmering round his shoulders. His eyes were no longer as cloudy as before, but looked interested. He seemed much better. He looked good. At the same time, his face was adorned with a beard, which he had carefully trimmed. It was easy to imagine how he used to twist all of the girls' heads.

"My Savior. The smartest little witch I know, Hermione! Nice to see you here," Sirius said sincerely but also flatteringly, and led my hand to his mouth, what a charmer. He wanted to flirt a bit, and in me, he obviously saw a matched opponent, unlike Ginny. His eyes flashed brightly when I didn't back off but gave him a sober smile.

"Smarter than you are, Sirius, you Casanova! And I see you are better than the last time we met!. How do you feel in the house of the Blacks?", I brought it to the point, I took him firmly into target. Grumbling, he let go of my hand, even the cheeky grin flew away and made a bad-tempered expression, so I quickly sat down beside him in a chair and patted his shoulder, while Professor Dumbledore was quietly talking to Mrs. Weasley. Ron and Ginny looked at us again and again, our conversation about the Blackhouse now seemed not to be too exciting.

"Oh, you know Hermione, I hate this house, far too many memories, but little good! ... ah, but what can you do?" I interrupted him in his self-pity. "Sirius, I beg your pardon, still better than Azkaban!" I did not show any sensitivity, and he let me feel this by giving me a slightly indignant look.

"Well, I do not want to complain, but Kreacher too ... it's not easy and then this boredom!" He moaned further, whipping a strand from his forehead.

"Kreacher? I promise you, I'll try to entertain you until Hogwarts starts again!" I flirted with a clear look to him. What was I doing? No idea!

But as he sat before me, I liked what I saw and a hard-working woman like me should have her fun, right?

Sirius swallowed too much air, coughed briefly, and lost some of his casual attitude. "Her ... Hermi ... Hermione, thank you ... oh and Kreacher, that's my mother's stupid house-elf!" He stammered, first panting, but then he caught himself astonishingly gallant and steered quickly at last on the house elf.

"There's a house-elf here? I haven't seen him yet, but don't be so nasty Sirius, the poor house elves. And I have to tell you, I find your home exciting, but now what do you want to do to keep yourself from getting bored?" I flirted deliberately to irritate him and leaned a little more towards him. My long hair fell over my shoulder. Why I wanted to flirt, the devil knows, but I had always liked him, and one could still see the good-looking, happy, funny, young man from him who had difficult years, which made him all the more interesting, as I found his gray eyes inevitably drew me into his spell.

I think I felt sorry for him, and a bit of flirting made life twice as much fun. We were just not allowed to get caught, once again a good exercise for me to act in secret. What would happen if the others would find out, hell would break loose, one would gossip at our age and everyone would be outraged at my morals. Ron would be speechless and Harry..., well Harry, I didn't know, because he was really hard to judge in such matters and Sirius was still his godfather.

I smiled at the group and asked: "How long have the others been here?"

"The Weasleys are here with sack and pack since the beginning of the holidays. They want to help make the house more homely," Sirius informed me consistently ironically, as if this was an impossible undertaking. "Why are you already here anyway?" He asked, giving me a penetrating look.

"Oh, my parents are going to southern France today, and I didn't feel like it. And under these circumstances, I am very happy about this decision, because I too was bored," I smiled sarcastically, looking at Sirius's captivating gray eyes. He tore them wide open and looked at me in surprise, while they darkened themselves to the hidden message behind it. "... um, well ... that's ... great," he stuttered, visibly unsure how to react to my advances. Ok, I'd take out a gear now, not that he will take the escape from me, I decided, when it started to become loud and it made it unnecessary to do something, as everyone turned to the noise. And there stood two cheeky-looking and identical looking twins in the kitchen, with red hair and a devilish expression in their freckled face, which could mean only nonsense.

"Heyyyy, most beautiful Hermioneee, you here, what do our dark, tired eyes see? The dark, musty house shines in new splendor!" It came out of their identical mouths at the same time and they grinned at me sardonically.

"Oh, Fred, George! Please stop apparating in the house, just because you can do magic now does not mean you have to use it for everything!," Mrs. Weasley instantly exclaimed, but the Twins surrendered to her with an apologizing bow, and she turned back to our director which mildly smiled towards the twins.

"It's alright, Mum!" Both boys muttered annoyed, but not really apologetically.

We had always understood each other very well, very well indeed. I liked these chaotic boys, who weren't as chaotic as many thought they were, but brilliant and ingenious, albeit diabolically dangerous. In addition, their deeds or rather misdeeds were usually not so nonsensical. I would rather say, who underestimated the Twins, could burn their noses badly and I knew that since my first year. They also tried to conceal their existing brilliance under their spleen behavior, which I had long ago looked through, but since we were probably similar in this behavior, they had also long ago realized that I was not always that I showed to be. They were more attentive than one thought and always good for a surprise. Since Harry's third year, I also knew why they had sometimes asked me very funny questions, in which they had told me that they had seen me a few times at night times where I shouldn't have been. Their secret was the marauders map.

Since that time, we have been helping each other here and there, and I really do hope you don't believe that all of their ideas and the implementation of their so-called jokes and their products have been created with loving, innocent, white spells. There was one thing these two monsters were certainly not: innocent. I was curious about what they were doing with the money of the tournament Harry had given them. Soon a conversation was due.

"Haha and with so much red I'll be blind soon," I retorted back. "I'm looking forward to seeing you. What nonsense did you think up now?" I asked, smiling at the two as they slumped on their respective chairs.

"Well, you look good and our heads are full!", One of them gave me a high-spirited smile, as I noticed Sirius's eyes, and how he was looking at us.

"So full they're bursting soon ...", "And what we plan to do ...", "We shouldn't say, it's a secret!", "Secret," said Fred and George in their non-serious way, alternately and confusing. They probably wanted to drive their mother into madness, so I nodded only mildly, leaned forward and whispered quickly:

"Fool the others, but please not me. Today after dinner, I'll listen to what new stuff you've already planned, understood!" I whispered vigorously, narrowing my eyes to slits.

"Alright, beautiful!", Was their conspiratorially reply, which they whispered to me, and they put their heads together and whispered about God and the world. Sirius had watched us closely and raised an eyebrow. I looked at him with mischief in my eyes. Now I wanted to take a closer look at my surroundings.

"Where will I sleep?" I asked to no one particular, but this now seemed to have caught Ginny's attention, for she jumped up and cried: "With me, come on, I'll show you!"

"Mum, I'll show Hermione everything," she told her mother, who had been talking to the professor all the time, and ran off.

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I hope you enjoyed it!

Read ya sooner than you think. ;)

Cate & Co.


	15. The Twins

New day, new Chapter!

Guest: Thank you for your review. As you can see I changed the first chapter a bit. I wasn't sure if I should do it or not. But you're right, its really quite sandwiched. Are you okay with me writing something at the beginning here, or would you say it's not necessary at all? Its maybe a German thing, we always write something at the beginning. xD

Beta of this Chapter: MarvelGeek42 :*

WARNING: Twins-Love Scenes. No Sex yet though.

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The Twins

Already the spirited little bundle grabbed me by my hand and pulled me to the second floor of the house to our room, which was quite homely with two beds. On the walls hung faded green wallpapers; it looked gloomy but not repulsive.

"Nice, and which is mine?" I asked, and Ginny threw herself on the bed by the window.

"Oh, good, and how is it at the headquarters?" I asked, looking at her casually. I didn't want to show my interest in a house full of dark magic too openly.

"Dull, you won't believe it, Hermione. All the time just cleaning. Mother scares us through the area, and when it's exciting, because the Order has a meeting, she sends us to our rooms. It really sucks, and Fred and George are so weird, they just hang around and I'm just with Ron," Ginny complained, raising her long, handsome, red hair to air her neck.

The door opened and Ron entered. He had grown in the past weeks, I too had changed a lot because of my training, which I immediately tried to conceal through a wide-cut, wide-blown, lilac blouse.

"Hello again, how do you like it here?", He asked curiously. "Really scary, right? Have you seen and heard the picture with the old Black?" Ron said with disgust in his voice. In the meantime, I packed out the things I would need here. The other stuff I left in my suitcase.

"I like it, Ron, uncanny - not really and no, which picture? And actually I wanted to stay at home," I went back to the drawer. I didn't know why I spoke so openly, but it annoyed me that I now had to act so restricted and this mood I let out on the two siblings. His face changed disapprovingly.

"Then you don't want to be with us?" He asked reproachfully. He always snapped so quickly. Now I really would've liked to have my eyes twisted, but held myself back.

"No, of course not, Ron," I once wanted to be honest, but then quickly remembered for better when I looked into two sad faces.

"Of course I'd like that. I'm glad to see you, but I just wanted to tell you that I will have little time, and I remember, I have to ask the professor something!" And was already running out of the room. I never liked to give accountability. Quickly I opened the door to the kitchen and saw three adults sitting at the table while discussing, but because of my abrupt appearance, they interrupted their conversation.

"Sorry ... I didn't want to attack you like this!" I began politely, but was interrupted in my apology, as Ron and Ginny followed, as expected.

"... but I would have to clarify one or two things with you, Professor," I added, urgently, rolling my eyes in my mind.

All eyes were now on me, surprised or curiously interested.

"Um, it's because, I have an appointment from Monday to Saturday, from 2 to 8 o'clock, which I must go to and can't cancel!", I quickly spoke my first concern. I had given myself an hour extra for at the beginning and at the end of the event, because you never knew what it would be good for.

"And what would that be?" I could hear Mrs. Weasley questioning.

I pinched my lips briefly, because that wasn't anyones business, and I also had approached Professor Dumbledore. I was only too aware of everyone's eyes on me. Sirius watched me with his arms crossed and his eyes twitching.

"Nothing exciting, I only have these hours since the beginning of the holiday, with permission from my parents and wish them to continue, since my parents have also financed it. Where I have to go ... it's not far from here," I waved to the explanation with my hand through the air. The professor had still not said anything, but watched me attentively. I avoided his gaze, at that time I sat down on a chair and poured myself a glass of water. Fortunately, I had not thought of summoning one. I had to be careful not to use my wand, because that would be fatal in this group.

"What are you doing there, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked his first question calmly. I played myself a bit coy, as if I were embarrassed.

"Do I have to say that, Professor? Is it not enough if I tell you that it's not dangerous, otherwise my parents wouldn't have let me go!" I insisted and shifted restlessly on my chair.

"I'm sorry, Miss Granger, but in those times, we must be careful," he said grandfatherly, his eyes behind the glasses flashing amused at my malaise. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, I began hesitantly: "... well, I have two lessons of ballet and three hours of standard dances a day, as a distraction, you understand, and for the return trip I suggest an hour!" I exclaimed embarrassed.

Inside I was torn by laughter, when I saw the faces of the people present, because it was really too funny! If you needed a camera, none was at hand, a pity.

Wonderful! Ron stared with an incredulously open mouth, and Ginny suddenly looked Ron, surprisingly similar. Sirius had the gruffest grin on his face, which I had seen from him so far, and I guess he didn't believe me, but he said nothing and laid his hand over his beard. And Professor Dumbledore had a good-natured smile on his face, so he was in good spirits.

"Well, if this is right, Miss Granger, I think this shouldn't be a problem, as you said you had done it in the knowledge of your parents, which shouldn't be noticed here either. Is it fun?" He continued with a wink and looked enormously childish.

I got red cheeks. "Yes Professor, very. Thank you for asking," I muttered, looking straight at the table.

"Isn't it a bit exaggerated, six hours, six days a week?" Mrs. Weasley said loudly.

"Well, I don't think this is any of our business, Molly!" Sirius said to my surprise.

I raised my head and smiled gratefully at him.

"Thanks again! I'll go then!", I rose and went into the hallway.

Phew, done. Man, that had been almost too easy. Dance, yes, that they believed my nonsense, I shrugged, not my problem. Now I would explore the house a bit, because the two siblings hadn't immediately attached themselves to my heels, I strongly assumed, that it would still be discussed about my "dancing hours" in the kitchen.

At first I made acquaintance with Mrs. Black's insulting painting, which I quickly left behind, as I also had the honor of meeting the stupid house-elf, who tried to calm the excited former "house lady" and pulled the curtains before the painting. At the same time he muttered wild insults to himself and looked very old, down and dirty, so I rushed up the steps.

I had found my favorite room at the Black House very quickly. First floor, left door. Here I would spend most of my time, after all I had only four weeks to go through these wonderful books. The biggest part was about dark magic, the more exciting, but it was not really surprising in this house. The good news was that I didn't know most of the works, as this library had many copies that weren't represented in the Restricted Section. Here I would be able to deepen my knowledge of Dark Magic and find new ideas and incentives to create new curses. Considering how effective this had been with Miss Skeeter, these were hidden treasures.

Lovingly I stroked the titles of the folios and choose two books that I pulled out. I carried them to the seating corner in front of the fireplace and made myself comfortable in one of the green leather armchairs. Within a very short time, the books were so good that I completely sank into them.

"Here you are. Come, lunch! It's already late, since Dumbledore only just left!" I was upset when Ron told me this excitedly. I slowly turned my gaze from my book and looked at him slightly questioningly.

"Aha, thank you Ron, but I'm not hungry, please excuse me, I'd like to stay here!" I replied distractedly, and immediately lowered my eyes to the book pages. Not everyone can be such a big eater as you, Ronald, I thought harshly.

"You're not serious about that, Hermione, we're on vacation and you're crouching here like in the Hogwarts library!" He shouted, frustrated and angry.

Hello!? Had he landed on another planet at the end of our school year, we were facing a bloody war, and what did he want? Eat!? I was about to loose my control because I had to be prepared and the knowledge of these books helped me, so I would read them now, no discussion!

I looked at Ron. "Ronald, I'm not hungry and yes, I'll read in my spare time, you may like to sit with me," I offered. "Otherwise, please don't disturb me any further," I determined and looked demonstratively at my book.

I only heard the door closing almost loud as Ron pulled off insulted. Annoyed, I gave a deep sigh and let my head fall into my neck. At the moment, I wanted to go back to our house in Chelsea, and if Ron went on like this, I'd kill him someday. I found him quite nice and valued him as a superficial friend, but I had accepted him for years only for Harry's sake, as I knew he needed the ease and kindness of someone like Ron. But how he had behaved in the tournament, I hadn't forgiven him, unlike Harry.

Harry was just too good to be true.

Well, on Ron's sensibilities I could and would not take any consideration, I had to concentrate on the contents of the book. After a while I heard the door open, but this time it was quietly closed again. I did not look up, I was still annoyed about Ron, but then I heard whispers, and that sounded like a disturbance, which I welcomed.

Without looking up, I asked, "Well, you two, were you looking for me or are you just happening to be here?" I asked smugly.

"Well, well, you wanted to question us!", Both were laughing and rumbling, sitting down the green leather couch opposite of me, looking at me. They lay more on top of each other than anything else, a really funny view.

"I never question, Fred," I replied indignantly, looking giggly at their intricate bodies.

"How do you always do that? Nobody can tell us apart, it's sooo frustrating!" He said seriously desperate.

"In your dreams, I won't tell you, as you sung so beautiful before, secret, secret!" I giggled. I could have anticipated their reaction, but it still let me roll my eyes. During this time, I pulled out my wand and spoke some defenses and locks on the library, because I knew that if I someone else and not me would be witness to the scene I was facing, the Weasley family would be more than just shaken. It would tear them apart, but the little drama about Percy was ridiculous.

"Fred, George you share a room, why do you always have to show me how much you love each other?" I asked, sugary, and at least they ended their passionate snogging with which I had clearly seen too much tongue and their faces turned towards me, but they were still lying together.

"We like spectators!" Fred grinned like a little evil devil.

"Ha, you can't fool me, you are the biggest secret warriors, but why do I have to watch you putting your tongues into each others throat?" I mocked, drank a sip of my water and sounded tortured.

"Just because we can't let others participate, you have to see it. We want to share our happiness with you!", they explained to me and two red heads nodded in agreement.

"Something else comes into my mind, how did you get rid of Angelina and Alicia?" I wanted to annoy them, mean as I was. Fred suddenly broke off from George, sat up, sighing, and stroked his red hair.

"It wasn't so easy, really. Women, they were so annoying!", the twin exclaimed annoyed.

"Why, I thought she was very nice," George said, looking at Fred with a smile.

"George, don't annoy your brother like that, you know how jealous he is!" I said encouraging the drama of the jealousy before my eyes.

How long they've had a relationship for? In my opinion, always, but from a sexual point of view, I knew about it since the fourth school year. I had caught them one night in the greenhouses in flagranti, how and in what manner I leave to your imagination. Since then, I've been supporting them in their relationship and helped them where I could, because they were aware that they had to keep their feelings secret because society and their family would react with shock and disgust.

I tolerated their connection, so that I didn't want to rise to be their judge, that would go too far for me. They knew that they did forbidden things, and I overlooked it generously, but I didn't pretend to judge about their morality.

We trusted each other because they knew something about me and they helped me and I would keep their secret. How did I feel about their love? I didn't think it was really bad. They were gay, I had nothing against gays, please, everyone shall do what they want. It was only the special case that they were brothers, but same-sex, so I found it now necessary to get used to, but since no incestuous children could emerge, please, if they wanted it.

And when we were honest with each other, who could ever imagine Fred or George with someone else? These two belonged together, there was no place for other partners, just like these two interacted. So they had my blessing and they knew that, so I could always witness again as they kissed.

"C'mon tell me, what are you going to do with the money?" I asked curiously.

"Well, we want to lay the first stone for our own store," George said, cowering into the couch.

"Exactly, we are inventing quite a few new jokes. We want to sell them in the school and now we're creating plans for our own store at Diagon Alley!" Fred explained enthusiastically.

"What about the Ministry?" I asked.

"Oh, what Mum imagines is completely irrelevant to me, I won't be a Percy!" Fred said angrily, waving his hands in the air excitedly.

"Exactly, that has always been our dream and with the money we can tackle it now, we've been saving it for years," George told me quieter, but no less of anticipation.

"Good idea, have never seen you behind an office table. You have my support, should you need more money, or one moment, how much did you get from Harry?" I asked thoughtfully, biting my lower lip.

"1,000 galleons!" They both said brightly.

"Well, I'm buying into your business, I will instruct Rangok to give you 2,000 galleons, or do you have your own vault?" I smiled, leaning into my chair and pulling my legs under me.

"Wha ... what ... what, Hermione ... that ... how?" They stuttered at me.

"Calm down, boys, rejoice, I believe in you and would like to support you and if I didn't have the money, I wouldn't give it to you. Please take it!" I held out my hands. Now, two twins were sitting opposite me, as they were rarely seen, speechless and open-mouthed, a little pale in their faces and with round eyes.

"Thank you," George said, "Yes, thank you Hermione, you're the best!", said Fred joyfully excited.

"No, you're the best thing that could happen to us, we love you," George said firmly, tilting his head slightly. "Oh, we've opened an account with Gringotts, so much money belongs to the bank, we trust the goblins," Fred explained.

"You're a flatter George, but gladly. I want you to be happy. And I'll instruct Gringotts to credit the money to your dungeon," I looked intensely at them. They took each other's hand and smiled shyly at each other.

"Hopefully Harry and Ron know how to appreciate you," Fred replied suddenly, but then nobody said anything, for I was not sure about it, and the other two probably neither, but then I remembered something.

"Tell me, do you actually get everything you need for your new ideas and products?" I asked doubtfully.

"You're too smart, Hermione. No, unfortunately not. Some is on the Black List or is equally forbidden. Unfortunately, we still don't know how to get all this at affordable prices," he sounded slightly sad. I thought hard.

"Tell me, are the members of the Order the same members that were already in the first war?", I asked then, because I had an idea thanks to Rita's book.

"Mhm, as much as we can tell, yes, who were you thinking about?" Fred asked sardonically, and then one could see the twisted fate of the Twins.

"Mundungus Fletcher!" I told them.

"You mean Dung, weird guy!" Fred made a disgusted face.

Yes, I had imagined him like that with the description of Miss Skeeter.

"Then you have the solution for your problem. Ask him to get you the things, judging from your reaction, he has the best contacts to Knockturn Alley, and if he is as fucked as I think, you can do well," I nodded with my head and was allowed to witness their reaction.

"Man, most beautiful. You're awesome, we'll have to discuss this, George, so we can use him," he said, quite agitated and fidgeting on the couch like a toddler.

"You are truly incredible, thank you for everything and see you later. We have to plan a lot now," George suddenly seemed quite frantic. And I already could hear a bang. My crazy boys! They really should practice their apparating, in contrast to them I was as quiet as a bee.

"See you later," I murmured to myself, while they were already gone.

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Hope we haven't lost you guys now. :P

Thanks for reading and following. :)


	16. The First Evening

A little warning for everyone out there: This chapter is one of the first Sirius-Hermione-Flirting Chapters. ;)

I thank for all the Followers, Reads and especially: Reviews! Thank you all! *throwing bb-beans at you*

Beta: Alyce Seafire A Huge Thank to you! *sending you a Hogwarts Goodie Bag*

Enjoy. ;)

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The First Evening

Fortunately, no one disturbed me in the last few hours. I was thrilled. I enjoyed the peace and quiet while reading the incredible books hidden in the library. There were many interesting topics hidden in the Black Family Library. New approaches to new spells which include the use of Ancient Runes and Arithmacy. Over the years, I have gained knowledge of dark runes and arithmacy. Thanks to my secret trips into the restricted section of the Hogwarts library.

Hopefully with the help of these books, I was given a different perspective in magic. Taking a piece of parchment, I started to work through on how to effectively go through these books.  
The library itself was well maintained. A bit of dust and a grime here and there but otherwise it was okay. I made myself comfortable at the seat and checked the time. I had an hour before I need to get out before anyone becomes suspicious.

I made it a point to tidy up the books properly. If Molly Weasley found any of these book, she'd throw a fit. I checked the hallway and quickly went into my room. Thankfully the room was empty. Ginny and Ron were nowhere in sight.  
It was still early enough for me to go out for a jog. I, unfortunately didn't have martial arts training since it was sunday, so a jog around would have to do.

I crept downstairs and through the dark corridor. I didn't notice the eyes watching me from the darkness. I jogged up and down the street of Grimmauld Place.  
My thoughts going to the coming weeks. Keeping the Weasley's from snooping won't be easy. They were very welcoming and all. But they cannot tell the difference from curious to down right annoying. Too bad Harry wasn't here, he could distract Ron and Ginny so i'll be left in peace.  
But as annoying it was being surrounded by prying Weasleys, I don't regret coming to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. The House of Black's vast library was all worth it. The knowledge was too good to pass up.

I was sweating furiously as I stepped at the front porch. I felt good. The run had my adrenaline pumping. I am not as exhausted as I thought I'd be. But then again Sensei's training got my body used to the exertion.  
I opened the front door as quietly as i could, I walked a few stepped and i stopped to listen. I knew i wouldn't be able to hide my daily jog for long.

I didn't hear anyone coming. I quickly climbed up the stairs so i can take a shower and change into a long sleeved dress. No one needed to suspect anything with all by bruises from martial arts classes.

I was hungrier than I expected from the work out. I quickly walked into the kitchen and i froze. I didn't expect so many people! Sirius sat at the head of the table. All the Weasleys were present, Remus Lupin, Mad-eye Moody, and Professor Snape sat across them along with an unshaven man, a lilac haired woman and another woman who i do not know.  
Everyone turned when I had barged into the room. I feel the blush crawling up my cheeks as I quickly went to sit at the empty seat beside Sirius. To my right would be Professor Lupin and opposite me Professor Snape.

I already made myself comfortable on the chair when Ron exclaimed. "But Hermione, you could've sat with us! We would've made room."  
I rolled my eyes. "That's nice, Ronald. But I am okay here."  
Beside me Sirius chuckled under his breath.  
I glared at him. He shouldn't meddle in things he has no business in. He might've noticed that I was avoiding the Weasleys. But I really hate it when he gossips.

Surely one or the other wondered why I was able to suppress my curiosity so well and had not asked anything about God and the world. Only what should I ask, the so-called adults wouldn't answer and Ron and Ginny would have no answers to my questions, in the best case only assumptions. And what had I Rita's book for, there was much information about the order, the first war. I now knew more than the two Weasleys, the two won't get to any relevant information. I still hoped that the information about Dumbledore would not be so accurate, but I had doubts. So I took my plate, took a serving of roasts and tried to go as far into the shadow as possible, not to be noticed, and to be asked questions was the goal.

In the meantime, I took a cautious look at the loud corner, and I saw at least three pairs of eyes that were on me, interested and curious. What were they thinking? Even Snape looked at me with his eyebrow raised, then I quickly turned my gaze to my surprisingly interesting plate.

Snape's POV

Miss Granger is avoiding the weasels? Interesting. The young woman seems to be isolating herself rather than staying with her peers. For the first time, she has not gloated of the numerous information she had learned like an insufferable know-it-all. Her expression of shock had been amusing when she entered the kitchen to find the Order around the table. She immediately took refuge in the corner where Lupin, Black and I resided rather than with the annoying Weasleys.

I studied her with a sneer. Why is she hiding from one of her best friends? What had changed? Because of my spying days, I am a good observer. I can read people easily and clearly something has changed.

Obviously, she had grown into the body of a woman, but there was something else and I could not place my finger on it. I glanced to where the Weasley's and their large brood resided. Childish and idiotic as ever. My thoughts returned to Miss Granger, the "head" of her little band of friends.

This is going to be entertaining. As intolerable as it is to sit near Black and Lupin, I was ready for the coming entertainment. Fortunately, they were silent. Which was an advantage over this chattering group of chickens.

I sighed. Why Professor Dumbledore thought that ordering me here is a good idea is beyond me.

Back to Hermione's POV

I groaned in my head. When will these people grow up.

Then again in the past month and a half alone, so much has changed for me. I do not know how I would be able to keep this facade in Hogwarts, the nodding and smiling.

Since Cedric's death and the rise of Voldemort, I didn't feel like laughing. He was young. He had his whole future ahead of him. It was depressing having someone's life just cut off like that. Not seeing them again. I would miss him dearly. I know even if he had lived I wouldn't see him as often. But knowing that he was gone...

I shook the thoughts off my head and smiled. Smiled for everyone else's sake.

"Hermione, ... Hermione, ... hello ... hello!" I broke out of reverie and turned to Sirius.

"Uh. I beg your pardon?"

"I asked you how do you like my humble abode" he said sarcastically waving his hands to the surroundings.

"You probably won't like hearing this." I said quietly to avoid prying ears. "But the Ancient and Noble House of Black sure has something." He raised his eyebrow at me. "Above all, I love the library. I don't know how else to describe it other than Amazing."  
At the corner of my eye i could see Snape listening intently. His head was low, his hair fell to his face and he held no emotions but his attention was to Sirius and my conversation instead of his food.

"I expected as much." Sirius said with a chuckle then leaned closer conspiratorially. "Now tell me Hermione. Why are you avoiding Ron Weasley?"  
Remus had turned after he had finished his conversation with the lilac haired woman on his other side. He apparently heard the last part of the conversation.

"I would like to know as well." he said staring at me intently.

"What do you want me to say?" I asked. "But I have a feeling you wouldnt stop pestering me until I tell you."  
The Marauders were determined and nodded. Sirius was tapping impatiently on the table. While Remus gave me a look.

"He's getting on my nerves okay!" I hissed. "He's annoying, he's blind and childish."  
Remus looked horrified. Sirius however looked like he was going to laugh. At the corner of my eye i could see something flash in the eyes of the Potions' Master.

"Hermione," Remus started to scold while Black chuckled.

"What?!" I asked. "You wanted the truth. Don't scold me for that. Don't ask if you can't handle the truth."

"Why, Miss Granger, what came about the sudden change of heart. Suddenly so quiet and now so harsh with such statements!" Snape said in his low and sarcastic tone.

"Hello, Professor." I said sarcastically "I didn't notice you were there."  
Sirius snickered loudly he was shaking with suppressed laughter he almost fell of from his chair. I glared at him angrily and Snape did the same.

"Ron is immature and boisterous. We had a fight at the library when i was trying to study. I prefered to be left in peace and quiet."

"Hermione," Remus scolded. "That's not a reason to sound so disgusted. He's your friend."

"You wanted the truth. And that's the truth. I would appreciate it if you do not scold me for it, Professor Lupin. You do not need to announce it to everyone. I am just a little annoyed. I will be fine in a few days."

Remus raised his hands in defeat. "Alright, I apologize. What do you think of calling me Remus. I am no longer your professor."

"Gladly, Remus, thank you," I said gently, conciliatory and gave a nice smile. A derogatory "Mmmpfffff" was heard by Snape, who had followed this with attentive eyes. Remus turned back to his left as the young woman asked for his attention.

"Hermione, Hermione ... you truly have grown up since I last saw you, not that you've always been more than mature for your age, but now...! Amazing how time passes!" Sirius announced dreamily, looking deeply into my eyes. This Casanova. Snape watched him with questioningly raised eyebrows and frowned forehead.

"Are you flirting with me, Sirius?" I asked, looking intensively at him, which he replied stoically and not very shyly. Snape sniffed again as he heard my question.

"But what do you think, little one? Surely, not me... " he said playfully, but his eyes were bright as expected and he threw back his wavy hair.

"Sure, tell yourself that." I said questioningly "Have you already found someone to play with, it's quite boring here right? Oh yeah, i forgot, Ginny and Molly will keep you busy, won't they?"

He growled slightly. "I don't think you would like to be a part of this game," he said provocatively in his own way, as he gave me an ardent and more than ambiguous look. I could feel professor Snape watching the whole interaction but i refuse to let it bother me and it didn't seem to bother Sirius.

I giggled mischievously. "Are you so sure of that, you naughty, naughty dog ... Pffsh, what are you thinking again," I said flirtatiously, enjoying the fact that Sirius was involved in the game. A slight disbelief was evident from Professor Snape's face. His otherwise perfect indifference was shattered as he watched this flirting strike exchange. Oh, yes, Professor, just before you, two people, one of them, your pupil, and on the other side, your hated former classmate, a temporary prisoner, and the same age as yours. Would it shock them all, that I found men of more mature age more appealing to me than the boys in my age, who couldn't reach me in any way? Well, except one maybe, but no, not now, more later.

"Maybe I've already played, maybe I'm good at playing games, maybe, maybe. You never know, don't you, Sirius?" I said cryptically. I watched him, silently laughing, at a shocked, but also slowly understanding expression in his face. With this both of Sirius and Snape's head jerked up, and they both looked at each other with wide eyes.  
Sirius let a lot of impulses run over his expressive face. It was easy to read, what the information, that I was not half as good as he thought, did to him. But as it said so beautifully, especially the still waters are very, very deep.

It was different with Snape. He had little to show. Only for a short moment disbelief and silent horror flashed through his eyes. Nothing else could be read in his face. What would I have done to be able to use legilimency now? What were they thinking? I would bet all my money on the fact that their thoughts weren't for kids at that very moment. And so that the good professor didn't even come up with stupid thoughts and try to apply legilimency on me, I never tried to look directly into his eyes and built the strongest walls around my mind, as best as I could and hoped it should hold, in case he still would try. You never knew. And I was gladly prepared for all eventualities.

I straightened on my seat ignoring the two adults. "Mrs. Weasley, I want to ask something."  
"Yes, Hermione?"  
"I was wondering if I could just work on the library. Cleaning up and restoring. I just feel I would be more productive there than anywhere else in the house."  
I could see the frown growing on Mrs. Weasley's face. But before she could say anything Sirius butted in.

"Of course, Hermione. I couldn't imagine anyone better for this task. Actually, I was planning to ask you for a favor to do the same thing. At least there aren't any dark-magic artefacts in the library!" Sirius claimed playing along. I smiled widely at him.

"Sirius!" the Weasley Matriarch scolded. "The library is too dangerous! It's teeming with Dark Arts books!"

"Oh, Molly." Sirius said shaking his head. "Have a little faith. I am sure Hermione is old enough to know what to touch and not to touch are. Let the kid have a little fun."

"Please Mrs. Weasley. I promise to be careful." I said giving her a pleading look. "Please, Mrs. Weasley, I promise, I swear to you, you can trust me, please!" I begged

A wave of a wand and I'll be finished with months of work in no time. Which gives me more time to read through the entire library within the summer holidays.

"But Hermione dear, I do trust you. I'm just worried. But you shouldn't be working on this alone…"  
I interrupted her lecture with my own brilliant idea. "Oh, what a good idea. Ron could come with me. Ron, I have a very specific approach, which is essential to protect the books against any environmental influences. With a muggle-way, of course, very lengthy but incredibly effective, a very exciting ... ", and already I was interrupted by an outcry as I coldly calculated in my mind. The Twins, who watched the show also interested, as they already have caught me reading, almost fell from their chair with suppressed laughters and winked at me again and again.

"Mum, please don't. I mean, I like Hermione I do but i really do not want to spend my holidays stuck in a library." Ron begged his mother with a panicked expression on his face.

It took a lot to keep myself from laughing. I had thought it would take a lot more for Molly to agree. However, Ron is doing my work for me. And I wouldn't have a hard time keeping Ron and Ginny away from me. Two birds with one stone. And a show to add to it. Sirius and Snape were both looking at the whole encounter. They were silently judging and questioning my intentions

"Okay, okay. Ron. You don't have to." I heard Ron sigh in relief. But Molly was persistent. "But i am really not comfortable with Hermione alone in the library perhaps Ginny.."  
"Muuum!" Ginny whined hearing her name in the conversation. "I'm already helping you clean up the rest of the house. Please don't force me into the library for the rest of the summer.  
"Fine." Molly said consenting much to the relief of the younger Weasleys. "But i do not like it.

"Oh it's alright, I know Ron and Ginny and know they don't mean it in a rude way. I don't blame them, really, guys, but you understand that I have to do that, because you don't get such a chance every day," I said to the relieved-looking siblings. Thanks to the exhausting round with Molly they were very red in the face, which bit itself incredibly with their red hair. They seemed to be completely out of breath.

"Well that is entertaining." Sirius whispered. "Was that planned?"

"Should I really tell you my scheme?"

"The truth, Hermione"

"In a way, it was planned. I know how much Ron despises the library. Especially when I am with him. So he wouldn't voluntarily go into the library to be stuck with me through the holidays. If i worked it correctly. I would get my peace and Molly, Ron and Ginny wouldn't feel guilty for leaving me alone in the library. Since i technically asked for it."

"Well, today has been truly interesting, Miss Granger. I am certain that you should have been sorted into my house. Many of my Slytherins might learn something from you." Snape said monotonously. I raised an eyebrow at my professor this is a compliment coming from him.

"I hope for your secrecy, gentlemen," I said dryly when I rose. "Have a nice evening and have a lot of fun with your secret meeting," I smugly winked at them.  
As I made my way out of the room, Ron and Ginny were told to go upstairs as well because of the meeting.

"Wait up, Hermione!" Ron called. "So what do you want to do for the rest of the day? We can play exploding snap."

"I really do not feel like playing right now, Ronald." I said. "However, I need to send a letter to someone can i please borrow Pig?"

"But do you have to do that now? We could hang in our room or try to listen into the meeting again."

"Thanks for the concern, Ronald. But i would prefer to stay in the library for the time being. And i still have a letter to finish writing. I'll see you later."  
Phew. That was close. Now i need to get them out of my tail. They could wait for me as long as they want but that would meddle with my plans.  
I was accustomed to stay awake until one o'clock to read and work and I would continue this here. Now I just needed to have a plan of how to send Ginny and maybe even Ron, like my parents with their red wine, to the land of dreams. In the coming weeks, I would have to spend some nights outside one or even more times.  
I hurried to the desk to start on my correspondents. My first letter went to Rangok with the request to send 2,000 galleons to the Twins.

My second letter would go to Viktor, with nothing but minor trifles, but I wanted to try to keep the contact, as I always said, you never knew what it could be good for.  
When I finished, I picked up the books I hadn't finished before. A little charm, so everyone would think I was studying boring lectures about magic, not "black magical spells on all occasions" and "dark ritual charms," which always inspired me, protected me from discovery. As I noted, the meeting began shortly after we, the kids, had left the kitchen, at 10 pm. Now, at midnight, I heard sounds of a departure from the society.

I was well ahead. In an hour I should have finished reading the two books. I quietly walked around, no one had to realize that I hadn't even been in bed. Luck was good to me. Ginny slept deeply, not even waking up as I almost silently made myself ready for bed. In bed, I smiled at the memories of the conversation with Sirius. The flirting was invigorating, and that Professor Snape watched everything so attentively was very exciting, we would see how this game went further, but I also liked to play.

I tried in my meditation to clear my mind, because to master a game with Snape without this art would be really stupid and I was never stupid.


	17. Life at Grimmauldplace

And here we are again! A huge thanks to all new Followers and Readers of this story. I hope you still enjoy it. :)

Beta: AvalonReeseFanFics Thanks a lot to you too! *handing out butterbeer*

Warning: More Flirting between Hermione and Sirius.

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Life at Grimmauld Place

The good thing about me was: I could adapt to most situations. So for some time now I was waking up on my own without the use of my alarm after only five hours of sleep. So today, I opened my eyes and was awake instantly, without being grumpy. I had practiced this too, but not enough, because I was awake, but I was not ready yet. Before going to bed, I had quickly laid a silentium over Ginny. It was almost like the Silencio, but it didn't mute, but protected a person from external noises.

So I could relax while I prepare for my jog without worrying about waking up Ginny. All I had to do was go to the bathroom to brush my teeth. When this was done, I went merrily downstairs. It was just before six. I didn't expect to meet anyone this early, because yesterday their meeting had been late ending around midnight. So, I assumed no one would be awake, except maybe Molly and Arthur, but they would be in the kitchen and wouldn't notice me sneaking out. It was satisfying to see that I was getting faster, but also that I was able to run more and more laps, this motivated me to push harder, get faster and farther. After an hour of practice I ran into the house and quickly went to the bathroom. When I entered my room dressed in a bathrobe, I checked if Ginny was already awake at half past eight or if she was still sleeping.

She raised her head and blinked her sleepy brown eyes at me.

"Morning," I whispered softly to her and rummaged through my things. I was looking for an outfit that was light and loose and would show a bit more of my body than yesterday. Ginny yawned heartily, stretching herself. I stood there dressed and brushed my long brown hair, which I wanted to leave down. Something was attracting me to not be seen as a gray mouse.

"Morning, Hermione! Where were you yesterday? We've been waiting for you. What did you do? Why are you ... ," she squinted at the alarm clock ," ... already dressed so early? Man, we have holidays, Hermione!," The lecture begins and the girl hasn't even been awake that long, frightening. Blablabla, I would have loved to let out a frustrated scream. Hello? She had just woken up and I was getting nothing but questions and insulting insinuations, with such friends no enemies were needed, that was my firm belief.

"Ginny, good morning!. You should know from Hogwarts and from past holidays at yours, that I have always been an early bird. I don't need much sleep and just like to get up early. Excuse me, if I disturbed you," I said slightly sour. "Besides you were already asleep last night when I came in, I didn't want to wake you up! Where is Pig actually? I was hoping I could borrow him to send some letters I wrote last night," I asked, now bustling around the room. I shot her a glance to see if she heard by and she heard the disapproval in my voice and found her looking owlish and irritated.

"Man, what's the matter with you? You're so grumpy. I just wanted to know what you were doing, and so what could have taken you so long? Ron didn't leave until after 11 pm. I mean, you can't have written big novels, did you?" She asked, much more curious.

"Nothing, Ginny, I just read a bit!" I said defensively. "And I'm not grumpy, I'm just annoyed that I have to constantly justify myself to you!," I honestly told her then. She stood up and looked funny in her pink short nightshirt. It was a gift from Ron for her birthday. He was either really color blind or he wanted to take revenge on Ginny with that hideous shirt.

"Do I and Ron annoy you that much?" She asked sniffing, looking saddly up at me with a cow's big brown eyes.

"Honestly, yes you do, a bit. I don't mean to be rude, but I'm reading, there's nothing wrong with it, why all these questions then?" I asked frustrated, waving my hand in the air. Then I dropped myself on my bed.

"Sorry. I wasn't aware I was that bad. I think it's just because we can't quite understand, but we should really respect your wishes, sorry again! But you have to understand we hear you're dancing all at once and you haven't told us about your holidays since you got here. And then you sit down, next to Snape," said Ginny with great disdain.  
I slightly rolled my eyes, 'Because it was just more interesting with him than with you guys,' I thought to myself. "Hm, it's alright, I understand, and today I'll spend my time with you, promise, right now at breakfast, before we all start to work, ok? But yesterday, I didn't sit down next to Professor Snape, but next to Sirius," I said sharply, quickly clarifying the situation.

"I'm gonna go down, okay, Ginny?" I said then, signalling that I was done arguing with her. I took my two letters with me and left the room.

"Sure, I'll hurry up. I'll wake up Ron, so he'll come down too, and I'll bring Pig with me!" She offered.

"Yeah, thank you, do that. See you soon" I muttered, but I needed coffee, Now, Finish, Amen. Now, just before eight, Sirius, Lupin I mean, Remus and Mrs. Weasley were in the kitchen. Molly worked at the stove and let all kinds of kitchen utensils float around her. Remus and Sirius were sitting in their seats, their heads stuck together, as they whispered to each other.

"Good morning, everyone!" I said politely, and sat down in, what seemed to be, my usual seat.

"Good morning," came from all three of them.

"Did you have nice dreams?" Sirius whispered almost silently to me.

"Should I ask you about your dreams, Sirius?" I asked an ambiguous counter-question while I could feel his glancing looks on my décolleté. Apparently, he liked my dress a lot today, it suited me, as I had to admit and since I exercised so excessively my body was starting to show the difference. Remus gave Sirius a punishing look, but then focused on Molly's question of what he wanted to eat.

"Up early again, Hermione? What would you like for breakfast dear?" She turned to me, too.

"Not really, Mrs. Weasley, I'm just an early bird, and really late, a black coffee, please!" I told her kindly hoping to get my coffee quickly, as I needed so urgently. I didn't really know what I had done wrong, but once again I was the focus of attention.

"What?" I asked irritably, pulling my eyebrows up to my hairline. Molly turned away with a disapproving expression and let a cup float in front of me.

"Could it be that you've changed a bit lately?" Remus asked very carefully, bending over to me. I took the coffee with pleasure and looked up, smiling.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley!" I thanked dearly and kindly.

"What else would you like, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked in a disapproving voice, but I still had no clue why.

"Um ... nothing, thank you, Mrs. Weasley!", I still gave her a very friendly smile.

"And Professor ... uh, I mean Remus, everyone is growing up," I finished succinctly and took a deep sip.

"You don't want to eat, that's not good, you have to eat something, dear. I'll make you a plate of eggs and bacon!" Molly decided resolutely. I closed my lips tightly. Did she really believe I would say I don't want anything, to then stuff a plateful of fat and cholesterol into me? The beginning of a headache pounded behind my eyes. I didn't continue the discussion. It was meaningless anyways, certainly she wanted us to take over all her robes!

Stop! I should forbid myself to think about so much wickedness. That wasn't nice! She certainly didn't mean it in a bad way, but it was still annoying.

"Now I want to go back to my bed," I hissed softly through my closed teeth.

"Wouldn't that bore you?" Sirius, who had been listening to the conversation, grinned at me over his cup.

"Who says I want to get into an empty bed, Sirius? It's definitely not boring if I have some company. Or are you trying to tell me I'm boring?" I whispered so softly that Remus couldn't hear it, who just thanked Molly for his breakfast. Sirius, as a reaction to my provocation, practically choked on his coffee. Tears came into his gray eyes, but at that moment, Ron and Ginny appeared with Pig on her shoulder, and the Twins, and so Sirius couldn't give an adequate response. Perhaps it would be better, too, because he seemed to be easily out of his depth and was now looking at me speechless.

Again a loud "good morning" sounded in the room.

Ginny sat next to me and Ron sat opposite me, next to Remus. My interrogation would begin now, how happy I was.

"Where were you?" Ron asked.

"Wherever you aren't, Ron!" I replied eloquently.

"I don't understand you, Hermione! You need fun and variety too and what about the nonsense that you are spending six hours a day outside," he declared accusingly. I didn't allow myself to be angry at this little speech by Ron, but I breathed deeply several times, while an overloaded plate landed in front of me. I didn't pay attention to him at all, but clung to my cup like an anchor so I wouldn't end up whipping it at him.

"My dear Ron, even if you can't imagine it, I like it, I enjoy it. Why do I have to justify myself to you and in front of everyone here just because I like to spend my time with books? Learn to accept it. I also accept you're flying, or not? And my training is not available to discuss. Do you understand me? You wouldn't even know about it if Professor Dumbledore hadn't insisted on telling him. And now enjoy your meal," since his breakfast also landed before him, I brought my lecture to an end.

Ron stared at me. "What?" I growled now absolutely in a bad mood, after I had refilled my coffee from the can on the table.

"... I ... I, why are you so bitchy, Hermione?" He stuttered to himself, totally confused.

"Ron, I think that's enough, you don't make it any better," Ginny replied quietly and I snorted like a horse in agreement.

"Here, Hermione, here's Pig!" The red-haired girl turned to me trying for peace, handing me the little shuddering owl, who bounced up and down.

"Thank you, Ginny," I smiled at her kindly and gratefully. I took him, fixed the two letters, and whispered, "One goes to Gringotts to Rangok, and the other is unfortunately a long way, but I believe that you can do it, to Victor Krum." Then I let him go. He flew right through the open kitchen window.

To Sirius, I said, whispering, "Toddlers, they are the ones who are boring." I said, making a brief gesture to the siblings who were busy with the food, the twins making so much noise that nobody noticed Sirius and I were talking. After this statement, Sirius laughed loudly, which also made me laugh. The Twins didn't hear the conversation, as they had their heads together and were planning something wildly. But I caught a quick glance and Fred showed me that they wanted to talk to me for a while, so I nodded briefly and inconspicuously to them. Then I listened to the conversations at the table and planned my day. After the third cup of coffee, I pushed my almost untouched plate from me, which earned me a funny look from Ron, Remus and Sirius, but I shrugged.

"Where are you going, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I wanted to start working," I replied.

"But it's not even nine o'clock, so you don't have to work so early," she said, looking at me with a good-natured expression.

"That's very nice of you Mrs. Weasley, but I've worked out a tight schedule and I want to stick to that. Since unfortunately we can't use magic, it takes longer. It doesn't bother me. Oh, before I forget it, I don't need lunch I'm going to buy something small at the bakery on the way to the center. If you'd excuse me now. " And so I turned my back on an amazingly quiet kitchen. I had successfully escaped to the library and after I had worked through the two books yesterday, I was looking for the first hour for all books on occlumency. There were only three, but I would work through them now. I could hear people walking up and down the stairs and other noises that the others produced when they were together, to clean every room, one after the other. The fact that this had to go on in such loud shouting and screaming began to drag on my nerves, so I spoke a silentium to the room to have peace and quiet.

The impression that I had made with my statement that I didn't need any lunch, was so indifferent to me. Since silence reigned I have progressed wonderfully. I had reason to hope that by means of the newly gained information the occlumency would be more or less done by the end of the holidays, and then I would be able to venture to the practical part after the holidays. I was so deeply absorbed in the reading, when the door opened and two identical heads looked inside.

"Do we get the permission to enter, my lady, or do you wish to not be disturbed, oh beautiful maid?" The twins asked mockingly but I waved them in wordlessly.

"You almost never annoy me, so what did you want to tell me?" I asked curiously and leaned forward with my book on my lap.

"First, my dearest, didn't you swear that you wouldn't read evil, dangerous, dark-magical books?" Fred grinned at me evil and wobbled provocatively with his pointing finger in front of my eyes.

"Haha, very funny," I replied rolling my eyes.

"It was clear to us that you didn't tell Mum the truth, but we always love your attempts to lie. We're always trying to do it, but just like you ... you're our master," George bowed to me jokingly.

"You can be such children!" I told them, shaking my head.

"But just for your amusement. What is more important, your tip yesterday with dung was worth gold, that was the man yesterday next to us, with the bloodshot eyes and the unwashed, reddish-brown hair. We caught him shortly after the end of the meeting and were able to negotiate with him very well. He will deliver in two weeks!" They said joyfully and with radiant expressions.

"That was Fletcher, ... well, well, but you will pay for it only after receiving the goods right?. What did you actually order?" I looked at both of them questioningly.

"Do you think we're stupid? Of course he only gets his money when he delivers. It only takes so long as he has to get it on the black market. We need poisonous tentacles and tarlocks," Fred said casually leaning against the couch and I nodded when the order seemed to me to be relatively harmless, but in the hands of this pair nothing was harmless.

"I'm glad and what are you doing now? Don't you have to help cleaning?" I asked.

"Uh, we got better things to do, what about Ginny and Ron? Are you having trouble with them?" Fred asked.

"Yes, unfortunately. Since Harry isn't here, they stick at me like gum on a shoe, really, and that's something I can't really cope with at the moment," I explained, rubbing my hand over my face.

"Why not? You just have to practice turning your pirouettes to the right beat," George joked. My gaze could've killed. I pulled my lips back and showed my teeth.

"You two are going to be the death of me. You know I won't learn to dance," I hissed, frustrated.

"Sure thing, that was already clear to us. So what are you really doing?" Both curiously eyed me.

"I'm learning to fight, don't look at me like that, yes, fight really. I could throw you over my shoulder with no problems," I said with a beaten sigh of mine and managed to do what was almost impossible. I had rendered the twins speechless, but it only took a few seconds before they caught themselves and started.

"Oh, cool, you and your ideas. I can't imagine you and fighting, but you can count on us, you know, we'll help you and keep the others away from you as good as we can," Fred said, nodding approvingly.

I grinned conspicuously at them. "What would I do without you? That would be really nice! "

"Always! See you later! We must go, before Mum seeks us," they gave me affectionate air-kissed and waved me goodbye. One could need the good mood of them two. After I was alone again, I thought about how I could knock out the siblings in the evening and I had an idea, but for later when I was on the road. I didn't realize how time had passed when my Tempus warned me that I had to leave in half an hour, it would be 2 pm soon.

So I went to my room. I didn't see anyone on my way to the room, obviously everyone was still in the kitchen having lunch. I grabbed my sport's bag and went downstairs, I didn't tell anybody that I was leaving now, and I didn't see a reason to do so. Everyone knew that I was out dancing ... Ehw! Out of the house I flitted quickly into a small, inconspicuous side street into a difficult-to-see rear entrance and apparated soon as I was certain there was no one around. First of all, I went to my room at our home, after all, my potions weren't brewing themselves and I had still almost an hour before I had to go to the Sensei.

I filled the last vial of the blood-forming potion and cleaned the dirty kettle with a fast Evanesco. Time was now too short to start a new medium strong healing potion, I'd do it tomorrow, but I could already prepare a part of the ingredients. One look at the polyjuice-potion, which stood in the bathtub. This would be finished tomorrow and could then be bottled, wonderful. When the brewing went to plan like this, it had something very calming about it.

* * *

We decided to have two different versions of the English Version of WHF.

Reason: I just realized that explicit Sexual or Mature scenes are not allowed in FFNet, unfortunately. And I don't want to loose the whole work here.

So if you guys want to read the absolute original translated version of all the bits and bobs, then from Chapter 20 on you will need to go over to Wattpat or AO3. But I'll always let you know if any chapter has been changed.

PS: We aren't barbaric, we just don't see Deatheaters as being little kitties..


	18. Pain and Diagon Alley

Holy Moly! So many readers yesterday!

I thank you all!

Here a new Chapter. :D

Beta: FalconDot Thanks a lot "Butterbeer for everyone!"

Enjoy. ;)

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Pain and Diagon Alley

Now let's go. I apparated into the backyard of the school, and went quickly into it, as I had to still change my clothes. Our training went on as usual. For the Sensei satisfying, as his expression told me, painful for me, as my body told me. Man, my ribs hurt. I had been too slow in the turn and had gotten a hard side-kick. This was a very painful stroke of the foot, which should hit the target on a horizontal path, at right angles, in the rump region. Since I had turned at that moment and hadn't blocked it, the side-kick got me completely into my lower rib, slightly below my chest. I flew off the mat and landed ungently on the ground, which pushed the air out of my lungs. Shit, that hurt! I thought at first, they were broken. First of all, I couldn't get any air as I frantically tried to catch my breath. Phew, what a terrible pain.

I blinked, as I saw almost nothing in pain, and tried to breathe more slowly, then gently pulled myself to my legs. Sweat broke out and I gasped, but there was nothing broken, as I now recognized, just hurt. I noticed that when I pressed my hand carefully to my injured side. What did you do in such a case in the real struggle between life and death? Bite on the teeth and go back into the attack position, otherwise one would be dead, it went abruptly through my head and I just a stubborn mind.

Let's go. I ignored the pounding, constant pain, stepped resolutely back to the mat, took my position, felt the adrenaline rushing wildly through my veins, so I managed to ignore the protesting ribs and accepted the pain. I tried to focus my thoughts, breathing calmly, because where the body is weak, the will can move mountains, I always prayed to myself. The Sensei nodded to me. "I appreciate your fighting spirit, Miss Granger! Like a true warrior, shall we continue? Or shall we finish today's workout?" He asked worried.

"Continue," I snarled, swallowing the pain with my teeth clenched. Said, done and already we attacked each other again. Didn't I ever say that I had really stupid ideas in my stubbornness? If not, I'll give it to you now in writing, I'm nuts!

Crap! These were the worst pain I've ever had, and lately I've suffered so many injuries as never before. Hey, I mean, I daily fought myself to mash and this didn't go without any traces. But these were the most terrible pain in my life. Where the ribs had just been clinched before, they were now definitely broken, I was sure. Not quite broken, but I had a crack after another foot stroke, unfortunately. I had heard it crunch deep inside me and felt it. As if one had stepped on a rotten branch, and it broke through, a disgusting sound that almost let me faint.

A cruel sound! And the piercing pain that shot through my body was nothing against the one before. I had thought I could never get up again! But had I wanted it otherwise? No! At least I didn't get defeated without a fight. I was impressed by myself how well I could defend myself, despite such an injury. I would have stretched my chest out of pride if it had been possible for me. Now I was glad that I could at least stand still in such a bent posture. When I thought about it and wanted to drag myself into the changing room, the Sensei stopped me. "Miss Granger, you are impressive in your will, even if I find you can overdo it, if I may say so. I don't want to hurt you that much, we should have finished the workout. Don't you want to tell me what you are doing, to ... how can I say ... to ... don't you find that you overdo it, Miss Granger?" He frantically ran with his fingers through his short hair and if he'd longer hair he'd have scuffled his hair.

"Sensei, I'm not paranoid. This is about life and death. I don't just imagine that there are some people who are looking for me and I'm not ready to give them easy game. Please, don't feel guilty. My ribs are just bruised, that's gone tomorrow. If you want, write a letter by tomorrow, in which I can relieve you of the responsibility, should something happen to me in the training and I suffer a serious injury. Besides this, I'm freeing you from any guilt since I had instructed you to do so, would you feel any better then?" I asked sympathetically and with an admirably firm voice, considering that my ribs were just killing me. I was good, but more I was amazed that I could still think so much, even though starlets were dancing before my eyes, thanks to the steadily throbbing pain of my broken and bruised ribs.

"All right, Miss Granger, if you see it like this, I'll give you the letter tomorrow for your signature. I think we should start with the weapon training tomorrow. You're ready for it, provided you will be well then. Since we are dealing intensively with the weapon with which you want to defend yourself, it will all be a bit easier." He still looked at me worried, but seemed to be reassured by my offer, because for him too it was all about to protect himself and the dear money. Human beings were too self-calculable. Shall be right to me. I was delighted and showed this too, despite my pain. "This is wonderful, Sensei. I'm glad. I'll bring my daggers tomorrow and don't worry, that ..." I pointed my hands casually over my body, "this will be all right tomorrow again, you'll see, Sensei!" I bowed more than stiff and shortly and then limped under the showers.

Fortunately I just had the changing room for myself to heal myself quickly. I spoke a Ferula to magically brace my almost broken limbs. The crunch, when the bones ruthlessly repositioned themselves into the correct position, made me almost scream in pain, but I bit my lips until I tasted blood, quivering, and sank, almost unconscious of pain to the floor of the dressing room. Why did I do this again? Yes, the Dark Lord had returned. Exactly, that was it! Phew, now I pulled myself to the bench and took care of my wounded body, another episkey to heal the minor injuries. I was still lying on the bench more than I was sitting.

I could feel my ribs straightening, but they were still not quite healed to my sorrow. So I hobbled to my locker with a tormented grimace, rummaged for a stronger healing potion and a energizing potion, and swallowed greedily the not very good-tasting potions. Afterwards I again sat again exhausted on the bench to observe how the magic of the potions and spells began to work. I could feel how the ribs got healed, still not completely, but enough to make the pain easier to bear, and the trembling of my limbs ceased. So I began timidly to look forward to tomorrow's weapon training. I still had an hour to regenerate before I had to go back to Grimmauld Place. I had to go to the Diagon Alley, so my plan, although I hadn't expected to be this handicapped, but well, I would dare it.

After my treatment, I was able to walk upright again, wore my black-and-white dress, transformed myself back into Minna Cale in a side street and apparated into the Diagon Alley. My first goal was Ollivanders. Actually, I knew, I still needed a robe, but where to take, if not steal? So it had to be.

I was already standing in front of the shop-door, which proudly proclaimed in a peeling golden letter, that since the year 382 BC wands were sold from their own production. In the dusty shop window lay on a red pillow, just like then, when I had bought my wand here, a dark wand. Nothing had changed since then, when, with the age of eleven, thanks to Mr. Ollivander's wand, I became a real witch. I entered and was greeted by a bright bell ring. The rather dark interior seemed old, narrow, and barren. The only interior of the empty shop was a stork-legged chair, a counter, and dozens of shelves on the walls filled with boxes from floor to ceiling. I knew there was a magic wand resting on a colorful fabric bed in each of these boxes. The atmosphere was exciting because here you got your first magic tool.

"What can I do for you, Miss?" Said a gentle voice from the back of the workshop.

"Mr. Ollivander, I need a wand holder like Aurors have one," I yelled frankly and honestly. And already a lively, older wizard with large, pale-silver eyes came to see me, looking at me rather stiffly and searchingly, not seeming to blink.

"Mhh, yes yes yes. Of course, one moment please. I wonder because I can remember every magic wand I've sold, but I believe I've never met you," he muttered mutely, tapping his lip with his forefinger.

"That's right, I'm not from here." I wouldn't say any more, because that wasn't his business.

"Oh, that's right. I always say, I know the magic wand for every wizard," and emerged again behind a shelf. "What kind of material would you like for the holder?"

"Well, the best you have ... leather, dragon leather, no idea, what do you recommend, Mr. Ollivander?" I put this into his knowing hands.

"The standard equipment of the Aurors is a holder made of ebony leather, without much equipment, but an invisibility charm lies on all of them. You can wear it on the arm or thigh, it's self-adjusting, ... but ... there is also a better one ... but the cost accordingly more. These are made of light dragon leather and they have an automatic accio integrated. If you drop your wand inadvertently, it is automatically recalled, it's an invention of the family of Ollivander, family secrets. The invisibility charm is standard, exactly, that would be it," he finished dreamily, seemingly in his element.

"Then the expensive variant. How much do I owe you?" I replied scarcely, as my ribs still tormented me, and I wanted nothing but to snuggle into my bed.

"Wait a second," it sounded muffled as the older man submerged behind his sales bar and was digging around. "Here we have the good piece!" Now he cautiously held the magic wand holder made of dark dragon leather in his hand towards me.

"A beautiful piece," I praised the exquisite piece.

"True, a masterpiece, but also not cheap. That'll be 80 galleons!" He just explained, then looked at me expectantly.

I once again pulled out my blood-pouch and fished out 80 golden galleons. "Thank you!" I said, reaching for the holder, turning my back to Ollivander, lifting my dress not very shy. Right here I put the wand holder around my thigh and see, when I finished, the invisibility charm started to work. I dropped my dress and looked over my shoulder at Ollivander, who was watching me a little speechless.

"Sits like a second skin and holds what you promised, thanks again," I smiled at him cynically, because of his perplexed look and walked out of the store. I still had to buy a crate of butter-beer at the Leaky Cauldron, because that would be my way to send the Weasley siblings to sleep. I shrinked the box, put it in my sports bag and apparated. So I would make it on time for dinner, at 8 pm. When I arrived at the parallel side street from Grimmauld Place, I breathed a sigh of relief. Everything had once again turned to my full satisfaction, even if breathing seemed to be very difficult for me at the moment, because I became painfully aware of my ribs again and I wavered slightly, but I bit my tongue and forced myself to go on and continue. The effect of the potions diminished, but I only wanted to take the next dose when I went to bed.

So I put my illegal whitethorn wand in my newly acquired holder on my thigh. It was a good feeling. I should've thought about it before of buying a holder. Even the magic that lay on this holster was awesome, a really good purchase. And so I walked quickly and happy with everything into the house and immediately into the kitchen.


	19. Sirius and Snape

I know it's been a while, but we had to replan our team, and I must say loads of positive things have been happening.

The future chapters will and have been worked on with 5 Betas and my right hand.

Future chapters will be uploaded every Thursday Morning.

Enjoy Hermione and Sirius. xx

* * *

Sirius and Snape

The kitchen was already crowded. And I mean not only by the presence of the entire Weasley clan, but again there were almost all the people who were here yesterday.

As I entered carefully, everyone looked up, and Molly cried, "There you are, Hermione, we've been worried. What did you think by just leaving without telling us? We turned the whole house upside down looking for you. You can't just walk out like this, sit down, sit down, child", I was greeted with a reproachful flood of words by the resolute matron, Molly Weasley.

So I automatically took the path to the seat next to Sirius. Professor Snape, too, seemed to feel much more comfortable around him, astonishingly. But I asked myself irritated what he was doing here again, and oversaw generously how Ron considerately moved to make way for more space. I sat down quickly, then let the bag slip from my shoulder, which made me shiver slightly because of my ribs. It had been a thoughtless movement, ouch! It wasn't much fun, even with healing, only slightly-broken ribs, how did Muggles survive this without magic? A reaction which was registered once again by my men's circle with eagle eyes. Why did I want to sit here again, I asked myself annoyed. It's my own fault, whoever digs one's own grave...

Just because I didn't want to be bothered by Ron, I let myself be scrutinized by the predators, because that was how the two men seemed through and through.

"Mrs. Weasley, I didn't know that. I didn't want to scare you, excuse me. But I thought you knew I was leaving the house at 2 pm, and didn't think it would be necessary to sign myself off, but if you want it in the future?" I offered politely.

"Oh, not really, but child, you were gone all of a sudden and no one has seen you since breakfast, we were just worried, especially in these times," she groaned heavily and her big breasts swayed under her flowered blouse, when she gave me a sad look, over the heads of those present.

"Again, I'm sorry, but you knew where I was!" I was tired. Today had been more strenuous because of the injury, but luckily enough nothing more was expected from me. She hurriedly guided a filled plate toward me and just nodded, as I seemed visibly exhausted.

"You're in pain?" Sirius suddenly let himself be heard as he leaned towards me after I had begun to eat. I smiled in pain and looked at the men's circle which I appreciated so much. "Have you worried about me?" I pouted provocatively. One easily forgot the pain with this attention. "... and no, I'm just tired!", I lied, without turning red, for the throb of pain took on really dramatic proportions and I felt that I began to sweat at my hairline.

"You lie," Snape told me soberly, also quietly, which was an amazing response on his part and surprised me when I looked up at him from below.

"Maybe? My feet hurt," I replied smugly, and began to eat, as I was to take some food with all the potions in my belly. My posture really was slightly tense and didn't actually looked relaxed. Shit, the effect of the potions subsided more and more, I hadn't expected it to this extent. I wouldn't wish anyone broken ribs, because one feels so vulnerable. I tried to suppress the trembling of my hands as I led the fork to my mouth. Next time I would take better care, this error in the defense wouldn't happen to me again, I analysed in my mind my carelessness in the fight.

"Hermione, shall we all play a card game together then?" Ginny shouted and beamed at me. No, not really, I wanted to go to the library, I wanted to be alone and manage to forget the pain. Besides, I would already start the next round of potions and look for a lighter, but no less interesting reading. Maybe how to heal bones with magic even faster? Yes, that was a good idea and then I would perhaps crawl into bed an hour early, because I would get in a knife fight tomorrow and I had to be receptive and relaxed.

"Sorry guys. No more today, really. Maybe tomorrow. Is that okay?" I apologized and ran with one hand exhausted over my forehead. The Twins looked anxiously at me after my tired gesture, but I just shook my head slightly defensively, what was meant as: Everything is okay.

"Okay, then tomorrow, promise?", it came hopefully from Ginny and I nodded at her blankly. "Promised, Ginny," I breathed softly. It wasn't really possible for me to take a deep breath as the damaged ribs immediately protested painfully. Sirius gave me a slightly worried and thoughtful look at my sluggish words.

"Thank you for the dinner, I'll go then," I said, standing up, taking my bag from the ground, careful not to show anyone my tremendous pain. That worked well, only with the two men I wasn't so sure that it had worked, because their indecipherable glances lay on me. I was fortunately not yet pursued by Ron, as I had gone before the dessert. I put my bag on the couch table and quickly searched for a book. "Dark Magic Spells For Healing". Thus I took my seat carefully, for the tear in the ribs now protested against every movement and throbbed loudly in my ears. Next, I pulled the bag up like an old woman and rummaged in it to get to my potions, but I couldn't do anything against the sweat and the trembling of my hands. So I closed my eyes full of pain and tried to breathe the torment away.

I was just pulling out the two vials when I almost dropped them in shock and opened my eyes as the library door opened, revealing two people I hadn't expected. To see both of them storming the room together in an almost harmonious way, made me open my mouth in surprise. How does one say? Never say never.

Professor Snape and Sirius, one darker in his appearance than the other, and both fixed on me. One of these looks would make you feel small but under both of them I threatened to disappear. What the hell did they want here?

I sat, or lay, in my chair, with the two potions in my hand and bit my lips. Wasn't that maddening? After all, they had just caught me red-handed. The fact that the professor would recognize the potions because of their color and consistency was as clear to me as it was sure that the sun would rise tomorrow. Already his scorching glance said everything, which now slowly wandered from the potions to me and threatened to pierce me. I swallowed hard once and didn't move from the spot as Snape sneaked around me like a black panther and Sirius also went slowly, almost fluently to the seating corner in front of the fireplace where I was.

Shit, I was so much in the ... sq ...! Grrr, this was a mess. Why were they so united? It shouldn't be like this! Can't they argue again, just like in the shrieking shack? Yes, that would be nice. I just started dreaming and hoping for a miracle. That of course didn't happen and nothing saved me, I was trapped!

I could already see from their serious faces, with the piercing expression in their eyes that I wouldn't get out of this situation so easily. Shit, shit, shit! No word had yet been said, and the strained silence lay heavily on the room filled with books. Sirius threw himself on the sofa opposite me and looked at me almost reprehensively, with his head tilted.

Snape took a threatening position beside my chair and looked at the vials in my hand. Now action was important, quickly down with the stuff. First of all, I would be able to cope much better with this situation if I wouldn't be in tremendous pain, which was fogging my mind, secondly they couldn't take my potions from me. So I tried to uncork both the vials in a fast move and to quickly gulp them down. Well, unfortunately it just stayed at my attempt, which didn't really surprise me. I wasn't even able to see how fast my valued and highly appreciated professor had torn them out of my hands. He was a little rough, not to say violent, for I didn't want to give them up voluntarily. It was only thanks to these unspeakably painful ribs that I let go of my breath, and I sank pale into my chair, as this rash movement had hurt me like a knife in my ribs.

"Snape, what is it?" Sirius asked curiously. Thank you for your assistance, Sirius, I thought rather harshly while I was struggling hard for air. Were they friends now, or what? I was clearly confused, or was my brain so dazzled by the endogenous morphine emitted by the tremendous pain that I was hallucinating?

"Black, you mutt, that you don't recognize them, is very clear to me. But maybe Miss Granger is so friendly and tells us what she needs a medium-strength healing potion and a strengthening potion for?" he whispered, looking at me with his black, genuinely annoying, all-seeing eyes. Phew, still no hallucinations. He was as biting and malicious as ever, but unfortunately my situation didn't change for the better. How I hated my life instantly! Justifications weren't my thing, so I remained stuck in silence and pressed my lips together. It's a tactic, too, isn't it?

"Hermione, tell us what's going on. What's wrong with you? We can see you're in pain. Why don't you say something? You don't have to hide any injuries, please say something," Sirius begged me now urgently and bent a little towards me. I glanced helplessly at the ceiling. Man, it was so annoying, as if he had to save me.

"Black, I don't think Miss Granger wants to say anything. You can keep your embarrassing and ridiculous begging. Hmm, it is apparently easier to shut her up than I had expected so far. Interesting," he added sardonically, his eyes glinting in the light of the chimney fire. Sirius was shocked silent while Snape continued.

"If she doesn't want to tell us anything, we'll have to look ourselves," Snape threatened with a velvety and mischievous voice, grabbed me without a hitch, and pulled me out of my chair.

"Oah," a groaning scream escaped from my lips when I stood. That wasn't good, not at all. I felt my eyes wet, but I wouldn't give myself the embarrassment to cry. My vision was sharp. Who did this impertinent bat think he was? But Sirius didn't look as if he was rushing to my rescue. As I've said before, if I didn't fight for myself, I'd be lost. Snape peered at me with frigid eyes, still holding me, his fingers resting firmly on my upper arm.

"Ah, does it hurt?", he asked maliciously under his breath. "Extend your arms, or I'll hex you, Miss Granger.", he whispered with an undertone laced with anticipation for disobedience. What should I do? I didn't want to attack him openly at the moment, then what should I do other than submit to his demands? That was really cocked up. Therefor I raised my arms, and he let go, satisfied with my capitulation. I stood with my arms extended before the two of them. A dream, yes, exactly. And then something happened which made me believe that I was truly dreaming. I felt, unbelievably, how Snape's hands wandered over my body with competent movements, stroking my sides.

I eyed him dumbstruck, which he reciprocated without any facial expressions. By now I bit my lip and closed my eyes, in order to not endure this humiliation with seeing eyes, because my professor was groping me. As he arrived unerringly at the lower, right ribs, my body automatically flinched slightly at the anticipated touch. As it seemed, this was confirmation enough for Snape. I felt him step back and breathed a sigh of relief, for his closeness was ... suffocating. He had just been too close.

"And, Snape, what is it?" Sirius pried immediately. I opened my eyes and saw him sitting on the edge of the couch, excited, leaning on his knees. "What's wrong with her?", he enquired curiously.

"Always so impatient, Black," Snape snapped contemptuously as he looked over his shoulder to exchange a look with Sirius, which I, unfortunately, couldn't see.

"I guess Miss Granger has problems with her ribs," he said, slightly scornful. He looked at me intensely with a raised eyebrow. "Clinched, I think, if not broken, but they are healing now, which is very painful. Or isn't it, Miss Granger?", he whispered softly into the room, where the fire of the fireplace crackled.

Sirius drew a sharp breath. "What, how?", he shouted, shocked at this revelation. "Injured ribs? How did this happen, Hermione?", he asked stubbornly, throwing around glances. I still said nothing. Man, that was embarrassing, but if I had known how this would progress, I would have most likely died from shame. Instead, I stood before Snape, with my arms hanging down, like a captured delinquent, and waited like a loyal puppy.

"Apparently, Miss Granger is in fact not very talkative today.", my professor turned nasty. Yes, yes, you viper. His talent for vitriol was one of a kind and he was visibly gloating over my misfortune because the corners of his mouth had turned to a dastardy smile.

"Well then, Miss Granger, please take off your dress!", the professor demanded smokily, and with this audacious demand, I was gobsmacked. I opened my eyes wide, doubting my hearing. It left me speechless, again, and I recoiled and would have landed badly in the armchair if Snape hadn't helped me by grabbing my upper arms and saved me from it. Suddenly he was amazingly gentle as he held me.

"Relax, Miss Granger.", he breathed silkily, and much too close to my ear.

"Snape!" Sirius exclaimed indignantly. "... you can't ask this from her!", he burst out and was about to rise from the couch while I was still trapped in my teacher's arms.

"Don't even bother. Sit! And why not, Black? You can attend the show too, but tell me how I should treat an injury I can't see?", he asked very bitingly, giving Sirius a clear impression of what he thought of the others mental abilities. Sirius actually slumped back into the pillows while I remained motionless.

"You're wearing underwear, Miss Granger?" Snape turned to me. I just nodded at this intimate question. He didn't really mean that, did he? I ... I mean ... help, I was tempted to fight slightly against his unyielding grasp.

"Very well! Black, it's like she's wearing a bikini, or do you want to tell me you haven't seen a girl like that?" Snape teased him exceedingly contemptuous and spiteful. But then I managed to throw off my own indignation and found my fighting spirit and consequently my language, which had disappeared before.

"What makes you think I'd take my clothes off in front of you and Sirius, professor?", I replied in a surprisingly firm voice, lengthening the question smugly. Snape let out a sneer. "What makes you think you have a choice, Miss Granger?"

My eyes were bulging. Did my potions professor just tell me that he wanted to see me in underwear? I mean, oh goddess, I ... that was unexpected. Perhaps it was true after all that my brain produced too many chemical substances that dazed me, at least I hoped that for myself. And Sirius was no real help, for his protest seemed to be silenced already. I was sure he was panting, thinking of what he was hoping to see in a moment, as his gray eyes glinted when I looked at him seeking help.

Such a ..., such a great help. I should have left him in the tower, I thought bitterly. Just then the traitor said, "He is right, Hermione. Somebody has to look at it, or am I supposed to get Molly?", his offer feigning courtesy. If he played down his interest any better, I would suggest him for an Oscar, I thought ironically and snorted. But his threat with Molly was really nasty.

Oh, I'd take revenge, I wouldn't forgive Sirius for that. The only problem was, my potions lost more and more effect, I was dead tired and the pain became worse every second, so what should I do? I took all my courage, don't let yourself be intimidated, grit your teeth and get to it! I actually gritted my teeth, closed my eyes, gripped the hem of my dress with my right hand, and pulled it over my head so that it came to rest on my left arm. Now I stood before my teacher and Harry's godfather in my birthday suit and in white underwear adorned with black lace. Well, I just liked matched clothes, even underneath, nonetheless the humiliation was inevitable. My quick reaction, without further discussion, seemed to have deprived them of their language. They probably hadn't expected such little verbal resistance, but I knew what battles were to be fought, and this didn't qualify to my great regret.

I opened my eyes, blinking cautiously, as nothing was happening, and I didn't really hear anything except for the crackling fire, something that made me feel uneasy. I became aware of two men staring at me. One's emotions easier to read than the others, which was to be expected. They seemed to be examining me, and for Sirius, I could clearly say he liked what he saw. Even Snape's cool mask allowed a guess that the sight I offered him didn't disgust him. As the examination of my body progressed their lips compressed to narrow lines since they were presented a complete colour palette. Shades of blue, violet, green, and yellow covered on my upper body, abdomen, and thighs.

Ok, I looked like I got beaten, which I did, daily. It looked worse than it was, but Sirius looked upset and angry, and Snape's eyes had an indefinable shine that glittered dangerously. I ducked my head in slightly, because I was not used to presenting myself this frankly. Now I felt naked. Wait a moment, I was almost naked. Oh man, if the boys knew! This episode fell once again under top secret, there is nothing more secret than this. Snape still said nothing, but by now looked sharply into my eyes and slowly lifted his left hand, to stroke over the right side of my ribs, unexpectedly gentle. When his finger touched my skin gently and delicately, I held my breath at once.

Oh man, I think he otherwise worked only with his potions this carefully, as I had been allowed to observe in the classroom a few times. I looked over Snape's shoulder to Sirius, who stared at us with a stiff posture and a straight back, but with a very attentive gaze, following the movements of Snape's hand. For a moment, I thought I could see a glimmer of lust in Sirius' gaze, but then I closed my eyes again and felt only that stroking movement of the professor. I dreamed, at least I told myself this in a mantra again and again.

If I had been told that Professor Snape would touch me so intimately, I would have had sent that person to St. Mungo's. He approached the last three ribs and stroked over the bones carefully, tentative.

A sharp hiss escaped between my teeth. He knew what he was doing, I could say as much. Beneath my squinting lids, I glanced up at Snape and saw a small, sadistic smile around his mouth. Did he like the pain or did he like to see the pain in others and let me suffer intentionally?

"Yes, there we are. The fracture starts right from here. Does it hurt, Miss Granger?" he asked with pretend gentleness, pressing the fracture at the same time. I yelped and closed my eyes even tighter.

"Yes." My answer short and brief. Definitely a sadist. I gasped for air.

"Well, we will be done shortly," he said contentedly, now reaching into his robe and took out the two potions he had stolen from me and put into his robes earlier. He uncorked them, but he didn't give them to me, to make my humiliation perfect, he told me to put my head back and drink. He quickly held the vials to my mouth, one after the other, and let the contents run down my throat. I must be an absolutely naked, defeated, but sexually unbelievably erotic view, as I stood there only in black-and-white lace underwear and with trustingly tilted head and my throat revealed. When I had finished drinking, I could see Sirius sitting stiffly on the couch. I think he had a definite problem in his pants.

Snape, however, reached into his deep black robes and pulled out a small pot, unscrewed the lid, and dipped his long, slender fingers into the ointment. Next, with an incredibly gentle touch, he spread it smoothly over my now less hurting ribs. I heard Sirius take a sharp breath. At this moment it sizzled not only in the fireplace. When Snape had finished, he closed the pot and put it on the table.

His self-control and discipline were amazing and unbelievable. He was unreadable, displaying no emotion, no shame, no excitement, no rage, or anything else, although he was here and had now provided medical care to his almost naked student. He was cold and indifferent as always and his mask fitting perfectly.

"Because this is now done, Miss Granger, what the hell is that?" he burst out now, pointing to me accusingly, getting louder from word to word. Okay, he was angry, not as cold as I had thought, but I doubt that this was good for me.

"He's right Hermione, what the hell happened to you?" Sirius sounded shaken for more than one reason. I was still half naked in front of them and felt their demanding looks on me. I just wanted to put my dress on again, when Snape shook his head and stopped me with one of his hands, then pulled his wand out of his vest and pointed it towards me. He quietly began to recite some incomprehensible formulas. He trailed with his wand along my discolored skin, and on it goose bumps started to form on my skin with this unexpected treatment.

"Turn around," he whispered softly, but recognizably commanding. I paused. Turn around? Oh Goddess, it was already embarrassing enough, but I slowly did as he commanded, turning my back to them.

There was a slight growling sound from Sirius, either because he liked my string, or what I suspected, because of the splendor of the colors, which were shown on my skin, because I often fell on my valued butt. Oh, man, I think my face just now glowed in deepest Weasley red. I felt the professor's movement behind my back, and he pulled back slightly. I turned around again and looked questioningly. "Chrmmm, may I get dressed again, Professor?" I asked cautiously. He barely nodded. I quickly pulled my dress over and immediately sank into the chair, because my legs threatened to give way under me. Did this just happen? Oh, I couldn't believe it, but humiliation to or fro, I was painless. I didn't know what Snape had done with me, but it had helped me a lot.

This man had a clear idea of what he was doing, which was admirable, but I took no notice of him, but looked at the table before me with due diligence.

"Hermione, I hope you don't think that this is done now?" it came already from Sirius. Snape sat directly into the chair next to mine and looked at me with interest.

"I also want an explanation, just like Black, Miss Granger! Such injuries must be caused deliberately, I'm waiting!" he demanded harshly, crossing his legs casually. His robes billowed like black wings around him, an imposing picture. He knew how to present himself, unfortunately.

"Well, what can I say, I got into a fight?" It was worth a try.

"Hermione, I can fool myself!" Sirius pouted and looked at me accusingly. Snape just looked angry and his eyebrow wandered upwards skeptically, I just strained his patience dangerously.

"Ok, what do you want to hear? It's not bad, it's nothing!" I replied vehemently and shrugged.

"First of all, you could tell me how you got the potions!" Snape demanded with caution, as he turned to me.

"Homemade," I replied confidently.

"You lie," Snape said coldly, glancing at me.

"Why do you think so?" I retorted, daring him.

"The vials are of the same kind I use for the Hogwarts hospital wing. A small sign is pressed into the glass. How did you get the potions, Miss Granger?" he showed the impatience in his voice, while he drummed on the chair with his finger. Ok, whatever you want. I put aside the hitherto maintained shame and restraint, and straightened a little, looked up, with a raised head, to the two men, and answered with an emotionless expression.

"If you already know it, Professor, why do you ask? I seem to have a kleptomaniac disposition." My voice was heavy with irony, and for the first time I showed myself more honestly in my appearance than the whole previous time.

"I knew that one of the Golden Trio is a thieving magpie!" Snape oozed oily, sounding very satisfied. "Even if I didn't think it was you, Miss Granger. Did you break into my room in your second year?" he asked targeting me, but still calm and I nodded. "You've really amazed me the last few days." From Sirius I only heard a shocked gasp during our conversation, while Snape seemed distracted as if he were thinking.

"Hermione, you're stealing from Poppy?" Sirius shouted, his eyes threatened to jump out of his head. I only nodded, for what should I say, I had stolen the potions without scruples.

"Since we have clarified this, when we're back at Hogwarts, you will be visiting me for detention and brew the potions you stole. Do we understand each other, Miss Granger?" It was very final from Snape, but still surprisingly affable. I grimaced annoyed, but nodded again. This happened when you weren't careful enough and got caught, but I learned from mistakes, that wouldn't happen again. On the other hand, I was glad the professor was so calm. What caused that, perhaps, should make me more concerned. I thought for a moment when Sirius said something and called for my attention.

"But Hermione, what interests me a lot more: who hurt you so much, please tell me! Nothing is gonna happen, no detention, you just have to tell me," Sirius asked anxiously, looking angry at Snape, fearing that his punishment might seal my lips.

"This is very nice of you, Sirius, but what can I say, that was myself!" I waved my hand and gave him an apologetic smile.

"Yes, you broke your own ribs and turned your body into an abstract painting. I'm surprised that you can even move around with all the injuries! You must be in terrible pain!" Sirius yelled, very angered.

"Even if I usually never agree with Black, I must agree with him now, unfortunately. I also wonder how you could remain so indifferent, despite the injuries, because you were in pain, that's out of the question," Snape asked, pondering and showing me a emotionless face, while I was desperately thinking about how I could get out of this precarious situation.

"I won't tell you, even if I am grateful for your help, never mind that I didn't need you, and didn't ask for it," I said scathingly, cursing in my thoughts heaven and hell.

"Miss Granger, you will be talking and if I have to get Veritaserum, is that clear?" Snape threatened me with the most sweet-spoken voice and I believed him. After a quick look into his hard eyes, I believed him to do everything he could to get it out of me.

"Well shit, what do you want to hear? I've been training! Damn, that happened while practicing, with my Se... Master..." I quickly broke off and Sirius saved me.

"What kind of teacher hurts his students? This is abuse, something that even Snape doesn't do!" Sirius gave the professor an unexpected compliment, but this got Sirius a murderous look from Snape...

"A good teacher does. I don't let anybody bad-mouth my master in this respect, is that clear? He just does what I want!" I said coldly, glancing between the two men.

"And you want that?" Snape asked incredulously and gave me a wry look.

"Yes, that's what I want!" I replied with a hard look.

"And this happens while dancing? Don't take me for a fool, Hermione." Sirius said contemptuously, giving me a sad look, as if he was disappointed that I didn't think he was right in his head. I groaned and straightened up a bit higher.

"No, not whilst dancing, because I don't dance. I never thought that someone believed me capable of that nonsense. I'm getting taught by a sensei and taking fighting lessons, self-defense." So now it's out. Sirius' face was too hilarious. Snape had expected something like this, or he had suspected that because of the injuries. However, he stayed, as usual, emotionless and motionless.

"...That... Why did you lie... I don't know you like this at all," Sirius echoed, taken aback, and looked at me, bewildered.

"Why? Why, look at yourself. Molly would have rehearsed the rebellion, Dumbledore would have said no. Really, my parents have allowed it! I didn't want a discussion, why else?" I stated casually.

"I'm sure your parents haven't allowed you to do this, Hermione," Sirius declared confidently, looking at me very seriously.

"I've had this training since the beginning of the holiday, do you think if it was that bad they wouldn't have stopped it?" I asked quietly, staring into his eyes, which he also didn't turn away from me. Snape stroked his chin with his hand and took his time before he spoke.

"I think they've noticed that you're hurt just as little as the Weasleys and the others. You're really good at hiding; amazing… " he said softly and deliberately. I think this was a concealed compliment. Should I be happy now?

"Exactly!" Sirius agreed quite quickly with Snape.

It was too funny that the two had the same opinion, and that's when they realized it too. They looked disgusted at each other, simultaneously distorting their mouths contemptuously, as if they had tasted something acidic.

"You won't stop and start listening to us, will you, Miss Granger?"

"How well you know me professor. Besides, you know that it's good to be able to defend yourself," I explained myself with a smile.

"But Snape..." Sirius interjected indignantly.

"What, flea-bag? We can't forbid it to her and she is right to learn self-defense - it's never a bad thing to learn. But I insist that you tell me or Black if you're hurt - that is, whenever I'm here, I'll examine you," Snape declared determined, but also in an unexpectedly empathetic way. I felt as if I'd get away with a black eye, but I would only agree to it on my terms. That he reacted like this surprised me, but I wouldn't question it.

"Fine. As you wish. But I must ask you both to swear secrecy and not to tell it to anyone," I begged. Both looked at each other briefly and nodded hesitantly. Now I grabbed under my dress, stroking over my thigh, and watched the eyes of Sirius and Snape grow bigger and bigger. I don't know what they were expecting or hoping for, but I pulled my wand out of my holster.

"...Wh... what...?" I heard from Sirius, who looked stunned while Snape seemed amazed.

"You said everything is kept between us, didn't you?" I asked. I got another careful nod from both of them. "Well, I just wanted to throw a little charm on you. Trust me, it's nothing bad, really." My words came out lascivious, though.

"You can't use magic! The Ministry, Hermione," Sirius reminded me with a whisper, looking a bit scandalized.

"Isn't your school wand dark?" Snape asked thoughtfully, showing what a good observer he was. As always, impressive.

I giggled softly. "Professor, you're amazing, but yes, my school wand is dark. To answer your question, Sirius, I can still use magic, this wand here isn't registered." I smiled a wicked smile. I could see that both now had open mouths. It was unexpected to see the professor like that, but this gave me great pleasure. After my humiliating strip and the prospect of further embarrassment, this was a nice little compensation.

"But from where? How?" Sirius asked, shocked.

"You don't want to know. It doesn't matter, I've got it and I'm not going to give it back. "

"And what are you going to do now, if the question is permissible?" Snape asked in a neutral, uninvolved tone, but his eyes didn't leave me for a second.

"I only wanted to assure myself of your oath of secrecy about me by speaking a small but fine charm over you and Sirius. Trust me, it isn't dangerous," I appealed to them, hoping the professor would agree, too, because I was quite sure Sirius would do it.

"What's the name?" Snape wanted to know, now less dismissive and much more interested.

"Cedere tacientiae," I replied at once, expecting what came then.

"There's no such thing! Don't joke, Miss Granger," the professor burst out indignantly.

"I am aware that you can't recognize it, sir. This is because I've developed it. Please let me show it, because it only makes you to keep me - that is, my person and associated information, confidential," I said.

"You... you... develop spells? How? This is unbelievable!" which came from a perplexed yet excited Sirius.

"You flatter me, but yes, that is a hobby of mine," I proudly confessed and smiled blissfully.

"I'll do it. I trust you, you're the wisest witch I know." Sirius faith touched my heart.

"Thank you!" I whispered, holding my wand towards him and said, "Cedere tacientiae, Hermione." I beamed at him. "That's it!"

"Nothing's changed! Everything's okay." He recapitulated seriously. I looked up at the professor.

"If it means so much to you and as you seem to need permission from the person to speak the spell... Am I right, Miss Granger?", he asked, and I could tell he was curious. I nodded in agreement. "Well, I knew it, but, well, I have one condition." I prompted him with my hand to continue, "I want your records on this secrecy-spell," he asserted. I looked at Snape appraisingly.

"Of course, how like a Slytherin! You can get it, but this too should be confidential!" And I pointed the wand at the professor and pronounced, "Cedere tacientiae, 'Hermione and records of the secrecy spell'."

"I thank you," I said, and rose. "I think I'll go to bed now. It's almost midnight and the day was long. Good night sir, Sirius," I bid them goodbye and left via the door, now feeling painless, thanks to the treatment. Behind the closed door, I waited for a moment to eavesdrop.

"Well, Snivellus, you just agreed to this, so you can see Hermione like this almost every evening. Admit it, you greasy git." Sirius started not very friendly.  
"Look who's talking, you mutt, your saliva almost drooled out of your mouth and the way you stared at her!" Snape snapped sardonically. "I was afraid that you would jump her in front of me."

"At least I admit it. She looked great, except for these shocking injuries. Why does she do that? However I wouldn't have expected the underwear." I could hear the mischief in Sirius' voice.

"Then you have something to dream about," Snape interjected maliciously. "But Miss Granger's intentions for doing this to herself are a mystery to me as well. I have always judged her differently: honest, open, acting by the rules, when your oh-so-great godson and his redheaded friend don't seduce her again to do some nonsense. But not like this!"

"Mhm, you're right," Sirius summed up.

"I have to go, goodnight and 'sweet dreams', Black," Snape hissed mockingly.

"Snape," Sirius dismissed him with even less words, but they hadn't gone at each other's throats, which was quite a miracle. I took care not to be caught and disappeared into my room.

End of Hermione's POV

Snape's POV

When I finally arrived in my private appartment in Hogwarts, my thoughts still lingered at Grimmauld Place. What the hell had happened today?

I poured myself a generous glass of firewhiskey and sank onto the couch in front of the fireplace. As I looked into the flames, I reviewed the evening. Although I would never openly admit it, I was shocked, and very amazed, about Miss Granger. I would have never thought she'd act like this. Well, she was unusual, unlike other teenagers, and much more intelligent and powerful than normal students, whether pure blood or muggle-born, that much was true. What happened today I hadn't expected. I would never, of course, admit these thoughts openly, an intelligent Gryffindor, these annoying lions would only become more insubordinate than they were already.

I realised a long time ago that she didn't only recite her book knowledge, but rather that she was able to use it in a variety of ways, even if she always sounded like a record that repeated the textbook. Why remained incomprehensible to me, but I didn't care. I had always guessed that the golden trio had stolen from me back then, even though I had never been able to explain how second graders and nitwits like Potter, and especially Weasley could break my wards. It had been revealed to me today, however, that this little Gryffindor had dared to do it alone at the age of twelve, was simply astounding. The courage to act alone and then have the necessary knowledge to accomplish this at the age of twelve surprised and astonished me, especially since I doubted that the more than mediocre seventh-graders were able to open my door at that time.

What secrets harboured the girl? This wasn't normal, especially not for a student. And now this! The way she had presented herself the last few days and the clou tonight, when she had taken off her dress with surprisingly little resistance just like that and then had shown herself to me and Black as proud as vulnerable. The highlight, however, was that she had then so slowly, not to say lasciviously tilted her head back and I had watched the slow swallowing movements of her throat up close. To my regret I had to brace myself not to savage her. Luckily, I had a better control than the mutt. I had wanted to humiliate her then, being the Death Eater I still was.

Her youthful body, green and blue, stained by beatings, which she so willingly demanded and endured, had been a pitiful sight, and had me more than shaken. I still shuddered to think of it. She had undergone a radical change. She looked very attractive and her mind was perhaps even more beautiful. She invented spells, something I always liked to do, and I too had started to create my own curses at school.

That the little know-it-all had the courage and the talent to invent such complex spells as the one she had used today astonished me, but also aroused my suspicion because of the need of tremendous knowledge on both sides. When had the small, brave and aspiring Miss Granger begun to study dark magic? Questions upon questions, this just created headaches and I hated nothing more.

Something I realized but wasn't clear to dimwitted Black, but I knew what was needed. I had to acknowledge her brilliancy, for such a spell was something, yes, it was valuable! Especially for a spy like me such a curse could be life-saving. I was very curious about her notes. It really occupied my thoughts. Why? And then to top it of the wand, a white one. They were rare, since you needed to be extremely powerful to be chosen by the wand. The most shocking thing was they didn't usually choose light wizards, which in turn confirmed my thoughts towards dark magic.

Hell, since when was a virtuous Miss Granger able to use dark magic? She had refused to say it, but I already had an exact idea of where she had it from. This girl was really crazy. She really had to have ventured into Knockturn Alley. Did she have a clue what could have happened? Now that the Dark Lord was back, it had become even more unsafe and dangerous in the alleys, so that everyone would think thrice if one wanted to go there. Oh dear, now I thought about this annoying miss-know-it-all and was even slightly worried. I didn't understand what she had in mind, what she wanted to achieve with all this. Actually, I should lean back and be content to enjoy the drama that was going on. I'd keep watching and see ... Granger ... Granger, something attracted me, making me anxious to watch everything.

End of Snape's POV


	20. Just Sirius

Today is a special day. But unfortunately, I had to cut some scenes in this chapter as Mature Scenes are not allowed in FFNET, I need to cut out the Mature Scenes. I do apologize. Action for Hermione and Sirius.

If you're interested in reading our naughty-original Chapters, send me a message and I'll lead you to them. ;)

Thank you so much for the Review at the WHF Special Chapter! I hope you found our Main Story here too.

Enjoy my Dearies!

* * *

Just Sirius

Oh goodness, I laid awake in bed since five o'clock whilst with terrifying clarity the embarrassing pictures of last night came to mind. I had been naked, almost naked, in front of Professor Snape and Sirius, and he, he had healed me, and so tenderly and attentively, as I was not even to myself. Unbelievable, I really couldn't believe it and it really robbed me of my sleep. Okay, how would I behave towards Sirius today?

I could mentally briefly neglect Snape, since I strongly suspected that he wouldn't be here tonight. Well, I also had to be lucky. I rolled back and forth, restless, and then I let my hands glide softly over my ribs, which had been injured yesterday, and now felt nothing. Everything was all right again. I was completely healthy, thanks to Snape.

As restless as I was, I really couldn't sleep anymore. I wanted to move forward with my running training, but I thought about Sirius all the time. In Snape's face, you could as usual, almost not read anything. He had always been emotionally cold and poor, which had made it very difficult to judge him, but Sirius had been the exact opposite, and in his face I had been able to read every emotion yesterday. The question was now, how should I deal with it?

At seven sharp, I stood all ready in a yellow-and-white summer dress in front of the closed kitchen door and spoke myself courage, then pushed it open resolutely, rushed self-confidently with a loud "hello" into the kitchen and went straight towards my usual seat. Sirius could not quite conceal his astonishment at seeing me appear so brave. He stared at me like a fish in the dry.

Only now I noticed that Molly wasn't in the kitchen, so we were alone. Well, well, I hadn't imagined the first reunion like this, but that was usually the case. So far he hadn't said anything, but had given me unreadable looks from his gray eyes. Since Molly wasn't here, I wanted to annoy the guy, after he had fallen into my back so uncooperatively yesterday and only had agreed with Snape. I mean, that wasn't nice at all, so I had a small issue with him. I just winked at Sirius flirtatiously and showed him a mischievous, almost wicked grin on my face, slipping back into my chair, slowly pulling up my dress hem on my thigh, and finally lasciviously fished for my wand, which I pulled out of the holster on my thigh.

Sirius eyes were stuck to my hands and he stared at me open-mouthed as I swung my wand and let a cup float towards me. Then I put my left pointing finger on my grinning lips, seductively, to say that this was our secret and let the wand slip back into the halter.

"... you ... you're really incredible, Hermione," Sirius stuttered hoarsely, while I poured coffee into my cup.

"What do you mean, my dear?" I looked up innocently and batted my eyelashes.

"I mean, you little beast, that you know very well what you are doing here! I ... I didn't really expect this scene today ... are you flirting with me?" He asked, stuttering and rough, brushing his undulating long hair behind his ears.

"Would you want that? I surprise you with my performance? Is it good or are you just bored?" I resumed our previous flirt, and smiled gently at him. Meanwhile, I lifted the cup to drink and then licked myself extra slowly over my damp lips.

"You ... ah, I don't know, no, of course, I'm not bored, but how am I supposed to judge you, you ... if I had seen Ginny yesterday in this presentation, she would die of shame, she would now be red as a tomato and wouldn't even look into my eyes, you ... you're so different," he was still confused and torn.

"That I'm different, I thought, you'd know for a long time, Sirius!" I said, piqued, "Yes, but not like this!", He sounded slightly desperate and it wasn't clear to me at that moment if I should understand it as a compliment or not.

"What did you think? That I'm good-natured and naive? Please, I would never have been able to get you out of the North Tower, you should realize that," I said calmly and please, I could have guessed that much that I was anything but good when I helped a criminal escape.

"Yes, but Harry ...?" Sirius asked perplexed.

"What, but Harry? He was there and saved you and himself from the Dementors with his Patronus, that's right! But you still wouldn't be sitting here today, because without me, we wouldn't have had a time-turner!", I said very certain and raised my cup with a mocking grin.

"Why do you tell me this now and not before?" Sirius asked, irritated.

"Because I don't need praise or recognition. I was glad that Harry was happy and you were free," I shrugged my shoulders, for that was the truth.

"You're really amazing, but why do you face the events of yesterday evening so coldly, or does it not really matter to you?" He asked curiously and looked with wide eyes at me.

I shrugged. "Something of both, I think!"

"It doesn't matter to you that Snivellus has seen you like this, he, he ... has touched you, please really, you really don't care?", He got visibly angry now and I found it to be too late so I raised an eyebrow sarcastically.

"Come on, Sirius, it's really bad now, don't say anything more, and no, I don't think the professor saw me like that, because he helped me, he was very friendly" I told him. "Besides, what if I tell you that it wasn't unpleasant for me when you saw me like that? Didn't you like what you saw? I mean, don't you want to see it again?" I whispered now, holding his gaze.

"You ... you're really unbelievable, I ... we have to ...", Sirius stopped abruptly, as Molly swept into the kitchen at that moment, the Twins on her heels.

"Hermione, already awake, what do you want to eat?" Came her question.

"Morning," it sounded cheerfully from the twins, Sirius and I replied to the greeting.

"Toast, please!", And to Sirius, "Tonight, after dinner, back in the library?" I looked at him questioningly.

"Absolutely!" He nodded gravely. "We're not finished yet," he whispered darkly, giving me a piercing look, getting up and walking out of the kitchen. Fred and George, who sat next to me, looked at me provocatively and smiled really filthy.

"What?" I hissed annoyed.

"Nothing, what should it be, a new admirer?" They whispered. "His gaze says everything, he's totally into you, no wonder, look at you, you're really a hot girl," they said in turns, throwing insistent looks at me and wiggling with their red eyebrows.

"Oh, please, I'll puke, what do you want? If you come to me like this, you need me or something from me, so get on with it!" I demanded and already saw through them, these two fun-heads.

Fred held his hand dramatically to his heart "Help, help, how can anyone be so crude, who has just received a serious compliment?" Fred whined drawlingly. I rolled my eyes and looked to Molly, who put bacon and eggs in her pan, humming around, and didn't notice anything.

"If George had said I was hot, I would have believed it," I replied dryly.

"Do you always have to keep on about it?" Fred got annoyed.

"Yes, please don't, you know Fred is allergic to it!" George said, miffed.

"Allergic, probably jealous. What do you need now?" I knocked impatiently on the table with my fingertips.

"There you want to help and gets still dissed, is that the thanks for it?", George meant now musty, but already a devilish grin lay on Fred's face.

"I know you're fucking with me, but I'm sorry. I didn't want to damage Fred's sensitive mind!", I bowed my head and admitted defeat.

"Ah, I love it when I know how to get around you," George laughed now, filthy.

"But you don't need to be upset, we have turned on our alarmingly genius brains, and thought about on how we can help you, and there are two good ideas."

Fred waved as if it were nothing "Don't ask when you get the finished product, give us time!"

"What do you want from me now?" I accepted his words.

"We know how you like to send people to sleep," two pairs of eyes mischievously winked at me.

"So we know you're the right source to ask for a couple of vials of sleeping potions?", came the amiable admission of Fred "Three or five?", He still said with a gesture.

"Oh, just like that?" I leaned back with my arms crossed, while the song, which sounded from the radio, was sang loudly and wrongly by Molly, which made this conversation possible.

"Please, please, it's for you ...", both were begging heart-meltingly, and two identical faces looked at me with a hopeful look.

"And then you annoy me like this ... but I'm totally used to it... I suppose you want one or two vials for your own needs? Poor Lee ..." I said sympathetically.

"Eh, now you're insulting, we've put Lee to sleep just once, thanks to you!" The Twins replied instantly, and then we looked at each other conspiratorially and giggled.

"Come back later into the library, then I'll deliver," I offered then, afterwards, both of them goofed around with exaggerated bows and other stuff. I raised myself laughing, took leave of Molly and took my toast with me, before Ron and Ginny came and got the opportunity to commandeer me. So the day went like the previous, only the weapon training was new, but still not worth mentioning.

The potions were boiling and I was in my schedule. I had the dinner in the loud kitchen behind me and now found myself induced in a thick old tome, when just before 11 pm Sirius appeared in the large room in front of me. He was wearing black, tight-cut leather pants, and a large, wide-cut, white cotton shirt, which was negligently buttoned, so I could see, as usual, the tattoos on his chest. He slowly came towards me and stopped behind the chair.

"Did Remus have much to tell?" I greeted him indifferently. "What do you want now, why are you here?" Sirius was silent for a long time, a certain tension arose in the silence, in which only the crackling of the burning logs could be heard from the fireplace. Suddenly I felt him gently stroke his fingers across my arm to the strap of my dress.

"Sorry, yes he did," he whispered in a low, hoarse voice, and lowered the strap of my dress. "... and why am I here?" His voice faded, leaving an ambiguous meaning connected with his deed. I shuddered, I hadn't expected that. I knew I had irritated him, but that he was going to do it right now came unexpectedly. On the other hand, he was an adult man, what had I expected? I knew where that could lead, I could still stop him, but did I want that? When did the game change, from flirtation to more? But as I said, I was always good at pretending.

If it progressed like this, we wouldn't leave the room without being intimate, so much I could read from his gesture and to be honest, it had long been a dirty secret of me that I was no longer untouched. Yes, I had such secrets too. I liked him as a friend, enjoyed his company and his wit and his flirtation just brought me pleasure. Why should I say no to fun? A mischievous smile spread out on my lips, when I had a very wicked idea that let my inner muscles pulsing. The whole situation was just charged by erotic tension and he was still waiting.

I shook my head and stood up resolutely, distanced myself from him slightly, but took him by the hand and put him in my chair, then looked at him and began to laugh softly, seductively. So I stood before him, in my yellowish flower dress, the right strap lay seductively from my shoulder, and I glanced lasciviously down at Sirius, who was anxious. "I thought you wanted to talk. We've known each other for over two years now," Sirius whispered, looking at me torn. I slanted my head in a provocative way and looked at him, frowning.

"I've been able to learn a lot about you since we met, and I think I know you quite well," I leaned to him seductively, whispering in his ear, "I'm not a silly girl, with a stupid puppy-love, Sirius, you know that, at least since yesterday!"

Sirius lowered his head. "You're right, I'm sorry. It was stupid of me, I don't know what I wanted to get with this gesture, what made me think like this since yesterday ... and this morning, I know I'm way too old, just because of the little flirts. I ... you're too young, too ... innocent!" He stuttered uncertainly, not looking at me. I began to laugh mockingly and even more when I saw his shocked face, which he now turned towards me.

"Oh man, why do you say that, I thought you'd know at least since yesterday that I'm not the naive, innocent, inexperienced girl who everyone thinks I am. If it relaxes you, I haven't been a virgin for a long time, if you're afraid about that!", I cleared up, and only reawakened a surprised look.

We smiled at each other and put our clothes back on properly. I spoke a cleaning spell and brushed my tangled hair back from my sweaty face. Whilst, we both tried to get our breath back. I looked at Sirius, who leaned with his eyes closed in the chair and still gasped. He looked very satisfied and beautiful. His long, black, silky shining hair fell over his shoulders and a smile laid on his full lips.

"I can now confirm that you were no longer a virgin," he grinned now, nasty, with eyes still closed.

"Oh come on, this isn't really shocking, besides you know that I always do the extra tasks, hard work!" I grinned just as badly and sprawled myself into the chair next to him, pulling my legs towards me.

"Damn Hermione, what happened to the dear, little witch that I knew?" He asked, shocked, then his eyes opened angrily.

"Perhaps she never existed or she grew up. Oh, and when you met me, I was no longer innocent," I told him, grinning. "Well, we've fucked now and it was fantastic if you ask me!" I licked my lips.

"When you're talking like this, you're a really wicked, wild bitch, full of Slytherin, ... oh, I can't imagine anything better, you're driving me mad, but wait ... that would mean ... that means you were, I can't believe it ... you're making me speechless ... but then you were only 13, weren't you?", He stammered at his realization, he seemed slightly confused, grabbed his hair and pulled once in despair.

"Well, I can return the compliment. Thanks for the ride, Casanova, and for your last interjection, I was almost 15 when it makes you happy, but you'll never know more!" I said, smiling mysteriously. Now he buried his face in his hands. "What do you think the others would say if they knew about us? Harry, the Weasleys?" Sirius muttered. I let my lower lip slip through my teeth. "They'd say I'm too young, but we both know this isn't true, I most likely have already experienced more than Molly in her whole life, except for the having children!", With this statement I twisted my face to a repellent grimace.

"... you don't want any, ... you don't like children, ... but doesn't every young girl want them?" Sirius asked, already amply confused.

"Never say never, I know that despite my young years, but if you ask ... Yes, I don't need children and want? Well, in the next few decades definitely no, and it should never be, I couldn't say now that I would be sad. I'm aware that I fall out of the scheme again, but I'm not a Ginny or Lavender, I'm not like these girls, Sirius. I'm in the frontline in war, not in the reserve or waiting at home. I'm me! A selfish bitch, if I'm honest. Can you deal with this knowledge?", I looked at him seriously and could see how he listened attentively and didn't interrupt me.

"I'm not in love with you, either. I like you Sirius, but we both know that you don't love me, this is fucking, horny fucking, but nothing else and goddess forbid, no flower sex. I wouldn't care what the others say, but I want it to stay between us, it's better for all our souls, you agree with me?" I asked frankly. He nodded, speechless, wide-eyed. "And we could continue to fuck!" I said cheekily and ran my finger lasciviously along his arm just as he did at the beginning with me.

"You'll be the death of me, oh Merlin, what a question, of course we'll continue. I don't think I have the self-control to forego you!" He said, shaken, and dropped his head back and stared at the ceiling. "You fall out of the scheme, but you're very special, Hermione, unique! Even if your attitude and your statements shock me," he said confidently. "But I'll probably have to live with that if I still want you, right?"

I rose and bent back towards him to kiss him. We sank in a brief duel.

"You're absolutely right, it's late. Sleep well my Casanova, I'm looking forward to tomorrow and to what we can try then!" I purred at his mouth, then I straightened up and left the library with swaying hips.


	21. Past

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Past

Unbelievable, but I had fucked Sirius, Harry's godfather, and - shame on me -I would do it again in a heartbeat. Sirius knew what he was doing, and from now on he had spoiled me for all time. He had shown me that I liked more mature men, much more mature men, and they could satisfy my needs better than the boys of my age, or only a little older, since my two other lovers were only three to four years older than me. I have to say, with Sirius, they absolutely couldn't keep up, so a wicked but also very satisfied smile appeared on my lips.

I suspect that everyone in Hogwarts assumed I was still the untouched virgin. You know, the good nerdy image, but I was probably one of the first one to collect my experiences, only one word: premature, just because of my intellect. When I was still fully satisfied, I thought about my other two conquests, a sweet, beautiful memory which also made me a bit sad at the same time. I had lost my innocence two months before the end of our third year, and to whom was a well-kept secret from me. It wasn't just a one-night stand. We had met the remaining two months on a regular basis, but after the holidays the whole thing had fizzled out.

What wasn't tragic at all, because I hadn't been in love with him either, and I think I was not a woman who could or didn't want to have heartache, but Hermione Granger was too head-driven. As I said, no one, neither Harry nor Ron, or anyone else, had realized that I had a short but intense relationship with a sixth-grader in our third year, who had introduced me very sympathetically to love. In the end, I had already been afraid that I could break his heart, but then, luckily, it hadn't happened.

His name, yes, today it's hard for me to say his name out loud, because I feel endless sadness in myself when I think of him. Not because I loved him, which I hadn't done at any time, but because his fate was too horrible and I was so grateful to him for those two months. It was a nice time, hopefully he had also enjoyed it in his too short life. His name was Cedric Diggory! So, now you know, I had something with Cedric.

Now, one wonders what the three-year-older Cedric would have wanted from a small third-grader, Hermione, to consider her at all. Well, since my second year we had often been intensely debating in the library and Cedric was amazed by my knowledge, but was also excited. It lured him that I was able to compete with a fifth grader, had impressed him severely. Thanks to the time-turner in this third year, I had developed more quickly than other girls, and I had grown up faster than ever, thanks to the prohibited department, since this robbed any illusions. Cedric had always been very attentive, which is why he had noticed my imperceptible but steady changes and was concerned. We had understood each other really well and I had felt flattered that the really handsome sixth grader gave me, the know-it-all, attention and I had therefore very much enjoyed his advances.

When I had almost collapsed in the library one evening because of the physical exhaustion that this double burden of the time-turner had brought me, Cedric had been there, the knight, my knight in silver armor, and although he had been a Hufflepuff, he had many traits of the other houses as well. He had helped me, but I had struggled with his care. He hadn't dragged me to the hospital wing, which would have been a catastrophe, the teachers hadn't been able to know how much I had misused the time-turner, had been my luck. When, however, he had refused to leave me alone, he had, in order to distract me and to give me a happiness, taken me to the prefect-bathroom on the fifth floor. Since he had been a prefect and quidditch captain of his house from the fifth grade, he had known the bath and the associated password. I had been overwhelmed.

The bathroom was huge and everything was marble in soft natural tones. The tub in the floor was very large, so that even a few swimming strokes were possible. Above the pool was a huge golden construction with countless water taps, from which came different bathing additives. Fluffy white bath towels lay everywhere in the corners. At that point I had decided that I would definitely become a prefect.

Above the basin was a detailed, magnificent picture with a water mermaid, in short, everything was beautiful. In the other corner was a resting oasis, in which one could relax or get dry. It was incredibly beautiful. The perfect place for the first time. I can still remember his pensive smile when he had looked at me and enjoyed my astonishment. He had been an attractive figure and a heartthrob, with his hair hanging over his eyes, his eyes itself, his handsome expression, his well-cut face, and awesome body, thanks to his sport.

I don't exactly know how it happened, why he pulled me towards him and started to undress me; only that I hadn't been averse and had eagerly participated. I couldn't believe he wanted me and I wanted him. Somehow we had landed naked in the pool. It had been a relaxed atmosphere, no shame or shyness had ever occurred at any time. It had felt just right and we just joked around, of course, all this had an erotic touch, which I hadn't been able to escape and didn't want to escape. When we finished our fling, we had begun to kiss and he had taken me to the resting oasis, and there we continued, there was no second thought or hesitation, although Cedric clearly took the lead. He had known what he was doing and I let him lead me.

After countless tender kisses and long gentle strokes, he slowly laid down between my legs and looked deeply, questioningly into my eyes. I had passionately replied his glance, and almost impatiently pulled him towards me, which was certainly a demand for him, and so he had entered me cautiously and affectionately, as it had been Cedric's manner. We had loved each other in a gentle, swinging rhythm until we had both reached our climax. After the love game, we had lain in our arms and indulged in our thoughts.

He, the Hufflepuffs idol, the prefect, and I the younger Gryffindor, some classes under him. This story between us, that was something. And no one should've known, which was clear to him and me. No one would have approved it, he was too popular and coveted, and I had been too much in the middle of everything, Harry Potter's best friend. But we had a lot of fun, and during that time we felt strongly drawn towards each other. For us it had been right and after that first time, he and I had quickly realized that even more times would follow, for that I was too keen on him and he had been on me.

He liked to let himself into this, as he had known I could be silent like a grave and I didn't want to adorn myself with him, unlike the other girls who would have loved him as a trophy. This loving liaison had then gone until the beginning of the holidays and we had taken advantage of this time and enjoyed it. He was so attentive, empathetic, and not inexperienced, and was infinitely kind to me.

But now the most terrible came, Cedric was no more.

This knowledge hurt me infinitely, but that wasn't to be changed. I had accepted this early, but I would always keep him and my memories in honor. Oh yes, Cedric was a beautiful, but also a sad memory, my second conquest was already a different caliber.

When the fourth year began, my relationship with Cedric had gone downhill as I said, even though we were still friends, this year had promised early on to be exciting as the exchange students from Beauxbaton and Durmstrang had arrived. That I would get a new admirer so fast, I hadn't expected, but I felt very flattered at the end.

It had begun with a very intense exchange of views, when he had thrown his name into the goblet for the tournament selection. From then on we had often seen each other and also started to talk to each other. He had even stalked me and I had acted very reluctant when he had begun to get closer to me. But all of this had happened unobserved by the others, for we had done it so cleverly that absolutely no one had noticed. He was amazingly an interesting conversation partner and not just the famous seeker for the Bulgarian Quidditch team. I had understood why he was so in the center of interest of the other girls, as he had a truly self-confident and impressive appearance, and then that somber, but attractive, radiance, which had been underlined by his dark brown hair with dark brown eyes. Since nobody had noticed what had developed between me and him, although he had mostly been haunted by a horde of wild, puberty girls, we could have been proud of this achievement.

When he had asked me to accompany him to the Yule Ball, I had accepted the invitation. I had wanted to show the others that I was very well a woman, who had quite a chance with the guys. Oh, how I had been annoyed with Ron at that time, this pubescent boy who thought I was a similar late starter as he was. I will never forget the envious, jealous and surprised, as well as disbelieving looks of others.

I, the gray nerd, with the Quidditch star and participant of the tournament, Viktor Krum, incredible and then also so completely unexpected. Why was he coming onto me, Hermione Granger, did probably think many others. What I could offer him, not only mentally but also physically, would have everyone given the goosebumps. In their wildest dreams, they couldn't have imagined that the innocent Hermione wasn't as good as they thought.

Cedric had spoken to me during a dance, when the partners had been exchanged at the opening dance, and smilingly meant that he was amazed to see me with Viktor, but he wasn't really surprised, that I was always good for a surprise and I probably liked older men. Then he had still noticed, laughing, that I was connected with all the male participants of the tournament or had something in the past.  
"You're unbelievable," he whispered, teasingly into my ear and giving me a wink, wished me and Viktor a pleasurable evening. Viktor had been a wonderful ball partner, and when I had sent the two idiots Harry and Ron to their room because they had once again appeared as the little children they were, the relationship with Viktor had gone to the next round.

We had been very discreet. He had brought - or rather smuggled - me to the ship of Durmstrang into his cabin. Everything had been held in the warm dark brown of the ship's beams, and with the porthole with a view of Hogwarts it had all been very romantic and harmonious. Kissing we stumbled into his room. Viktor was very passionate and much more determined than Cedric and had impatiently taken what he wanted.

He had undressed me quickly and started with a fast, hard pace. He had given me the most intense orgasm I ever had until that point. He had been so different from Cedric, who had always been so caring and sensitive towards me. Viktor had been much more passionate and less attentive. I believe at that moment I had realized that I felt more attracted to Bad Boys, than to the Good Guys, also I had liked the rough handling of Viktor. Since then I was able to say that the "flower sex" with Cedric had been beautiful, but I had found more fulfillment in the harsh, passionate sex with Viktor.

The following months had confirmed me in my assumption. We hadn't always been tender to each other, though our sexual unions were wild. There had never been a lot of tension since we had agreed not to make public how intimate we were with each other. Often I had been secretly on the ship during the night, and had met Viktor's closest friends, Boris Poliakoff and Ivan Jarosch. They had helped us where they could. I also had the honor to take a look at the library of the sailing ship, which I had extensively used during my night excursions. Viktor was very amazed at that time, when he had noticed that I had an extensive knowledge of dark magic.

Today, I know, thanks to my wand, that Viktor is probably not so different from me, because his wand is made of white beech with a dragon heart string as a core, also a very bright white wand similar to my hawthorn wand but with the contents of my school magic wand. At that time I had also figured out the probably biggest secret of the Twins, when I wanted to sneak into the castle one night, I had passed the greenhouses and I had heard obvious noises. Curiosity had driven me, something I had always had enough, so I had to look. So I had sneaked up, took a look, and after I broke the one or the other protective charm, I jumped back, shocked. What had been revealed to me had made my face red of shame. It was the first time that I had seen sex between two men and that it were also identical-looking people, had made the whole thing ... more wicked?

But I couldn't turn away from this passionate event, it had fascinated me too much. I had known since my third year that the Twins weren't just the jokers, as they appeared to everyone. Many of their jokes and products couldn't be made without dark magic or prohibited substances, they had no scruples in this respect either.

And thanks to the Marauder's Map, they had often found me in the Forbidden section, and lent my knowledge as they said so beautifully. At the same time, they had helped hide my sudden disappearance, after all, one hand washes the other. We trusted about each other's discretion, even today. I had guessed, but didn't know that Fred and George had a very close relationship to each other, but now it was so clear in front of my eyes, it had thrown me a little bit out of concept.

And so I had stared at the events in front of me with big eyes, and when the two had finished, I didn't leave, no, we had already had a too good relationship then, that I of course told them that I knew about them. I had begun to clap affectionately, whilst both of them turned around, shocked. The relief that it was me, that had caught them in flagranti, had been clearly written in their faces, and also the confusion of how I was able to break their protective shields, but I had always been good at that. Their concern that I couldn't understand them, I could take from them, since I had generously offered them my help to make their secret to mine. The gratitude for my acceptance towards them and that I didn't condemn them for their feelings for each other could be seen in their faces and had brought us closer to each other. To show them that I was serious and as they didn't have the map anymore, since they had given it to Harry, I had told them about Viktor, which didn't really surprise them. Dryly they had said that they could trust me to do almost anything and had promised to help me to sneak out at night. We had gradually become a really good team.

Yes, even then I had had secrets. Secrets before my friends. Was I a good friend? I don't know, just because I didn't tell them everything I did? I really didn't know. I was always loyal to Harry! Nothing would separate me from him, for I loved him as a part of my family as I would have loved a brother if I had had one.

I was standing behind Harry for the entire time of the Triwizard Tournament, and Viktor had been aware of this. He had known and accepted that I loved Harry, but I only coveted him. The rest of the year had been very exciting. Viktor had taught me a lot, and with him I had fully matured to a woman. He had never thought about our age difference because he said I was a woman, the most desirable woman he had ever met, and so different from the girls who clung to him, which I had never done. The return of Lord Voldemort and Cedric's death had almost brought my desire to a standstill as my first boyfriend's death had affected me deeply, and now the darkness had had come which promised no good for the future.

When the farewell came, both of us had realized that we had come to the end of our relationship. There had been no tears which had surprised Viktor, I don't know, maybe! Perhaps he would have liked it if I had shed a few tears for him. We had agreed to remain in contact by letters, which we have maintained until today.

I saw the past in front of my eyes and smiled slightly in thought at this beautiful, but sometimes sad, but unforgettable time.


	22. A Long Night

This Chapter has content we cut out from FFNET, as FFNET doesn't allow Mature anymore. *** Are the passages where stuff got deleted. If you want to read the whole WHF-Smut, then send me a message. ;)

Enjoy and thank you so much for the Reviews!

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A Long Night

I was still lying in my bed, leaving the past being past as my thoughts returned to Sirius. My new lover was Sirius Black, incomparable with Cedric and Victor. He was a 36-year-old man, his appearance marked by his past fate. A marauder, a Casanova, a man who had lost his best friends, a man who had been betrayed by a friend, a man who had spent twelve years innocently in prison, a man still alive today and still on the run. Us separated a little more than 21 years, but since yesterday, I had to say, I didn't give a shit. I wouldn't want to change it, to exchange him. When I called Victor a Bad Boy, that was hasty, because he was the harmless version of a real Bad Guy à la Sirius.

Just saying, I was already corrupted/disspated, where would that end? I was aware that our affair was temporary, unfortunately, but I wouldn't enjoy it any less. I just hoped that he wouldn't suddenly feel his morals or find them after all, and would feel horrible to have seduced me, but I just hoped he was too selfish and didn't lie to himself. For that is how I didn't judge him. Though sometimes rash and somewhat ill-advised in his deeds, once he had decided, he stuck to his decision and held on to his fun.

I kept my daily routine as well, but today there was no Sirius in the kitchen when I arrived, apparently our gymnastics had exhausted him so profoundly last night, I thought wickedly, that he still needed rest.

My day went like the previous, very successful but also very tiring. When I arrived for supper, I was very excited and cheerful. Sirius, too, who looked at me with a gleam in his grey eyes. He had obviously no second thoughts or gotten a guilty conscience. He was just a bad boy. When I sat down, I put my leg so that I touched his knee as if by accident. He raised an eyebrow, calculatingly, and looked at me with glittering eyes. It was funny and invigorating to sit in the full kitchen and know that everyone else was ignorant of what was going on between us.

"And Hermione, do you have time for us tonight?" Ron suddenly groused.

"Of course, right after the meal." I took the wind out of his sails, the way he looked at me.

"No, first you come to us, we have to show you something, sorry Ron, doesn't last long either!", Fred and George now said very weightily and rose to leave the room.

"Yeah, well, it's okay. I'll eat quickly, then I'll come right away!" I said to the twins and to Ron: "I will hurry, promise!" and began eating quickly. If they announced it so publicly, they wanted something important from me.

Sirius leaned towards me. "Really?" he whispered very quietly, though that would have been almost unnecessary, thanks to the noisy assembled Weasleys. "No, let me surprise you. At 11 pm I'll tell you more, wait in your room!" He nodded at once. I left soon and quickly scurried to the twins' room. I opened the door, slipped in, and stopped for a second. Fred and George lay together on a bed. George had already lost the top of his mustard yellow pajamas, and Fred's bilious green top was all unbuttoned, revealing his white chest. The colors bit themselves strongly with the rich orange-red of their hair. They didn't mind my arrival and carried on with their activities.

As I took a deep breath in the hallway and tried to cool my heated face, I quickly spoke some protective spells on the door, because if anyone saw them like that, then good luck! Not everyone was as tough and tolerant as I was. Slowly but surely a plan was formed in my head and I would begin to realize it tonight, because since the ball with Alicia and Angelina there was a big kink in the relationship of the twins and it was called Angelina. George's, but above all Fred's jealousy always came up again. The Twins were only to be seen as a team, so I would try to give them what they desired to recognize that they were all they needed.

My eyes now fell on the two candies I held in my hand, so I would keep my drugged butterbeers and try these one. I anxiously made my way to my room.

"There you are, finally, what did the two jesters want from you?" Ginny asked curiously from the bed.

"Nothing special, actually just nonsense... but I got something here, a surprise for you, as an excuse that I had so little time in the last few days," I opened the closet and took out three unprepared bottles of butterbeer.

"That's really decent of you, Hermione," Ron praised generously and Ginny cheered happily. I pressed a beer into each of their hands and said cheers, we all drank. We made ourselves comfortable on one of the beds and I put the two sweets on the bedspread, acting casually.

"What are these?" Ron questioned at once.

"Oh, I've found them before, muggle sweets!" I explained indifferently.

"What, cool and what do they taste like?" Ron's reply was pointedly neutral.

"Delicious, it's really something different than the magical stuff," I said luringly and was rewarded with two interested faces.

"Do you to want to try?" I questioned quietly.

"But these are your last ones," said Ginny kindly and refused bravely.

"Yes, but I can always get new ones and I know how they taste," I continued.

"Then gladly!" both said, and the sweets already disappeared in their mouths. The effect occurred almost instantly, both of them got glassy eyes and swayed alarmingly. This wasn't as planned. I thought the two Red Devils would still have to do a bit of fine tuning, because the effect should've been delayed, but tonight I wouldn't enter their room voluntarily, that was for sure. Now I drew my wand with a sigh, dared to do my first 'obliviate', to make them forget this, gave them the memory of a playful evening, and left Ron and Ginny in their beds before their eyes finally closed and they dived into their dreams. I rubbed my hands, that had gone better than expected, I silently congratulated myself. Was I evil, if I handled my friends like this?

Yes, I thought I was. I tried to be as honest as I could to myself, even if I didn't like this summary. Actually, my books would've been waiting for me now, since one or two pieces of research still had to be done, but first I had to go to Sirius. Because of our second night I generously neglected my schedule. I needed some fun, too, and the Twins had fired me up dangerously. I sneaked up the last few steps to Sirius's room, anxious to avoid unnecessary noise.

The door was hard to miss, as a name plate was attached to it. At the opposite door was the name of his deceased brother Regulus. I didn't knock, why should I, he was waiting for me. I wore nothing but my short lilac summer nightshirt. I slipped inside quickly. Sirius lied on his broad, carved, wooden bed and read a Quidditch book. The faded silver-gray silk wallpaper and the heavy velvet curtains beside the windows would have given the whole room, in spite of the neglect, a noble atmosphere, were there not the flags in Gryffindor red-gold and the muggle images of naked women and motorcycles, glued on the walls with permanent sticking charms.

Well, Sirius couldn't deny his Black ancestry. Apparently this family loved to hex things to walls for eternity. I almost broke into laughter because it was too funny. Maybe the old Mrs. Black stole the idea for her painting from Sirius?

"Finally, I thought you weren't going to come anymore," he exclaimed happily, but also very impatiently, and threw away the book into a corner. "Impatient?" I moved on into the room.

"That was wonderful, the last time something like that happened was years ago..." he supplied, hoarse and breathless.

"I also found it very satisfying," I breathed, indeed very satisfied, and lay down beside him. I looked at him from the side, and I felt completely well. My right hand lay on his belly and stroked playfully up to his chest to caress his tattoos dreamily.

"Are you going to tell me now what you've done beforehand?" he asked curious, turning his face to me. "What did the twins want from you and how did you escape the others?"

"The twins, well, they wanted to give me something. They're friends," I explained as I stroked him.

"Better than Harry and Ron?" he shot back at once.

"Yes and no - not better than Harry, different, but better than Ron, yes. Let's say Harry is closer to my heart, but the twins are closer to my secrets," I tried to explain sincerely the different friendships.

"You trust them more than Harry?" His grey eyes grew wide, disbelieving.

"Yes!"

"Why... I don't understand, I thought Harry was your best friend?" he asked, completely bewildered and looking at me suspicious. I looked up at him, too.

"And he's my best friend, but he would..." and I pointed to our bed, "not approve of the things I do," I said seriously.

"But the twins, as you call them, do? Approve of this, here?" He asked skeptically, repeating my gesture between us.

"Yes!" I wouldn't say more, as that didn't concern him.

"You won't tell me more, will you?" he asked.

"You know me too well, Casanova!" I whispered softly and kissed him lightly on his closed lips.

"I have to go, sleep well!" I sat up and stretched myself, satisfied.

"Already? Why? I thought that was the first round ...", he pouted immediately, as only guys could and I laughed out loud.

"I'm not putting off my work just because we're fucking now and you're insatiable. I have almost an hour and a half before I have to go to bed," I explained strictly, but I meant everything I said. Now he showed me his teeth: "I know a way to use this time differently ...", it came from him auspiciously.

"I can tell, but I'll stick to it!" I decided. I rose, cleansed myself, smoothed my nightshirt, and tied my hair together. After a last look at my destroyed panties, I blew him a kiss and disappeared. In my nightshirt, I crept through the sleeping house.

Standing in front of my books, I thought about what I needed to realize my idea, as it wasn't just about the desire of the twins. No, I would be able to connect it perfectly to one of my plans, because I loved it when everything was so intertwined. Ah, I already had the desired information.

Now I knew how it would work, but on what or where could I use the curse to be able to use it again and again? Hmm ... I had to think and slouched into my chair in front of the cozy fire, a feather thoughtful in my mouth. What did I have to do and take into account in my plan? I worked on it through the night... the next time I spoke the Tempus, I was shocked, three o'clock! That would be a short night, but I could be satisfied because everything stood. I just had to implement it and I would approach that tomorrow.


	23. Trafalgar Square

Oh I love the Skeeter Parts! Let's a gree our Hermione is a little bitch. ^^But we love her.

Thanks for your loyalty, reads, and reviews.

Enjoy this weeks chapter. ;)

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Trafalgar Square

The night was extremely short but very satisfying. Today was the 15th of August and I was already waiting anxiously to see if she would stick to the agreement. I sat in the kitchen at breakfast, as an owl arrived for me, which surprised me, I gave her questioning looks, since I had received no mail so far and the letter from Hogwarts would still come.

I took the parchment from the owl and gave her a few crumbs of bread. Of course I knew from whom the letter was, but wouldn't open it under the curious eyes of those present here.

"Ah, from Victor, thank you again, Ron, for lending me Pig," I said kindly, as I wanted to distract and Ron responded as I had hoped.

He made an angry face and muttered something into his non-existent beard. He and Ginny looked unusually cheerful, no wonder after that deep, restful sleep. I put the letter in my pockets, finished my breakfast and left the room, but was expected in the hallway from two filthy grinning twins, who had as always nonsense in their heads. They accompanied me on my way.

"Say, most beautiful, what went on yesterday?" The two weren't curious at all.

"You don't even get red!" I said, shaking my head.

"Why, you didn't see anything you didn't know already!" One of the red-haired devils grinned.

"Hrr, you're impossible! But to the prototypes, they have worked, but almost too well. The effect starts immediately, but time-delayed and individual per person would be more effective, so that the people can withdraw themselves. I was allowed to dump the two into bed yesterday," I explained in detail, as we continued our way up, after all this I wanted nothing more than to go back to the library.

"Hmm, I think I already know what we have to change on the dosage. We'll get to work soon!" George murmured, lost in thought.

"Oh, and Dung would have to deliver tonight," they announced broadly grinning, and then George immediately wanted to rush with Fred into their room.

"Fred, one more minute!" I held him back, so George left alone.

"About yesterday, I..."

He interrupted me. "Sorry, wasn't meant to be, I don't know exactly what got into me then, fortunately George...", he ran his fingers nervously through his hair.

"Stop, stop, don't continue. It wasn't bad, because I feel really honored that you're giving me such confidence, but I'm talking about, that I want to fulfill your wish!" I said seriously and mustered Fred sternly.

"What ... you ... want ... us ... what?" he looked a proper charlie and stuttered unusually taciturn all over the place.

"Sssh, quiet, yes, I have an idea and am in the phase to implement all of it," I brought him the news conspiratorially close.

"How are you going to manage that, especially since no one is allowed to know?" he asked excitedly, for Fred was hooked from one second to the next. I rolled my eyes.

"Fred, do you really think I'm limited, especially you should know that I leave a secret secret. I arrange everything so that you only have to enjoy. His wish is also your wish, is it not?" I inquired.

"You want to know if I want it or he? ... Mhm, I know he wants and I think we should try it and since we never do something without the other the answer is obvious, I believe. Why not? We've always been experimenting, as you know!" he gleamed at me diabolically. "And you think you'd really manage it?"

I laughed. "This should be one of my easiest practices." Now that this was cleared, I tapped on his shoulder and turned away.

"Thank you ... Hermione ... see you later!" They went serenely into their room, in order to further continue their projects, because the two were quite ambitious.

Sitting on my chair, I took out the letter and opened it. I was very curious what Rita had to say. When I finished reading, I dropped the letter in amazement, threw it into the fireplace, and watched as it slowly burned and fell to ashes.

She hadn't written much, but Rita wanted to meet me at 12 noon at Trafalgar Square. I wouldn't have expected that now, but I was very curious because she already had such a longing for me. I had to make sure that no one would miss me, if I were to leave so early. Molly was a real mother hen in this respect.

I started to smile when I remembered how I wanted to manage that. I slipped quietly into a bedroom on the top floor and made myself comfortable on the large, wide bed. I let my eyes wander around the room and took the environment more intensely inside me than last night. He had fully enjoyed his Gryffindor taste when decorating the room, probably to annoy his parents. In the daylight, it really bit itself more with the wallpaper. Then the door opened and Sirius came in, just like he was and looked at me perplexed, when he saw me on his bed.

"Hi!" I waved.

"Hi, did you have longing, beautiful? I knew last night was too short!" He purred toward me and closed the door.

"You Casanova, get your thoughts out of the gutter, it's all about something else," I said dismissively and turned to him.

"Ahm, I haven't completely taken you inside my bed, but I have to say you look better in the day in it, sure I can't steer your thoughts into the gutter?" I heard roughly, while he came towards the bed smoothly.

"Tonight, my dear, I'm in your hands," I promised sensually, licking my lips with pleasure. I was always interested in Sirius. "Now I have no time, but I need your help, so I wanted to ask you," I told him straight.

"What are you planning again?" Sirius groaned. "Does it have to do with the letter from before... then it wasn't from Krum?" he asked, suspicious, and let himself fall defeated flat on the bed.

"Yes, it has. I have to leave the house today, just before twelve. I have to meet someone and it didn't _exactly_ come from Victor," I lifted my hand to cut off his objection. "I won't tell you from whom, but you don't have to worry, it's nothing dangerous. Promise, Sirius!" I said earnestly.

He nodded unhappily. "What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to cover for me. Nobody can notice that I was going two hours earlier, that would be all. Would you do that, my Casanova?" I purred seductively, looking up at him from the below.

"You know, Hermione, I trust you and know you can take care of yourself. So, yes, I'll cover for you. I hope you know you can trust me. You know that you can tell me everything, really everything," he said emphatically, sliding next to me and put his hand on my leg with a serious expression. "Please don't put yourself in unnecessary danger, it's dangerous out there."

I leaned my upper body against his chest and groaned. "I know all this, and I'm so happy and grateful that you trust me and you really know a lot, but I can't tell you any more, please forgive me," I said sadly, but also determinedly. Now he placed his other hand on my chin and lifted it, so I had to face him, then slowly, but firmly, put his lips on mine and so began a slow, sensual kiss, which soon became more and our tongues began to deliver a duel.

I distanced myself by force, because I had to prepare myself. Although my spell was on Rita, I would never commit the mistake to underestimate her, and I assumed that she had done research. It would actually disappoint me if she'd yield herself so simple to her fate. I stood resolutely away up from the bed and grinned at Sirius.

"Thanks a lot and look forward to tonight," I said lasciviously, leaving the room shaking my butt, and Sirius with a small, visible problem. So I sneaked out of the house shortly before twelve and apparated near Trafalgar Square. Meanwhile I had managed to reduce my noise level. This was actually achieved through a lot of practice, but above all made successful by concentration, and here, the exercises with Occlumency had helped very much. I was wearing my jeans today and a tight, half-length, green shirt, and my bag over my shoulder. I moved toward the crowded Square under the bright blue summer sky into the crowd of tourists. I was already curious in which inconspicuous outfit Miss Skeeter would appear, here, among all the Muggles.

At the back I saw her already. She wore a rather discreet summer dress with poppy print, but her large curved glasses were the same as always, and so quite noticeable. She had already discovered me, and faced me with an unreadable expression.

"Hello, Miss Skeeter!" I greeted her politely. "How are you?" and nodded.

"Miss Granger, thank you, good and you?" Oh, we were all polite, but her voice sounded quite frosty.

"Same. You wanted to see me?" I came immediately to the point.

"Certainly, Miss Granger. I have information for you, as requested," she grimaced. Around us the loud hubbub of the tourists dominated the background noise.

"I must say, you surprise me, Miss Skeeter, in a positive way. I have expected more resistance, another necessary visit or two..." I trailed off threateningly.

"Well, what can I say, Miss Granger? You were indeed very thorough. Your leave application for me was also surprising and your spells... well, I thought about your offer and I think I can get involved with it," she said generously, but she still didn't like it, her grimace demonstrating this clearly.

"I'm really happy because, as I promised you, I don't ask for anything bad or impossible, even my spells don't harm you!" I slanted my head. "How's the work and the second book?"

"Thanks to you, the work is going well, as always. The Ministry wants Potter to be portrayed as a paranoid madman who lies and claims that You-Know-Who's back. I'm trying my best not to write any articles on the subject or to keep them extremely neutral," she said, slightly angry, but I just nodded. "The second book," she cleared her throat. "I'm doing my best, but I haven't got any relevant information for almost a month," she said, looking at me poisonously and pressed her lips together tightly.

"That sounds okay, we continue as usual, thank you Rita," I told her kindly. "But I still have a question - the information about Dumbledore, in your book, is it really true?" I asked, doubtful and leaning my head to the side.

"Haha, are you so amazed at this info that the dear, old professor has a not so pure vest as you thought?" She asked maliciously, grinning meanly.

"Not surprised, but is it really the truth?" I asked calmly again, but it really interested me, while I didn't allow her to make my serene expression falter, something that made her angry.

"I wasn't finished with my research on the subject of Albus Dumbledore, but what's written in the book is correct," she said brusquely.

"Not even with the help of the quick-quotes quill, Rita?", It came from me viciously. Rita's face darkened and she squinted her eyes angrily.

"Miss Granger, nothing is glossed over, these are the facts!" She replied, feeling well attacked in her reporter's honor, as if she had such a thing.

"Well, then it's fine, then I thank a lot for the info and good work," I replied jovially. Now she threw back her head and slightly stretched her chest. Pride glittered in her mischievous eyes.

"Yes, I have to say, I have surpassed myself, but as I said, I'm not yet ready to make it available for printing," and the pride was clearly evident from her tone.

"I always say you can't be underestimated. You can dig like a dung beetle in the biggest shit and still find gold!", I acknowledged to her maliciously and she shrank from my nasty expression. "But I set the time for the printing ... just so that this is clear to you!", We really liked each other very much. She moved her lips once more to a thin, disapproving line, but nodded briefly. She caught herself relatively quickly.

"But the reason, why I wanted to speak to you, Miss Granger. It's about Potter, the info is brand-new, came this morning very early, so I sent you an owl at once", it came now almost excited by her and she seemed very sedulous. I looked at her attentively, that was important, because it was about Harry.

"According to my information Potter used a strong spell last night, but he will be put to justice in two days, on the 17th. Fudge couldn't believe his luck. What exactly and why wasn't yet discovered, only a rumor but unconfirmed, that he defended himself against dementors. But as I said, one or I don't know anything specific?" Rita said, with an impulse and elan, you could see how she was enthusiastic about the whole thing while she made an unaware hand gesture. I was more than shocked at this news because I was afraid, feared for Harry. Didn't Dumbledore always tell how secure Harry was with his unpleasant relatives and therefore had to go back to them, whether he wanted to or not, and that it was really important for Harry.

It was just incredible, just good, that my faith in Dumbledore was already shaken. Thanks to Rita's revelation book, I knew things about Dumbledore, which I would never ever have thought of. She had just assured their correctness, but I confided him a period of grace, since I first had to check Rita's information. For this, I wanted to use the Hogwarts library, among other things, and only then I wanted to benefit from my knowledge. If it were true, what was indicated in the book ... arhrrrr, ok, relax, I would deal with it later, if the accusations proved themselves as facts.

But as I said, all these insights into the professor's personality had already shaken my confidence. An earthquake could have triggered a tsunami, but I remained relatively indifferently calm. Harry lived and seemed to get away with no more than a fright. Once again it showed how clever and deliberate I had acted. I got prompt and first-class information, apparently faster than the other members of the Order, for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, as well as Sirius, had not yet known about it. Even if none of them had said anything to me, I would have felt it, if something wouldn't have been quite right.

"These are amazing info, Rita, thanks for the fast delivery, I had imagined it like this! Please contact me always immediately," I praised her generously.

"How do you imagine managing it when you're at Hogwarts?", she asked, very curious.

"This won't be a problem, send me an owl no matter what time, after that we will always meet at 10pm at Trafalgar Square, this should be, if the information are so volatile that they cannot be transmitted in writing or if you aren't sure how to proceed," I clearly pointed out what to do.

"But ... but how will you manage to do this, Miss Granger, you can't just leave Hogwarts at night, that's impossible!" Rita was shocked.

I smiled visibly. "Don't worry about that, for I promise you I'll be here, and believe me, there is no 'impossible' for me, you should know by now, Miss Skeeter."

"I ... You always amaze me again. One shouldn't underestimate you, Miss Granger," she said, soberly, and she turned and looked over her shoulder. "I have a small, unconfirmed rumor that the ministry, Fudge, wants to interfere with Hogwarts' concerns. The point is that he wants to send his confidant, Dolores Umbridge, to the school. I guess, as a teacher for defense against the Dark Arts, that's it, I think. I'll be back. Goodbye!", she grinned at me scornfully, as I looked at her with wide eyes.

"Stop, get me more detailed information about this person, just send me an exposé, that should be enough, good work. Now I would need a favor from you, what do I have to do if I need a lady ... for a night, for payment ... who is ready to go beyond certain boundaries as well?" I asked quietly and emotionlessly.

She frowned in disbelief. "You need what ... a prostitute, Miss Granger?", Rita croaked high and piqued.

"Yes," I replied briefly.

"Why ... What for?", she stammered visibly overwhelmed.

"What do you think? But not for me, I want to do somebody a favor," I told her, even if it wasn't really her business.

She was still speechless. "Yes ... when ... where ... how?", the reporter stuttered now.

"On the 18th, at 9 pm, here is the meeting place, I would then apparate with her from here," I recited.

"Chrm, special wishes?", she asked, cold again, obviously she had caught herself.

"Pretty, not older than 18. She's ordered for a threesome and should be open for everything!", I listed calmly and grinned nastily.

"Of course!", she grit her teeth and turned to go. I wondered what she thought of me now, but I wouldn't have to worry about it, since I couldn't sink any deeper in Miss Skeeter's respect than before so I didn't have to care what she thought.

"Take care, Miss Skeeter, see you in three days!" I called after her.


	24. Anger and Snape

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Anger and Snape

I suppose, the fifth school year will start well, I thought sarcastically. Great! Hopefully, Dumbledore would be able to get Harry out of this trial since he couldn't manage to take care of him. I was so pissed off. The so-called adults acted as if they knew it all and then something like this happened. I didn't believe that Dementors were just a rumor. I had a bad feeling in my gut and I mostly trust my instincts. But the information from Rita was amazing. It was interesting that Fudge would take the offensive against Dumbledore so aggressively. I would have liked to tear my hair, but first I apparated into the house of Mum and Dad. I found everything to my satisfaction, which means no potion had decided to ex- or implode, and sensibly spent my time brewing until I had to go to the sports centre. My assortment became quite varied and I enjoyed giving myself to this art of magic.

The way the day developed, I had to fight the urge to run away. If one is already confronted with such happy news at noon, it's somehow logical that the afternoon can only be crappy, too.

On this day the Sensei wanted to advance the weapon training, that meant sharp blades and let me be honest, I was in the right mood to fulfill this task with commitment. To relieve anger by violence is really effective, as the infernal pain distracted me from my fury. This tactic worked quite well. From now on, I can tell you how painful injuries with knifes are. As if to raise my excessively good mood further, the Master also told me that this was only the beginning, so no relevant injuries and pain yet. After convincing himself that my injuries and wounds had always been healed until the next training, as if by magic, he had lost all reserve or even care in his teaching style. He raised his eyebrows every time in wonderment, but he never asked, simply accepted, and since I had now signed the declaration of renouncement and released him of every responsibility, he seemed reassured!

Before I forget, I had enclosed, in true Malfoy-fashion, a small but important money gift for his silence. It is amazing how money could make people develop selective muteness, but should be fine for me. I now healed these injuries rather sloppy, as time ran out and returned a bit bled out, oh how was I ironically inclined today, back to Grimmauld Place. When I entered and wanted to go to the kitchen, I found it locked, so I knocked and was allowed to enter. What was revealed to my eyes was probably an internal order meeting.

Well, every single member stared at me questioningly. When I saw Dumbledore at the head of the table, my expression darkened due to skepticism. I knew why this meeting was taking place tonight. He informed the members about his failure, did he view that my way?

"Hi, I'm disturbing, sorry!" I looked attentively. There was evidently a certain unrest among the members. Apparently he had already begun to inform about the events that I already knew about. In this respect Rita seemed really quick, I praised myself. I had to prevent myself from displaying a nasty, almost mocking grin in realization, as my eyes glided to Sirius and he looked very anxious and unhappy. He was worried about Harry and wanted to have him at his side where for which he would have my full support, but then Dumbledore, in his senile way, prohibited it as the Dursleys were so much safer. Ha, don't make me laugh, my cynicism took over again. Relax, don't get upset, I calmed myself down in thought, because it wouldn't help Harry. But I, too, would worry Sirius if he knew what I looked like under my clothes. He would lose it in his present condition. Just as he was sitting there, he was trying hard to curb his temper, but he didn't really succeed. He actually looked more sour and pissed off from second to second, I wouldn't be surprised if smoke came out of his ears soon.

That's why my scrutinizing look moved on to Snape, who was sitting in his usual seat. In the shortness of time, I gave Snape an intense, penetrating look, saying, "Meet me in the library as soon as possible, please, but best immediately!" At least I hoped that he knew and understood this, at least he frowned indignantly at my demanding manner.

"Hermione, dear, it's just inconvenient, but there's a surprise for you. Harry is here, go to Ron!" Mrs. Weasley tried to get rid of me. With a brief nod I quickly closed the door. I forgot my wounds for a second about this amazing news and sprinted up the stairs. The daily running had to be good for something. Harry, they had finally taken him away from the Dursleys and after what I had learned today, I couldn't get up quickly enough. Harry was here! I already opened the door to the bedroom and there he was, in the middle of the room. In one piece and healthy, with his black, very tangled hair that stood up in all directions, the intense, green eyes behind the round nickel glasses, and much too small and thin, the image touched my heart.

With a delighted "Harry!" I flung my arms around his neck.

"Hermione, how great to see you." Harry positively beamed and returned my embrace fiercely. Ouch, that hurt, don't let it show. I distanced myself from the embrace beaming as well.

"How are you, what happened?" I started pestering.

"Geez Hermione, let him breathe," Ron scolded from his place on his bed.

"No, it's all right, Ron ... I've only been here for five or ten minutes and, to tell you right away, I've done magic. I conjured a Patronus, when Big D and I were attacked by two Dementors. In the late afternoon, in the middle of Little Whinging. It was pretty close!" Harry chattered excitedly. Ron sat with his mouth open and stared at Harry, speechless, but almost awed. I knew almost everything, only the details were unknown to me, Dementors after all, now I had the confirmation, but what were these creatures doing in a Muggle area? Supposedly they were under the supervision of the ministry. Supposedly, mind you!

I have not believed what I get told in a long time. In my opinion, there were two possibilities: First, the Ministry had sent them, which I hoped wasn't the case, or second, he had already made an agreement with the Dementors, and they were listening to his orders, which I didn't hope either. Both possibilities were worrying and left me concerned and frightened. How would it all develop? Nobody could be trusted. This was truly not a good time. Mistrust from all sides. I hoped Harry had also tried to look a bit behind the scenes, but as I saw him standing here, looking lost and simply glad to be here, I doubted that he was questioning the exact circumstances.

"I ... wonder what ... Dementors were doing there?" a pale Ron stuttered anxiously, for what I couldn't blame him.

"When I think about it ... nothing ... but I can imagine he's on good terms with the Dementors, or what do you think?" I asked in the round and expressed my speculations.

"I think you're right, because I can't think of anything else since the incident, but the worst is still coming, as I have once again used magic, I now have the ministry on my back. Can you believe that? I just saved our lives, if I wouldn't have in the last moment ... well, you know ..." Harry said uncomfortably, pacing up and down the room. "They'd almost sucked out Dudley!" he exclaimed agitated, his eyes sparkling. Desperately, he ruffled his hair. Oh, I felt so incredibly sorry for him, hadn't enough already happened in the last few months, or even years?

But no, Fudge also had to make life difficult for him and make him look like a fool publicly. Oh yes, he was far up on my list. And you only had to ask Rita, everyone should think twice about making me angry, for I never forgot my anger and the resulting revenge, even if it needed time. But I had time, I refuse to be rushed and in the end Fudge would be mine! Oh, for what he pulled here and did to Harry, he would pay in one way or another, but he would pay, that was out of question for me!

"It'll be okay, Harry. I firmly believe that, and Professor Dumbledore will help you!" I said trying to lift his moral, as his confidence in Dumbledore was unshaken so far. I was rewarded with a reserved smile.

"Thanks Hermione, but something else, where are we here, what are you doing here?" Harry asked curiously, ending the unpleasant topic.

"Well, this is the house of your godfather and it is at the same time the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. The Weasleys try to make it habitable again, since it has been empty for a long time," I told him. Harry opened his mouth to interrupt me, but I didn't let him speak. "... and I've been here for two weeks, since Mum and Dad travelled to southern France and I didn't want to go with them, but I couldn't stay home alone, that's why they brought me here."

"Um, wow, come again, please. One step at a time." Harry requested.

"Then, Ron will explain you everything without hurry, because I have to go get something right now. We'll see each other for dinner," I quickly turned around and in that moment a loud crack sounded, as Fred and George had apparated directly inside the room and now greeted Harry with a loud "Hello". I grimaced, the two would have to work on that, and I didn't like it when it was so loud, the surprise effect was always lost. "One can hear you guys through the whole house!", I therefore declared, reprehensively.

Harry tried to free himself. "But, Hermione ..." he shouted when I was already out of the room. "Eh, buddy, let her be, she's lately been ..." I couldn't hear more, as I was already descending the stairs. I had a reason why I had left so quickly.

My wounds had reopened and I could feel myself bleeding slightly again. I had to leave right away so that no one saw it. I had to go to the library to take care of myself and hope that Snape understood my allusion and would come. Hopefully he didn't wait, because that would mean trouble. But my repertoire of healing spells wasn't satisfactory yet - if anyone could do it, no one would need an education in St. Mungo's. I did well, but I wasn't perfect. If the professor came, I wouldn't have to worry that Sirius would come, since he had never dared to come to me before eleven o'clock. He knew I wouldn't appreciate it.

I didn't want Sirius to see the cuts, because I could do without the howling, and I worried a bit less with Snape there since he wouldn't make a big drama out of it. Obvious glances, yes. Cold, angry glances too, yes, but I could live with it, if not better. Oh, I had underestimated him, he was faster than I expected. In the middle of the room stood an impressive man, in a wide flowing, black robe, who glared at me out of dark obsidian eyes under his chin-long, black hair. Of course he had understood my gaze and correctly reasoned that I needed him. He raised an eyebrow suspiciously as I silently closed the door. I guessed that, like me, our last encounter came to his mind, a thoroughly disturbing thought since we were all alone now. But if he thought I was going to be red or be ashamed under his staring gaze, my dear Snape would soon experience an unpleasant surprise for him.

"You're letting me wait, Miss Granger? Or did I just imagine your request before?" It came out as usual, snarling and disapproving. While he stood proudly in front of me, he occupied the whole room with his dark aura.

"No, no, professor, I have to apologize, but I had to greet Harry and no, you have everything combined correctly as usual. I am very grateful for that!" I gave him a justification and moved to the armchair. "Because I urgently need... your... help," I stammered, having a hard time pronouncing it. But let's go the whole hog, because I knew that the professor didn't appreciate long-winded explanations, I took off the green, now stained shirt over my head while walking.

"Miss Granger!" he hissed, and his eyes flashed dangerously. "What's going on in your non-existent brain, that you... I'm missing the word ... Oh, you crazy woman... lean on the back of the couch!" he ordered coldly, then came to me with a firm step, looking at me really angrily, as I stood there in front of him in my beige bra, bleeding. "You should know how this goes," he said maliciously with a sadistic smile on his face. Haha, professor, we all need some fun. I smiled at him coldly, and as he had commanded me, I laid both hands on the back of the couch. Then I stood there quietly, enduring his mocking comments about me, trying to stand above my pain, which wasn't really that bad, it was just annoying that it bled steadily.

"What do you think you're doing, Miss Granger? They're cuts, some of them deep, what do you think will happen... when Black sees this?" Snape grumbled to himself as he used alarmingly experienced cleansing and healing spells on me. I had trouble stifling a moan and bit into my cheek, because I wouldn't give Snape the satisfaction of making me scream and moan. I didn't have to satisfy this sadist. That sounds suggestive now, right?

When he wanted to get to a cut on my stomach, he ordered furiously, "Turn around and lean against the couch." I gave up, turned around and pressed my butt to the piece of furniture, while the professor went down on his knees in front of me, and I could look at his black head as he was now looking at my wound. I stared disbelievingly at Snape's parted hair. That he would take such a posture to heal me was unbelievable, but now I felt that something tightened inside me, not just because of the pain.

That was the moment when I could no longer suppress a deep groan, since it was painful when he healed the wound. "Hhhhhhhhhhh." This caused the professor to lasciviously lift his head and look up to my face, since I had lowered mine to his. Our eyes locked with each other, as a slightly lopsided grin appeared on his face. His eyes were like deep, unreadable pools and my heart beat faster, due to the unusual situation. He broke the connection, slowly lowering his gaze back to my stomach, and began to apply a healing ointment extremely sensitively with his hands, so I almost groaned again, but I bit my cheek as hard as I could. I wouldn't really give him that satisfaction, for he seemed to enjoy this, as much time as he took for himself. So think of something else, just not how his hands are very gently wandering and stroking over my body. Harry would never know this, and Sirius, I think he'd be more upset about my injuries than about Snape, at least I hoped that.

"Turn around again," he whispered from below, and I immediately followed his order. He carefully covered the last two bruises with the ointment.

"So, finished!" he announced, sliding back. I instantly turned around and looked directly at him, a little breathless.

"Thank you, professor, sir!" I whispered roughly, still standing unclothed in front of him as he looked at my body disdainfully, and I felt quite naked under this piercing gaze.

"Miss Granger, again, what was that supposed to be? This is dangerous, because these injuries weren't nothing," he said coldly, disapprovingly. His voice sounded hard as steel.

"Yeah, well, sir, I've started the weapon training with my daggers, and that's just the result ... and I had it so far that I would certainly not have bled to death, as I had already used a few spells ... and I took potions," I told him proudly.

"Why didn't you want Black to be with you, ... you're sharing everything else with him?" he said, venomous, his eyes almost burning into my skin as he insinuated me being in a relationship with Sirius. How did he know that? How, where, oh, damn, that was clearly an indication that he knew or suspected that there was more between Sirius and me. My thoughts were racing, just stay cool, Hermione, surprise him, I advised myself and blinked at him.

"Very funny, sir, you know what hell Sirius would've raised, if he had seen the cuts, he would have competed with Molly. I prefer you, professor," I replied calmly, and as a cherry on top, I purred like a kitten. Ha, the good man apparently hadn't expected this, because his face, as usual, didn't show anything, but he needed two seconds to reply.

"True words, Miss Granger. I'm just wondering all the time when you've become like this, you're presenting me a riddle. If you have to pursue such an activity, take better care of yourself, do we understand each other, Miss Granger? "

"Yes, professor, thank you again," I replied perceptively and dutyfully. He turned away. "Would you like to join me, sir?" I asked impudently. He gave me an icy look over his shoulder. "I think you should go to dinner. Good evening," he said curtly.

"Just a moment, sir!" I once again drew my wand and called with an accio for the documents I promised him from my bag. After all, I didn't know where I was going to see him the next time, so I always had it ready to go, because I didn't want to be told that I wouldn't stick to my agreements.

"Here, the documents for the spell, sir!" I held out the empty parchment to him. "There is an Aparecium on it." This spell made the writing on the paper invisible. He took the paper and put it quickly into his coat, piercing me with his gaze, so that it gave me the chills. Man, he had really practiced, this one look expressed so much disapproval. After all, I stood still quite naked in front of him. How would it be when the lessons started again, I dared to ask timidly. When he was gone, I bent down to my shirt and cleaned it first of blood, which you could see by now. Snape was good at what he was doing, only a pity that he could never be lured out of his reserve. The professor was once again right, I was the last one to arrive for dinner, as the meeting had apparently passed quickly, which again brought me the undivided attention of everyone.

"There you are, didn't you just want to get something for a minute?" Harry asked, sitting in the seat where Snape usually sits. I settled down on my seat opposite Harry, next to Sirius.

"I did, I've just been reading for a second," I replied apologetically, but realized that Sirius didn't believe me. He would certainly ask later, because he knew me well by now and Snape's departure certainly hadn't been hidden from him. It became a convivial round, Harry felt visibly at ease and enjoyed being back with his godfather. Slowly it became later and I really found no way to skive off and so it happened that we all went to bed at midnight.

Sirius whispered to me, "Come to my room as soon as you can." I nodded, confirming. At this moment, I was very glad that Snape had helped me earlier to look after my wounds, because once again the wounds had disappeared as if by magic, only red lines had stayed behind and the question arose, what pain? I could see that Dung had also stayed for dinner. The Twins kept up close to him, but I could also see Harry picking up the transaction of the forbidden ingredients, which unfortunately was due to an unfortunate circumstance as everything happened on the rise. So I got up quickly and bent down behind Fred's sitting back, pretending to tie my shoe.

"Harry saw it!" I whispered to his back.

"What ... shit ... I'll take care of it," he said quietly, without turning to me. One had to give them their due, they always responded incredibly fast and were quick. So I could see the two on their way out, taking Harry amicably in their midst and telling him something to dispel the doubts I had recognized in Harry's eyes. Ginny was asleep quickly- thanks to the excitement that Harry was finally here, something she had fervently longed for - and with my quieting spells she should be able to sleep undisturbed. So I quickly created a magically accurate copy of me with the Geminio and sneaked to Sirius. He was already expecting me in his bed. I slipped under the covers. I knew he wanted to talk, but from my day with Rita, Sensei and now Snape too I couldn't and I wouldn't tell him anything. But I also knew how to deter him, and I crawled down and didn't let him stop me. Apparently this day had knackered Sirius too.

After my intensive treatment and a quick ride, he was soon asleep, which made me laugh almost mockingly. As it was quite late already, I quickly disappeared back to Ginny.

Yes, you could avoid a conversation like this too.


	25. Harry, the Twins and the Wait

Hi Ho,

Now I do apologize for the late update, I was away for a week and now I'm ill, lol.

I do thank for all the new followers and reads.  
Enjoy!

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Harry, the Twins and the Wait

The next morning was relatively cheerful, as Sirius surprised me quite a bit, when he was waiting for me in his dog animagus form at the house entrance. I was astonished about the big black dog with his expressive, human-looking eyes.

"Do you want to accompany me? Since when do you know that I'm awake this early? Oh, don't say anything, I know, you've been watching me. Bad dog!" I felt as if I were talking to myself, while I stroked the shaggy fur of the dog. I must say, it cheered me up immensely, because the thought of someone spying on me was too funny.

"Well then, come. Let's go," I lured him cheerfully and got a low growl that made me giggle.

I wanted to see how good his stamina was and whether he could compete with me during my rounds in the park. Let me say, it was funny to see the long, big, pink tongue sticking out of his mouth, and he was panting, trying not to give up. One had to grant him that, he'd been a prisoner in this house for almost a year, without being able to get out, which had to have a lasting effect. Not to mention the twelve years in Azkaban, in a cell that offered even less movement than his current imprisonment. Eventually, he laid deathlike in the grass, which made me laugh out loud.

I managed to wear him out and not just through last night with our bed sport. Did he enjoy that? I guess not, I'm sure I'll be hearing something when we're back. Likewise for the conversation I avoided yesterday. I assumed that his morning appearance meant the conversation would still be held. Well, we would see.

"Come on, you lame doggy..." I scoffed, which got me an astonishingly distempered look from the dog's brown eyes. As we walked up the stairwell of Black House, I said goodbye in front of my room.

"Tomorrow again, dear Sirius. A little practice and you'll be better than me with your four paws," I teased the dog with a giggle, who flattened his ears in response, and vanished in the room to prepare for the day. The rest of the day went as usual, except that Harry involved me in a conversation. He came bravely to the library, which was shunned by Ginny and Ron as a great danger.

"Harry, nice to see you. Do you want to join me? This is extremely exciting," I offered kindly, and I meant it seriously, but his face told me that he saw it a bit differently than me. Yet he came to me with a smile on his face.

"I'm here to talk to you. What's going on? Since last night I've been here and I've only seen you like in fast-forward... What are you doing all the time? You weren't even at lunch, and when I ask the others, they tell me it's like this all the time... why, Hermione?" He looked at me with big innocent eyes and sat down on the chair.

"Oh Harry, don't exaggerate. Yeah, I know I haven't lived up to Ron's and Ginny's expectations since I've been in Black House, but I don't mean to be rude. See... I don't care about tidying up the artifacts and cleaning up. Look around you," My eyes gleamed as I glanced around the room and underlined it with an all-embracing gesture. "This is really special for me. Honestly, why should I kneel on all fours and clean, just because those two have to? Not really, Harry!" The words came out as slightly astringent from me. Don't even get me started about it.

"Calm down, Hermione, please!" Harry laid his hand on my shoulder. "It wasn't meant like that. They just don't understand that you isolate yourself so much from them. They also said that you have only spent an evening with them so far. Is it true that you're dancing? I mean, for real. They said you leave the house every afternoon."

Oh man, didn't I always say that with friends like this, you don't need enemies anymore! I mean, _hello,_ did they want an exact schedule of when, how and where I went to the toilet? I took a deep breath so that I wouldn't burst.

"Harry, do you want to know all this, or do they?" I still felt angry, but he just looked calmly at me. If he wanted, Harry was really good at dealing with people. "...to answer your questions: Yes, I dance as a distraction. I didn't want to remind you, but I find it shocking that Cedric is dead and I'll tell you one thing: it distracts me, yes, from the fact that he's back. Can you understand that?" I asked fervently. Harry stared at me as if I had slapped him, which I had probably done. Sorry, Harry, I didn't want to, but you left me no choice. For fuck's sake, I couldn't deal with any more stupid questions and I only escaped this by skillfully breeding guilt. I could be such a bitch. I almost despised myself when Harry looked very, very sad and then turned his eyes away.

"Harry, don't! Don't look like that, you can't help it. You just wanted to know why I do all this, but that shouldn't make you sad," I comforted him and put my arms around his hips.

"Oh Hermione, I didn't want that, I'm so sorry. I should have remembered that not only I… ! That was so selfish of me! But I thought that you all didn't know him well - me neither, as there wasn't enough time for that!" he whispered, trying to stop his tears. I thought if only Harry knew what Cedric really had been for me some time ago, then he would be very surprised.

"Shh, Harry, don't say that. Nothing's your fault, really, but I just wanted to enjoy a little distance, enjoy the holidays. Why can't anyone understand?" I explained gently and calmly, but in the end sounding a little annoyed.

"Oh, Hermione, I understand you, really. How could I just think that only I... but you must understand Ron, in such things like feelings he isn't really... but I can understand you. Also, Cedric's death is still new. I also know that his death isn't really my fault, but deep inside, I still have some self-doubt. Why is he dead and not me?" he declared brokenly, faltering, seeming unhappy.

"Oh, please don't believe that! This is fate, you can do nothing. Build yourself up on the fact that Cedric won't have died for nothing. One day you will get your revenge on Pettigrew, believe me, please. And for Ron: that's because he has the emotional range of a teaspoon," I said seriously and bitterly. I stroked his back with one hand and still held him tightly.

"But you and I, we understand each other, don't we?"

"Yes, Hermione, always. Just take care of yourself when you're out there!" Harry asked timidly, squeezing me even more firmly as he thought of the Dementors who had been waiting for him while he smiled at me shyly.

"Don't worry, Harry! I'm not interesting enough, I don't think anyone is waiting for me, I'm not important enough!" I summed up his unspoken fears as he took a deep breath. I straightened myself now and let Harry out of my embrace. "You help the others with the cleaning?" I asked him trying to distract, perhaps hoping a bit, he would stay here and join me, but he nodded affirmatively.

"Are you nervous about the trial tomorrow? Is Fudge at odds with you and Dumbledore?" I asked apprehensively, keeping Harry in direct view, trying to see his reaction.

"Yeah, a little, but I trust Dumbledore and let myself be surprised and Fudge is an idiot!" Harry replied sharply and seemed really confident.

"You're right. I have briefly researched here. You performed magic in self-defense against a deadly threat, that's why they can't get you. If it would come to complications and Dumbledore can't get you out of this as hoped, I would have a proposal, but first answer me a question," I requested and looked attentively in his face, a look which he ingenuously reciprocated. "What is the last spell you did with your wand?"

"The Patronus! Why? I only summoned my stag once, and nothing else," he replied, slightly irritated but without hesitation. I released the breath I had held, for that was good, very good.

"This is fantastic Harry. I don't know how Dumbledore plans your defense, but if all else fails, tell them to perform a Prior Incantato on your wand. This is a spell to make the last spoken spell visible from your wand, and as you say, that would be the Patronus, and what reasons would you have had to use it if not to protect your life, both your lifes?" I explained busily.

"Whaaaat ... What ...?" he exclaimed surprised. Harry stared at me with his mouth open and stuttered, "... you ... you're incredible, how ...?"

"Think, Harry! Look around you, from the books! Since I know what's approaching you, I'm researching!" I said seriously and rolled my eyes.

"But I thought you said the professor was going to fix it," he remarked, tilting his head to the side. He seemed to be perplexed by my confusing thoughts, my habit of making assurances double and triple sure.

"Well, it's better if we have something up our sleeves, right? You should never rely on just one person!" I replied and tilted my head to the side in the same manner, grinning briefly. Since I knew so much about Dumbledore's past from Rita's book, I didn't want to trust the man blindly and naively. Harry nodded, still a little speechless.

"Can you remember the spell, Harry? If not, write it down somewhere!" I advised him, worried that he wasn't careful.

"No, no, I still know, Prior incantato, I can remember that," he repeated dutifully, giving me a reproachful look, as if he were offended that I could consider him to be so dimwitted.

"And one more thing, tell them if they don't believe you, they should invite Big D. As a family member the wizarding world is neither forbidden nor alien to him!" I advised him further.

"That's awesome, Hermione, how you list all these things. Now I don't need to be afraid about tomorrow," he said, quite excited and it seemed as if a burden was lifted from his shoulders.

"Harry calm down, please, these are only the last resorts, should everything fall apart. Don't forget it and don't tell the others!", I tried to make it clear to him that my suggestions were only backup plans.

"Got it. You're the best, Hermione. I'm going to the others, thank you!" He jumped up like a young dog and rushed out of the room. It seemed as if he was bursting with joy that the situation wasn't as bad as thought, causing a smile to spread across my lips. Oh man, to be so young and naive once again. I just felt ancient. What would Harry think of me if he knew what I had done so far. And I didn't run around with blinders, it would get worse, much worse and as I always said I was ready to do a lot, maybe anything? Oh, don't think about it, that couldn't help me now. When it was time, I would take it from there.

Hush, back to work. I still had things to do. Sirius didn't come to distract me from my work. The good, clueless Harry probably kept him busy, but that was alright. They should enjoy their time together.

The evening was a tense matter, because everyone's mind seemed to be somewhere else, focused on Harry or more precisely Harry's trial. This omnipresent nervousness had been transferred to me as well, so the Twins kept me company in Ginny's and my room that night. Ron, Harry and Ginny were in the boys' room and as I've stated before, Harry knew how to entertain the two siblings.

"So how does it look? How was the quality of the ingredients?" I asked the Twins curiously.

"Top-Notch, apparently he didn't dare to pull us over the barrel. Here, we have something for you ... tadaa ... drum roll!" Fred goofed around childishly and pulled out a bag with many colorful sweets. He handed me this bag like it was the Holy Grail, causing me to look at them questioningly.

"This is now the final product, with everything you wanted, and before you ask, we tested it on ourselves last night. I sent Fred into Dreamland and then I tried it on myself. I kept my eyes open for almost five minutes. You'll be satisfied, since Lav and Pav are no longer an obstacle for you," the Red Devils said, grinning wickedly and not without pride. I broke out in loud laughter, the two came up with such mean things against Lavender and Parvati, as one thing was clear, the two girls wouldn't get rid of their nicknames ever again.

"I'm so incredibly proud of you!" I said seriously, after I had got hold of myself again after all that laughter. "Thanks, but what did you tell Harry regarding Dung and will the latter continue to supply you?"

"You are always so incredibly structured. Come to think of it, that is probably the secret of your success," George mused to himself. "But yes, we agreed with him to become our permanent dealer and Harry was very interested in our business idea and equally pleased that he could help us with the money. We explained the deal with Dung by saying that those aren't really "clean" ingredients, but that's only because they are rare. He believed us, dear little one!" Fred grinned broadly, and George nodded approvingly at his brother's explanations.

"Nice that it worked so well," I rose and went to my suitcase. The two of them watched me from Ginny's bed. "I have something here for you, but first I want to tell you that we have an appointment on the 18th, so the day after tomorrow, the day after Harry's hearing. We have to get out of here by 8.30 pm at the latest, so let's think about something. I'll send Ginny to sleep and I will magically copy myself with a Geminio. Can you do that as well? Do you know the spell?" I asked offhandedly, because I had what I'd wanted now in my hand and risen up again.

"Sure we can!" Fred replied irritably. Fred, who was clearly the more daring twin, jumped up from the bed and aimed at my empty bed. He made the movement with his wand with the incantation, and I raised my proverbial hat to him. The Twins and their magical abilities should really never be underestimated, because in front of me was an exact copy of Fred, blissfully slumbering in my bed.

Both sneered. "My respect, not bad," and with a flick, gone was the sleeping Fred.

"Thank you, thank you!", he performed exaggerated bows, which was accompanied by George's applause. "We'll take care of Harry and Ron, don't worry, they'll sleep like babies," Fred added. "Also, there won't be a problem that everyone will retreat early. We are going through the first trial of our new bestsellers in the evening, it will be so cool," the redhead rejoiced, clapping excitedly in his hands, as if he couldn't wait to get started. George grinned mischievously. "Those are the Skiving Snackboxes. You shouldn't drink pumpkin juice, but pretend that you suffer from the symptoms like the others, so we can all retreat quickly," they instructed me foresightfully.

"Perfect. Thank you, that is one problem less, very good," I praised, deeply contented.

I sat down next to George on the bed and patted the space beside me, so Fred would also sit down next to us. "As you know, I want to fulfill a wish for you. We will, as I said, apparate from here. To "Rose Cottage" in Wiltshire, which belongs to me. It is protected with blood protection. I consider to put a Fidelius on it as well. We will arrive at the old oak in front of the house. I want to include you into the protection of the house, as I plan to make something like a base for us, where no one will find us since nobody knows about it," I told the Twins the facts and they listened to me, their eyes growing bigger.

"Erm Hermione, we feel honored and ... but what ... what, you own a house? But isn't it careless to talk about such things here?" George asked flustered.

I smirked, "No, the door is secured with a Colloportus and the room is protected by a Muffliato. I always think ahead. And you should feel honored. I inherited the house from my grandmother and aunt from my father's side." I noticed that I had made both of them speechless, which was extremely rare.

"You, you really own a house ... so cool ...", they spoke in turns: "Wow, how badass is that? But what you always pull out of the hat, absolutely wicked!", I could hear disbelief, but also admiration for me.

"Your wish fit nicely into my concept because firstly I wanted to show you the cottage and secondly it inspired me to think about a means of communication and to invent one with which we can communicate," I explained grinning slyly. Two pairs of eyes beamed at me, filled with awe and anticipation.

"Hermione, we've never met anyone who has as much ingenuity as you, well except our own humble selves, admirable!" They bounced more on the bed than they were sitting. "Have we already told you that we love you?", they grinned mischievously.

"No, but I thought so. I love you too, Red Devils and you know that I can't compete with your genius and unusual ideas. But back on the subject, here, they're for you, I made them in the last few days!", I stretched out my hands, a golden galleon in each one. Both looked at the money in their hands perplexed and turned the pieces of gold around curiously.

"Wow, a galleon, thanks Hermione, but how do we communicate with it?" George said.

I giggled happily. "I think I figured out something ingenious, but it took me a while to get this idea. So, it works like this: When we want to send a message, we just need to change the digits and numbers, which show what time and place we want to meet at. RC is short for "Rose Cottage", or H for somewhere at Hogwarts, or SS short for the Shrieking Shack! Very easy. We'll notice it, as the gold coins become hot. I've used a Protean charm on the Galleons, a very difficult spell, especially since I've got the idea from the Dark Mark. It works almost the same way, but I don't have to tattoo you," I said ponderously, a bit proud of myself. Yes, I was really proud of the fake galleons, so I was bursting with happiness. The Twins looked between themselves, me and the gold back and forth, only to gaze at me again before they started.

"That ... Wow ... the Proteus ... aharrr ... You're soo ... I don't have any words ... from the Dark Mark ... are we mental ... ", they were losing it, their voices increasing to a loud shriek.

"Calm down, please. I'm blushing!" I looked ashamed to the side and waved their excitement away with a lapidary hand gesture.

"You can't blush anymore, but you should go as red as a beetroot about this lie and look, you don't. I have to agree with Sirius, you're the smartest witch I ever knew, I ... no, we're adoring you!" Fred said enthusiastically, broadly grinning, while George nodded again approvingly and grinned devilishly as well.

"Ahrr, alright. We'll knock out the whole house here tomorrow and you'll have your fun from nine o'clock. Now my condition: you contact me over the coins when you're done, because I plan to do something then and I'll bring her back afterwards, is that okay?" I asked.

"Sure, I'm so happy ... it'll be fun!" Fred spluttered excitedly. George tilted his head, thinking, "I'm already excited, and we will do everything the way you want. I just got an idea. Wouldn't it be better if we three were to carry our coins with us every time, then we would always know when one of us changed something ... mhm ... I suggest we make a hole somewhere and carry it like a pendant around the neck, like a talisman, then nobody will ask stupid questions."

"My brother," Fred exclaimed dramatically, as he leaned over and planted a smacking kiss on the mouth of the other redhead. "Good idea!"

I nodded and took my coin out of my suitcase. "Really good idea, George," I praised, then I focused my wand on the coin. "Aboredefodio", a spell that pierced a hole in the galleon, which worked wonderfully. Another little charm, and I had three thin, black silk ribbons in my hand, threaded mine, and wanted to hang it around my neck when Fred stopped me.

"You allow me?" He took the ribbon out of my hand, brushed my hair out of my neck and now put on my talisman.

"Looks great on you," said George, as Fred breathed a small kiss on my shoulder. We three smiled conspiratorially at each other. A short time later, the two wore their coins around their necks, and were joking about how good they looked with the jewelery, typically Twins.

"But before we say good night today, you're a bad girl, simply imitating the Dark Mark, to come up with it in the first place. Sometimes, but only sometimes one could get really scared of you. Just as well that you are our best friend," George said seriously and Fred nodded excitedly.

"I am going to take it as a compliment and now off with you. I have to go over to get Ginny, because it can't get too late for Harry, after all, there's a lot going on tomorrow!" The jesters agreed and accompanied me to get the others to bed.


	26. Wizengamot and a Hot Night

A new chapter today! Wuheyy!

I must warn you though, as the next chapter will have quite a looot of content especially Snanger Fan's can be excited about, it'll take a bit longer till we can upload again, but it's definitely worth it. And this story will be finished, even when I'd die there would be someone else to translate it. ^^

Warning: There are some cut scenes. Always happy to lead you to the dirty version.

Enjoy! xx

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Wizengamot and a hot night

I woke up and felt the immediate nervousness and anxiety. I didn't want to know how Harry was feeling, but as I said, we had to go through it, a new day started. A big dog was waiting for me at the entrance again. Apparently, yesterday's disgrace still nibbled at his pride. I greeted him lovingly, petted him, and off we went. Later in the kitchen a tangible tension was present. Everybody had gathered at a very early time, when Mr. Weasley was standing up already.

"So, Harry, we should hurry, so that we'll not arrive late, that wouldn't be good, not good at all." Harry stood up as well, as did the rest of us. He wore a black suit jacket and Mrs. Weasley quickly tried to straighten his hair, which was a waste of time, but she had to try.

"Harry, it's going to be alright," Sirius patted him cheerfully, and Ron did the same.

"All the best, my dear," the Weasley women said anxiously.

"Gosh Harry, don't let the nitpickers push you around, you will best them!" The twins crossed their fingers.

"Fred, George, how dare you, such words ..." their mother shrieked in disgust, causing everyone to roll their eyes, but at least the charged atmosphere calmed down. I abruptly ran down the hall and hugged him impetuously. "You remember what we discussed yesterday, the spell?" I asked nervously.

"Sure, I'm not totally stupid yet! Please trust me for once, Prior Incantato! Satisfied, Hermione? See you later!" And breathed a tender kiss on my forehead, which was observed intently by the rest of the assembled team standing in the kitchen doorway, and caused Ginny to rush up the stairs angrily. Harry, however, didn't notice as he sped after Arthur, who was urging him to hurry. I then quickly disappeared into the library and dug myself and my restlessness behind a good book. However, it didn't work. I couldn't concentrate, which was rare enough. I knew what I had to do to irritate Fudge a little bit.

I quickly reached for parchment and quill and wrote a short letter briefing Rita that she was about to publish an article that informed about how Harry had been attacked in a Muggle area by two Dementors. That he had saved his and his cousin's life, that this was confirmed by a source close to Harry's from his personal environment. Furthermore, she was to represent the Ministry and Fudge as the idiots they were, in a roundabout way, as the question arose, what did Dementors look for outside Azkaban, and to whom did they listen?

If not to the Ministry, to whom then? And as to the Ministry, why had it commanded an attack on a 15-year-old wizard? Yes, I could play such games like that very well.

I was curious to see how the Minister would react to such an article! Why Dumbledore didn't use such sneaky methods escaped my intelligence. Oh yes, that was good and Rita would be happy to hit two birds with one stone, because in a business relationship that should work, one shouldn't only take, but also give. I got up quickly and went to the boys' room, where I found Hedwig and Pig as expected.

"Who of you two has the desire to deliver a letter?" Pig flew around excitedly, like a tennis ball gone wild, but Hedwig sailed elegantly landing on the bed, and I tied the message to her leg immediately. "This goes to Miss Rita Skeeter and only to her, thank you Hedwig," I whispered trustingly and opened the window consequently dismissing the elegant snow owl. I looked at the clock in the room, goddammit, if Harry didn't come back soon, I would miss them and I could hardly suppress my curiosity. Thus for the first time today I appeared inside the kitchen, to say good-bye and tell them that I was out of the house. When I turned to leave, I heard the door reopen, and George stepped up beside me and followed me to the front door.

"I thought about something, if the whole thing shouldn't turn out to Harry's favor, we'll activate the coin. It gets hot and you'll know, and should everything be all right, of which I am firmly convinced, the coin remains normal. What do you think about it?" he whispered in my ear.

"Thanks, you know me well, thank you! Yes, that would help, I'm much calmer now," I said really gratefully and hugged him in parting. This way I was able to go to my workout relatively relieved, after all, you should have your thoughts together when you fought with weapons, concentrating on the present, otherwise it could backfire badly.

When I stormed back into Grimmauld Place at eight o'clock, I guessed that everything had gone well, since I had received no news from the Twins. And so I swiftly swept into the kitchen, where a jolly, cheerful mood dominated. Immediately I rushed towards Harry and cuddled him thoroughly.

"Everything is well, right?" I wanted the confirmation.

"Yes, Hermione, yes, thank God!" Then he retold the course of the trial. At some point or another, I had to snort, because Dumbledore's relatively harmless and helpless attempts in his defense astonished me. So he told me that Mrs. Figg had been named as a witness by the professor, and had told them about the Dementors, but had been bullied by a nasty little round woman at the Gamot who said that Mrs. Figg was talking nonsense. At that point he could no longer control himself, had jumped up, and had loudly declared that it absolutely had been Dementors, and that the Patronus was the spell which he had used to save and protect himself.

Hereupon, the old toad, Harry's original words, had dismissed his remarks with disparaging laughter because a young child couldn't do such a thing. She had mocked him that such a spell would be too difficult, and Harry had snootily offered them, firstly, to test his wand with the Prior Incantato so they could see that this was the last spell he used, and secondly, that he was ready to perform the Patronus on the spot.

Oh, I was so proud of him, but what would he have done without my instructions and what had old Dumbledore done? I started rattle off my mantra again during the report, that I should be calm and indifferent. It was, as Harry thought, a very close call, and he also talked about the strange behavior of the professor, who had neither looked him in the face nor spoken to him, and had immediately left after the trial, without paying attention to Harry. Everything was strange, very strange. Also, Dumbledore had said nothing to Harry's proposals and his defense, but had only waited. Then Percy Weasley had been asked to perform the Prior Incantato, which, as expected, had caused the stag to appear, whereupon the Gamot's decision had fallen quickly and in Harry's favor. Because of the Patronus, most of the members of the assembly had believed in Harry's innocence, but heaven knows, he couldn't thank Dumbledore's miserable defense for this final decision. This, however, was crystal clear to me and also to the doubting Harry who no longer understood the world, but was too blissful about the trial he had mastered to think about it too much.

Gosh, I was once again mad at the headmaster. Since I knew something more about him, I found it hard to stay in control of my emotions - I had never expected it would be so difficult for me to keep my countenance. But I left Harry to his positive thoughts of victory, simply glad for him to have left this unattractive and dangerous story behind him. Therefore everyone had a great time at the party, and we also got butterbeer, which left us in a good mood. Sirius darted unambiguous glances at me time and again, since we hadn't met last night and the feverish glimmer in his eyes assured me that he intended to let this celebration end in a certain way. So I got up once I'd had enough of the social gathering and retreated to organize my thoughts and wait for Sirius. A few minutes later, I was among my books and continued to study. Almost an hour later, an incoming Sirius broke my concentration. Smiling, I looked up.

"You're late," I said succinctly.

"Professor Dumbledore and Snape came and talked to us about today, you see. Sorry," he smiled apologetically with his own, mischievous charm. I shrugged, as I didn't want to think of Dumbledore, stood up without a word, and walked towards him. He had stopped in the middle of the room. I crept more than walked around the dark green leather couch, leaning against the back of it, and beckoned to him with a lascivious crook of my finger.

"Always willing to repeat, dear." He cheerfully patted my butt. "I wasn't too rough?" he asked, still struggling for breath.

"Eh, you're impossible! No, not at all! I loved it," I laughed contentedly as I raised myself. We dressed again and used the cleaning spells. He pulled me towards him and kissed me.

"Can I know now what you have done and why you were so creatively trying to avoid telling me?" he asked as soon as we interrupted the kiss.

"Do you really want to know? You know, so far, you didn't really like my truths," I said, resting my hands on his beautiful, masculine chest, which was scantily covered by his half-closed shirt.

"I can bear it, I promise," he said seriously, looking deeply into my eyes.

"Sent them to sleep the other night," I said succinctly, shrugging defensively.

"You did what? How am I supposed to take that?" he echoed, horrified.

"As I said, they wouldn't let me go, and I still had a bit to study, not just you, and thus I've helped a bit, so they would have nice dreams," I grinned at him, stroking a curly strand behind my ear

"Did I just understand that correctly? You drugged your friends so they wouldn't bother you?" he asked, shocked and wide-eyed.

"See, I told you, you won't like it. I can reassure you it's nothing dire, just a light sleep amplifier, but you know how annoying they can be with their questions. And we both, you and I, could do without too many questions, or do you see that differently, my dear Casanova?" I asked very sweetly and pulled away from his hands, then looked at him sternly.

"I ... I ... no, you're right, but if you deal with your friends like this, I don't want to be your enemy ... but honestly, do you think, that's alright ... well. Did you do that to Harry?" Sirius asked uncertainly, looking at me doubtfully.

"No, of course it's not right. I don't cherish any illusions, it's wrong, but it's the simplest way for me and thus I justify it for myself. Don't worry too much, let that be my concern, because I have to live with it, and no, I haven't done that to Harry yet," I explained, but kept it as a secret, that Harry would be sent to sleep tomorrow, but not from me directly.

"You mean, you can deal with it, and what do you mean, not yet?" he inquired skeptically, but I interrupted him by pointing at him and then at me.

"Please, Sirius, we are doing quite different things that they wouldn't understand, and before I listen to their screech, I'd better sent them to sleep. But it's not at all about our fucking, because I want to work here in the library and they don't understand that and disturb me," I explained resolutely and my face showed a motionless mask. Sirius ran his left hand through his shoulder-length hair and sighed theatrically.

"I just don't want you to get hurt," he explained, then grimaced.

"From whom? From you? Or what do you mean?" I said slightly perplexed, settled down on the couch and reached for the glass of water.

"Yes, not just from me. I've never had a lucky hand in anything like this, but I neither want you to have too many secrets and lose your friends," Sirius said gravely, sitting down in an armchair, his legs crossed.

"You're sweet, but as I told you on our first time, I don't have a crush on you or love you, believe me. I like you very much, just like you like me. You weren't my first partner and when he and I separated or my other relationship, no hearts were broken and that on both sides. When you need to hear it I say it brutally honestly ... it was only sex, no more, but believe me, everyone was satisfied!" I explained very sparingly and with hard words.

"But Hermione ... how, you're too young ... how is that ... even with me in my school days, it wasn't like this ... the girls always wanted more ... love ... tears ... kisses ... you understand!" he stammered stupidly and very confused.

"Yes, Sirius, I understand, but I'm not like these girls. No love, no tears, no heartache, I promise!" I said quite heartless, leaving behind a rather dumbfounded Sirius.

"And your other question, the one with the secrets, there are too many, and that's the end of the story," I said. "I'm going to bed now and I hope our dates will continue. I don't want to quit what we have here, because it is very ... satisfying," I gave him a malicious grin and ended the conversation, stood up and left a disapproving Sirius behind.

As I closed the door behind me, I suddenly felt the black shadows of the corridor watching me and therefore examined my surroundings very carefully and suspiciously . Ah, now I knew who was watching me out of the darkness and a sly smile spread across my face. Had he seen us? Did he watch us? A truly unusual thought, one that I'd need to get used to, but why not. Hopefully, I could help him with good material for his dreams. I had already climbed the first stairs to the second floor, when I turned around slightly and looked over my shoulder back into the depths of the hall.

"I wish you a very nice evening, Professor Snape!" I greeted him cheekily, and then went on, undeterred. "I hope you liked the performance!" Without waiting for a reaction, I disappeared upstairs and went to bed.

End of Hermiones POV

Snapes POV

Albus had apparated with me to Grimmauld Place late at night, since he still had to discuss some matters concerning the Order of the Phoenix. As always, I kept myself in the background, sat, listened, and watched the enervating and eternally unchanging bustle. It was interesting that Black was starting to get restless at 11 pm, and he had had strangely very little to say today. Even though this day his dearly beloved godson had been in court, and had scarcely escaped a punishment, he hardly took part in the discussion, which was not at all like him, for he usually had nonsensical and useless comments for everything, that no human soul wanted to hear.

Half an hour later everything had been said, and the dog, I mean Black, jumped up and said good-bye. I raised an eyebrow questioningly, for what could make the mutt that nervous and restless? I would watch this closer, the typical curiosity that a spy should have, always hidden, but one had to have it and I relented to it gladly, as it dispelled the terrible boredom after this very unproductive session effectively. And thus I sneaked as softly and inconspicuously as possible behind Black. I was sure to spot him in the library. As I approached the door, I felt the spells that Miss Granger had already used the last time at the door, but she hadn't secured them against Black and me, because apparently we were always welcome, I thought cynically. So I smiled as I opened the door soundlessly and froze, because what was offered to me, I never, but absolutely never really expected to see. I, a man who had already seen a lot and was more than trained in assessing a situation and people, after all I depended on that more than once in my life, was almost flabbergasted by the image I had in front of me.

Much to my chagrin I could feel that the sight of the copulating couple didn't leave me cold. Because I was only a man and above all, Granger looked really good. She had become very attractive and very feminine. So I couldn't and didn't want to turn away and satisfied my curiosity, since I didn't know any real morality for something like this. When they were finished and sated and sat down to talk, I listened unseen. The way Granger behaved shocked me utterly, so cold and calculating. How could I've fooled myself this much? Otherwise my instincts never let me down, but with her I seemed to have overlooked quite a bit or hadn't want to see it. What she said about her friends - that she was giving them narcotics - was outrageous. When she started to leave, I merged silently and unseen by the both of them with the darkness of the hallway.

When she wished me a nice evening, unperturbed, she threw me for a loop. She had noticed me, but how she showed that, amazed me very much. At the end she also voiced the suspicion that I had watched the "performance". That she seemed to shrug it off, left me speechless. At first I was just stunned and actually shocked, what a minx this girl was. This experience would continue to concern me. I had just watched a student of mine sleep with a man my age. No, they hadn't slept together, the whole thing was too passionate for this, too rough. Granger's words fit well. I had watched them fuck, which probably shocked and surprised me even more.

A child, a girl, a student like her, should make love with boys her age, but not have fast and hard sex with a man more than twice her age. But it didn't look as if she cared, I concluded from her callous behavior towards Black. As well from the way she had met me in the hallway and had shown me that she knew I had watched her while she was having sex with Black. She didn't seem upset, nor ashamed that she had been observed at all, and especially from me, her professor, no, she had reacted rather cheekily and unabashed, this girl ... no, this woman would keep me occupied, I could feel it. I would never have thought her capable of this unemotional behaviour towards her friends, too. I got a headache, damn.

Now I took care that I arrived at my dungeons. This Granger meant problems, more than ever before, but no one would believe me, in case I would imply something, because, thanks to her admittedly truly brilliant spell, I couldn't talk about anything intimate regarding her. Yes, she also occupied me in this respect. On the evening when I had patched her together, she had given me the documentation of her invented spell without further request. She had once again managed to surprise me. That she was so circumspect to put a spell on the paper which made the script invisible was clever, very clever. But the magic and the elaboration were masterly. I had known for a long time that our Miss-Know-It-All was good, but so good?

Stop now, I wanted to go home to my firewhiskey and didn't want to think about her or what happened here, after all, it wasn't my business anyway. Exactly. And seconds later I was gone, rushed out with flowing robes, but my thoughts remained with a naked Granger.

End of Snape's POV


	27. Love Cottage and Snape

I hope we haven't lost you yet.

We're finally back again with a new and very very long chapter. All Snanger fans will love it. Hehe.

Now, we're looking for Betas, I call them, the "Superstars", who would be able to Beta once a week 2 pages. Most of this chapter has been betad by 2 people and I'm really thankful to them, but it's just getting too much, so we'd be really happy to have some more people on board. Just send me a message. xx

I dedicated this Chapter to Aivy and Sop, my two Betas.

For all you now:

Enjoy! I'll make sure you won't need to wait longer than 2 weeks for next chapter. xx

PS: Cut Chapter, Mature Explicite Scenes have been cut out.

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Love Cottage and Snape

Throughout the day I felt a certain anticipation towards the evening. I hoped Fred and George would like it. And yesterday's passionate meeting with Sirius was another reason for my good mood. Today I still felt slightly sore and bruised, which gave me a wonderfully satisfied feeling.

To the culmination of this morning, a really delightful and amusing article from Rita had appeared in the Daily Prophet, which in overall contained what I had wished for: a critical description of the facts! Fudge would fume after yesterday's humiliation in the Gamot, and now the public malice and worry that he had lost control and the Dementors no longer obeyed to the Ministry, it was too glorious. I could already see the howlers which would now besiege the government building inside my mind and revelled in my subtle revenge.

But let's be honest, the idiot deserves nothing else. To close his eyes in the face of danger, wasn't simply stupid, it was completely nuts. His ignorance played into the hands of the Dark Lord, an action so stupid that it physically hurted me. The latter was thus able to gather his people around him in peace and seclusion, while the Ministry fought against imagined attempts to overthrow them and didn't arm themselves for the actual threat. Well, I wouldn't be able to change anything for now.

I could see at the breakfast table how incredibly excited the twins were. They unleashed their ribald humor and jokes, without regard for their poor siblings who couldn't hold a candle to them in this regard. It was too funny. But still the mood was good, because Harry changed for the positive and chattered all the time with a all around happy and satisfied Sirius. The rest of my day went as usual, very successful from my point of view, and, as I always had a lot to do, the evening came faster than expected.

Once again I rushed into the house, as I arrived for dinner almost too late nearly every evening and got to sit again in a very crowded kitchen. I remembered the Twins warning too well and therefore sticked to water for the whole evening, which I prefered to the sweet pumpkin juice anyway. The atmosphere in the kitchen changed very quickly when Ginny suddenly pressed a hand to her stomach which made strange, loud noises, and as she was visibly uncomfortable with that, her anxious, embarrassed glance glided to Harry immediately. Suddenly she jumped up as if stung by an adder and shot out of the room with a "Sorry, Mum!"

They all looked at each other as all at once Ron's nose began to bleed, and he frantically pushed a cloth to his nose, and Harry turned green on his face, before he began to gag, that one had to almost feel sick, too. He jumped up as well and quickly ran out of the room. It was just getting very hard not to burst into laughter. The twins' joke items were worth gold, just splendid, they would make a fortune at Hogwarts. Fred and George put on such an oscar-worthy show that even I assumed they had taken one themselves at first, as often as they were their own guinea pigs, but the expression in Fred's eyes, this painfully suppressed amused sparkle, let me revise that opinion. They just played as if they would immediately puke and die, but it was very convincing, so I very nearly took part out of pure sympathy.

"Puh, I'm going, too, I think they infected me," I explained slightly sufferingly, placing my hand demonstratively on my stomach, then I staggered to the door.

"Oh my God, Arthur. What's happening to the children? They're all sick, hopefully it's nothing serious!" cried a deeply concerned Molly, feeling very confused about this rampant disease.

"Calm down, it's nothing bad. Perhaps they infected each other. They're going to bed at once, and then we look after them ... " said Arthur, soothingly, with a deep voice and radiated that serenity, but with his hectic wife he probably needed that inner peace. In our room I quickly put one of the sleeping-sweets and an antidote to stop the effect of the Weasley-Wizard-Sweets in a water glass. I was dissolving them, when Ginny stumbled into the room because she'd been in the bathroom before. She looked horrible, so pale, totally colorless, and her strong, red hair made her look even more sick.

"Ginny, drink here, and you'll be feel better at once," I said encouragingly, handing her the glass considerately.

"Thank you Hermione, man that was really embarrassing in front of Harry, ... aha that's nice," she sighed sufferingly and drank the contents of the glass greedily while I watched appraisingly under the guise of lowered lids. Wonderful! I loved it when a plan worked. Immediately, Ginny sank into the pillows and was sound asleep, and I quickly began to belt up my dagger holsters on my thighs under my black dress and readied my deep-red robe coat. When I heard voices from outside, I quickly leaped under my blanket, and the next moment Mrs. Weasley stuck her head into the room. Ginny was oblivious to it in her drugged state.

"How are you?", the matron asked gently, stepping in softly and placing a hand on her daughter's forehead.

"I think we're alright. Ginny is almost asleep, and I'm going to be fine, too." I showed her a weak smile.

"Oh, dear, I think you've infected each other, nothing dangerous. I've already looked after Harry and Ron and the two are already sound asleep. After a healing sleep you all will be well again tomorrow," she said sorrowfully.

"I think so, too.." I spoke as if I was dead tired and near to exitus.

"Sleep well, that's the best you can do," she agreed, smiling motherly, as she carefully evened out the blanket, then quietly left the room. Thank God she was gone. A Tempus and I saw that we had to hurry. It was quarter past nine, time was running. I jumped out of bed, pulled out my coat and threw it over me. I put my hair together so that it wouldn't get in my way. For a moment I stayed put and wondered if I had everything. Had I forgotten something? Nothing, good, then out into a balmy summer night.

I crept unseen to the front door and remained in the shadow, had already pulled the hood over my face as a precaution. At that moment, I was a completely different person again, because I felt more like one of those characters from Knockturn Alley who love the anonymity of the night. It was always a strange feeling how I changed myself and my attitude when I adopted a different identity. I stood motionless and waited quietly, but impatiently, until I saw two people, also wrapped in dark coats, sneaking towards me, too had covered themselves, lest somebody noticed their characteristic red hair. How far-sighted they were, without anyone telling them to do so. We three nodded to each other under our hoods. So far no one had lost a word.

One of them opened the door and we left Black house. I was about to close the door behind me as I saw dog's eyes glittering in the dark corridor, watching closely. A wicked smile began to play around the corners of my mouth. Oh, I loved such games. He spied on me again. What did he think why I disappeared with the Twins? For he had certainly sniffed it out and guessed who my secret companions were. So I put my index finger to my lips conspiratorially and instructed Sirius to remain silent, then I gently closed the entrance door, once again without saying a word. The two disguised figures followed me into the side street and put one hand on my shoulder and I apparated to Rose Cottage. Standing under the old oak in front of the house, I knew that they hadn't yet seen it, so I commanded "Follow me!", led them to the front door, and instructed them to put a hand on the door which wasn't visible to them. Then I intoned a little incantation, which added them into the protection of the house.

"Wow, that's so cool, what a pretty little house!", it sounded already. Okay, it had worked as hoped, because they saw it now.

"In with you!" I shooed them inside. "We don't have much time before I have to leave again! Remove the sheets first and have a look around. You can use everything. On the back is a bar ... this is my 'Rose Cottage', feel at home!" I explained. "Welcome!" I proceeded with an inviting gesture. "Don't forget, when you're done here, let me know with the coins," I added at last, pointing out that I was in a hurry.

"Tell me, Hermione, do you think we're brain-dead?" Fred asked. "Or completely dumb? Is 'Crabbe' or 'Goyle' inscribed in our foreheads?", they inquired, slightly offended.

"See you later, I'll be back shortly after nine," I left them alone, hurrying away. Outside, I took a moment to breath a sigh of relief, for I would soon meet Rita. I wondered how she was today after the published article? Yes, I was curious. Since it wouldn't do to appear in a long robe coat, like from another century, at the busy, modern Trafalgar Square, I quickly turned it into a black cardigan and then apparated. Being a witch was truly a pleasure.

I walked confidently and briskly towards the square and could see Rita's bright, blonde, rigged curls besides the big glasses. Discreet as ever, the dear. Next to her was a pretty, young brunette in a short figure-accentuating colorful dress. I almost cracked up over Rita's sense of humor, because she seemed to have actually based her choice on my looks, because figure, coloring and size of the girl were very similar to me.

"I wish you a pleasant evening, ladies," I greeted the two women affably and jovially.

"As always on time!", Skeeter nodded. Apparently she was of the same opinion that we shouldn't call each other by name, although this shouldn't matter, but the good Rita couldn't know. Confident in her attitude, but still a slightly intimidated look in her eyes, the little one suspected me suspiciously. I nodded to her friendly.

"Well, how may I call you?" I asked kindly, realizing that she didn't know what to think of being in the presence of two women when usually men were her customers.

"Alice, pleased to meet you," a pleasant voice sounded, which tried to appear firm and brisk. She was a nice girl, not a worn out, bitter whore from the street, I was sure, but rather a call girl. Expensive, the way she behaved and the well-groomed look she presented. Exactly what I had imagined. I had always known that the good Rita was good, if she wanted to or couldn't do differently in our case.

"Very well, my pleasure, Alice. You know what this is about?" I asked further with accented politeness.

"Chrchrm, yes, the lady here was so kind as to tell me that you want a threesome!", she replied with a relatively steady voice and a slightly mischievous smile, and swept a strand of her shoulder-length brown hair from her face.

"Good, now let's talk business, how much?" I inquired resolutely. Rita kept listening, curious, but stayed in the background, something I thought she could do very well.

"I'm not cheap, because extras are required, too, so I'll ask for 250 galleons for the night!", she said very demanding, with a definitely greedy sparkle in her eyes. One shouldn't be deceived by her lovely appearance. I could imagine that such a professional life made one tough. And wow, the price was quite a sum, which is why I heard Rita quietly gasp. I wouldn't haggle, why should I? After all, she got herself into much, she deserved an equal due. Period.

So I nodded in agreement. "As you wish!" I pulled my pouch out of my sweater and fished out 125 golden pieces. "Here, half of it, you get the rest after your job is done."

She took the money in surprise and quickly dispersed it in her little handbag, probably expecting negotiations, and now an all but regretful expression appeared in her eyes that she hadn't asked for a higher price.

"I'll apparate you right away. Afterwards, I'll get you back here, all right?" I said completely indifferently. She nodded at me understandingly. "Good, then go to the side street and wait at its entrance. I have to talk with the lady for a while," I told her coldly, pointing the direction with my finger.

When Rita and I were alone surrounded by a mass of cheerful muggles, I frostily smiled at her. "Wonderful Miss Skeeter, you have accomplished your task perfectly thank you. She's exactly what I wanted," I praised coldly and watched the frowning looking woman in front of me.

"I'm glad that I could get what you apparently needed so badly," it came venomously from her, and she glared at me contemptuously.

"Indeed, I hope it wasn't too difficult to find her?" I requested, smirking, slowly, almost provocatively raising an eyebrow.

"No, you just have to know where to get it, then you'll find it very quickly," she told me snootily and snappily. It was always nice to see how much we liked each other, oh I loved these meetings, they were so ... invigorating and stimulating.

"Another issue, how's Fudge?" I asked curiously.

"He wasn't pleased with my article, but I got a lot of attention, so I'm very happy, thank you for the information, Miss Granger," she explained immediately, but looked as if she were biting into a lemon when she thanked me for the information, for even though it had been very helpful to her, she didn't seem pleased to have received it from me and to have to thank me for them.

"Always again, Miss Skeeter. We'll hear from each other," I finished the stilted conversation and turned to go.

"Stop, here, your requested exposé!", she exclaimed, fiddling for a file in her huge and swanky crocodile leather handbag and handed it to me.

"Oh, one can always rely on you, my love. I wish you a nice evening, see you soon, and take care of yourself, Miss Skeeter," I finally said, shrinked the file and put it in my pocket. I would deal with it within the next few days and I was curious what kind of information it contained. I quickly walked towards the waiting young woman, who was looking at me with interest.

"Come here, take my arm," I demanded without a break. She trustingly put her hand on my forearm and I apparated in front of the "Rose Cottage" already. Since she couldn't see it from the outside and I wouldn't take her into the protection, I held her tightly and led her into the inside of the house.

She looked around with interest. "Cozy," she commented. I went to the living room and waved her to follow me. The Twins had done a good job in this short time. Everything flashed and was clean, so I watched them as they both sat on the comfortable sofa or rather lolled around. They had got rid of their coats and were now wearing terribly colorful T-shirts, which once again clashed with the red of their hair. I knew they were doing this on purpose, because there was never such a bad taste in color. A crackling fire in the chimney, one crystal glass with an amber-colored liquid in front of them, they now looked curiously in my direction. I stepped aside and let Alice enter, presenting her to Fred and George.

"This is Alice. Alice these are Fred and George, your partners," I told her casually. She looked at the two and puckered her eyebrows together and got big, round eyes.

"Twins?", she breathed, surprised.

"Is that a problem?" I asked hard.

"No, no, not at all ... I was just surprised ... just doesn't happen every day," she covered up her astonishment, and began to smile seductively in direction of the sofa. The Twins had watched her, and she probably passed this check well, as both showed a satisfied and delighted expression.

"Hermione, Hermione, if you do something, then you are always doing it right. Wow, what a pretty one. Hello Alice, pleased to get to know you," it came gallantly from George. Fred stood up and walked toward her. "Would you like a glass?"

"Please, that would be nice," she replied immediately, and he went to the bar and handed it to her afterwards. "Thank you," she said, smiling as she took it.

"Do you have any wishes? Otherwise I would withdraw now until you call me to pick up Alice," I asked business-like, because I really didn't need to see them to check out and sweet-talk each other. Watching the Twins at their sex games was enough for me, so I didn't need a repeat with a threesome.

"Um ... I don't know?" George said. "She looks great, and on the whole just like our desires ...", man, I just felt sorry for the poor girl, we talked about her in her presence like she's cattle.

"... but ...?" I enquired.

"... well ..." George didn't get his act together, so Fred took over. "Hell, you know we have a very specific girl in mind ...", he said excitedly. "Could you enchant her so that she would be ... even more like ...?" I rolled my eyes theatrically, because usually the two had a quick tongue. I had to smile a wicked smile, it was too funny, but that was their night, I wouldn't stand in the way of their wishes, and - as I walked through my life with my eyes open - I was once again ready for every eventuality.

"Guys, guys, usually you articulate yourself better, but stop with the stammering. I know what you want, and as I'm good-natured in person and just too smart for this world ..." (Alice looked quite confused about this conversation from one to the other) "I've prepared everything," fished back in my jacket for and produced a vial, which I held up.

"... what ... what ... is that?", both wanted to know, excited.

"What do you think? Polyjuice Potion!", I explained broadly grinning and looked appraisingly around the group. With my right hand I tore out some of my hair, ouch. "As I said, I wasn't born yesterday. I know you well, and I do what I can!" I grinned at them wickedly and sighed dramatically.

"Do you have a problem with it, Alice, taking this potion? You know it?" I addressed her, now in a more business-like tone.

"Uh, no not really. I mean, I have no problem taking it. So you want me to look like her?", she asked in amazement, pointing with her finger at me, causing Fred and George to nod feverishly with their heads. "Well, why not, it's fine, I'll do it," she stated with a shrug, reaching out with her hand to take the vial, but I stepped close to her and whispered in her ear so that only she could understand me.

"Thank you for drinking this and, please, do as they wish, they won't ask for anything bad, for that you'll get an extra tip to the agreed sum ..." I stepped back and looked at her intensely. She began to show me a bright smile. "It's nice to see that we understand each other so well, Miss, I like to do what you want." I pulled myself further back and she put the vial to her lips to drink. Since I knew how such a transformation took place, I went to the sofa and looked at the Twins.

"Excited?" I asked, grinning.

"Bah, you really amaze me again and again, that you'll give us your body ... you make me speechless," they explained together and perplexed, but I said nothing, because it wasn't really me, so I was completely fine with it.

"Another question, where did you get the potion from?" Fred asked curiously.

"I will answer that later. Will you excuse me? I'm going now and you have your fun with ... me, I'd say!" I laughed merrily and glided toward the door.

"Until later and have a good time!" I said loudly to everyone and turned to leave the house, while in the middle of the room Alice stood up again. She had really bravely suppressed any choking noises during the transformation, this woman knew how to raise the tips, I liked that. And so I looked in my own face. I waved to her and then I disappeared from the cottage. I was already very excited hearing about the twins' experiences later.

My next goal was a pub. True to the maxim 'There's no time like the present', I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to move freely and thus I started towards my destination. But before I went there, I had to adjust my appearance, once again taking the look of Minna Cale - dark blond, smooth and chin-length hair, dull blue eyes - and pulled the hood deep into my face. Where I wanted to go, no one showed their faces voluntarily. A much quieter plop sounded, which I could and would already be proud of, when I appeared. I was now standing in a deserted village square under a starlit sky. I was in Hogsmeade and my goal was the Hog's Head Inn.

Swiftly as usual I scurried from shadow to shadow between the houses. Here I wanted to do some research on Rita's book and today I was offered the opportunity to start. After the shocking findings about Harry during the last days, the curiosity urged me to bring light into the dark. I knew the Hog's Head Inn from our weekend visits from Hogwarts, but we students weren't allowed to go there, because it was a more than run down drinking hole, which housed all kinds of riff-raff. I approached the remote, shabby side street, and under a rusty hanger the wooden sign showed a chopped off, bloody boar head. It was inviting through and through, one had to say, no wonder that no student got lost here. They were all scared shitless.

I must say, lately I have become pretty indifferent regarding things like that, because this was a joke compared to Knockturn Alley. Thus I didn't feel even rudimentary anxiety or fear. If anything, I felt the lightest aversion against the filth when I entered the inside of the taproom, the dirty windows, through which no light could shine, even at daytime. The stone floor was swept so often that it appeared to be made of clay thanks to the dirt, I thought ironically and in disgust. Candles on the wooden tables gave the only, dim, light. And to one such table my hooded figure slipped down now. I sniffed abruptly, did it smell like goats in here? No sooner then I had sat, a big, scrawny wizard with a sullen and not very confidence-inspiring expression appeared at my table.

"What do you want?", he snapped out. I looked up under my hood.

"Firewhiskey," I demanded just as gruffly and he nodded, muttering something under his breath, and shuffled away. I had looked at him closely. He had unkempt-looking long, gray hair and an equally gray beard and his bright blue eyes had gleamed suspiciously at me. If you knew what to look for, one couldn't deny the similarity between the two, but otherwise I would never have noticed that this was Aberforth Dumbledore, the brother of our valued Professor Albus Dumbledore. Here I was safe to assume without consulting a family tree at Hogwarts that Rita's records were correct. Nevertheless, I would still look into the family tree, because in this respect I was pedantic. Even so I believed that Rita hadn't lied here and it was a fact that I had his brother in front of me.

Oh my, Dumbledore's brother, the host of a rather shady establishment. As I let my gaze drift through the room, I saw everything that felt at home in Knockturn Alley as well.

Yes, right there, ... that was clearly Dung, clinging to his glass as if he were afraid it might get stolen. All of a sudden a cup got slammed down in front of me on the table.

"Three Sickles and five Knuts," snarled the host. I quickly fished for the requested money and handed it to him. What a pleasant fellow. I didn't thank him at all, you always had to adjust to your surroundings, to not be noticed and courtesy would have been out of place. Suddenly I could feel a hot sensation tingling my neck, as if someone were watching me, so I calmly let my eyes wander and almost choked on the fire whiskey burning in my throat when I saw a raven-black pair of eyes in a dark niche fixed on me. Snape, shit, what was he doing here?

Stay cool, relax. He had seen me in that appearance only once at the magical pharmacy in Knockturn Alley, and I had worn my hood there, too, a little pulled back though, but why should he be interested in me, I calmed myself down. Why the hell was he still staring?

Had he nothing better to do than loitering there? But I didn't want to drink up and leave too quickly, because that would have been too conspicuous, but in principle I was ready to leave again. My plan was finished. As I had seen, Rita had been right with her assertion that the landlord was definitely related to Dumbledore. I could now find the rest in the genealogy books. Oh shit, now the bat was in fact moving and had no better idea than to steer towards my table. Great, absolutely great! What should I do now?

Fortune favours fools, and I apparently had a whole bag full of it. Great, he still walked towards me with purposeful steps, really great. Okay, you can bury any false hope, he's coming towards you really and truly. Come on, build up the walls, show what you have recently taught yourself in Occlumency. You can do it, think of the 1000-year-old walls of the tower, yes, exactly, perfect, these also have withstood every battle, and remain cool, he won't get through them. I lifted my glass to take a sip.

"Is anyone sitting here?", Snape questioned oilily. I said nothing at all, but shook my head briefly and brusquely pointed to a chair.

"I've never seen you here before!" Snape now said in a mistrustful, low voice, and sat down gently with billowing robes in the wooden chair. Why did a man wear so many layers voluntarily in summer? Stay on your task, girl, I called myself hard to order and shrugged noncommittally.

"Can't you or don't you want to talk?", he inquired next in a velvety voice, and that voice was so different to when he mimed the evil professor. It sent a few small shivers down my spine. "I wouldn't have judged you as somebody who wished to talk much." I disguised my voice, making it sound deeper. Well, I wouldn't have assumed that the good professor was this talkative.

"Well well, do we know each other? Have I ever met you?", he jabbered on oddly interested. Hello, this was the decidedly untalkative dungeon dweller, so what's going on here? I lifted my shoulders again without a word and wished that, for example, his dark mark would burn right now, so that he would need to leave quickly. That was not nice, I know, but I didn't really feel like getting unmasked by the esteemed Mr Snape.

"Would you please pull your hood back a bit, so that I can see you better?", he asked, raising his hand, signaling to Aberforth to bring two more drinks. Hey, did he want to make me drunk? That was absolutely out of question. But I probably needed to meet his demand, if I didn't want to rouse too much mistrust, or should I refuse? So I slightly pulled back the fabric so that he could see my face and parts of my light hair, but I didn't pull it back completely because my facial features and my body weren't changed.

"Ah, I thought I knew you, and now I know where from," he mused contentedly, his head cocking to the side. His hair had moved along and hung around his head like a curtain. The dark color absorbed the light of the candles, which made him appear incredibly superior. Hopefully I didn't look too insecure. Chin up and chest out was my slogan, so I dared it and looked deeply into his eyes, with which I would make a legilimency attack possible for him, but I wanted to take the chance.

"And where do you think you know me from...?" I asked sweetly. I had been able to suppress the "Sir," at the very last moment, because that would immediately awake his mistrust. I could now feel a slight plucking on the furthest corners of my mind, barely perceptible if one didn't pay attention to it, that swine, but had I expected something else? No! At the moment I was only thinking of gray, large rocks, which assembled into a wall. I won't make it that easy for you, Snape, my resistance awoke. Suddenly, he raised his face more than irritated. Apparently he had felt my protective shield now and something blazed behind his dark eyes. At that moment, the innkeeper once again banged our order down on the table with indescribable hospitality.

"Here Snape, that makes seven Sickles!", he demanded harshly and charmingly as anything. Snape reached into his waistcoat indifferently, casually handed over the money, then raised his glass and toasted towards me. Hence we chinked glasses and drank, keeping our eyes glued to each other. It felt like stalking prey.

"What did you need the lacewing flies for?", he restated his claim that he knew me. Shit, this man was impossible. Why could he remember such a thing? Damn, that reminded me of myself, cruel, too cruel, that there should be people who resembled me.

"What do you think?", it came not very friendly from me and I was tempted to roll my eyes. "Then you're skilled in the field of potion making? It's very unusual in your profession," he replied cynically, lifting a corner of his mouth contemptuously.

"Mhmm ...", what should I answer to that and how did he come to the assumption that I was following a profession?

"I see, do you like it?", and raised his glass again. He couldn't be more subtle, I muttered in my thoughts.

"Yes, thank you!", I remained polite, even though I was tempted to chuck the contents of my glass into his face. Oh my, there were once again two possibilities that my brain had worked out in the short time to explain his behavior. Firstly, he was suspicious and curious, or he was hitting on me and thought I was somebody like Alice, as he had only seen me in infamous areas. Damn and what did I do with possibility number two? Oh heaven, that didn't go as planned. I got a hooker for the twins and had not intended to maybe become one myself now.

"How come that you remember to have seen me?", I probed deeper, displaying disbelief in my voice, and took another sip that I needed urgently.

"Ah, I have a good memory, my love and your way to move ... your face ... I don't know. Your robe with that particular cut, I'm good at memorising such things," he pondered in a whisper, meanwhile he didn't let me out of his wary gaze for a second, and I knew, even when he acted like he was deep in thoughts, he was still busy watching my movements. Thereon I drank my glass in one go. Oh, that burned in my throat, but I needed the pain for a bit, because apparently I had only strengthened his interest by my mental wall. I didn't even notice when he reordered immediately, but I observed fairly pleased how the old, gray-haired innkeeper brought two new fire whiskeys to our table.

Oh my goddess, I think I just lost hope of possibility number one and believed to have the confirmation that number two became more and more likely. I mean he was a man, had watched me and Sirius having sex yesterday, which certainly left him its mark on him, and apparently he had not the faintest idea that I was his student Hermione Granger. Which was good, which was very good, that he didn't recognize me and didn't associate me with Minna, because he clearly seemed to fancy her. It looked like I was able to experience the courting behaviour of my grim, surly professor. I was spared absolutely nothing. I actually dared to feel sorry for myself.

"But as I said, I know these establishments quite well, but I've never seen you before. What is your name?" he continued probing me, keeping me in view.

"I think, you can't know everyone, don't you agree? And I'm Minna, Minna Cale," I introduced myself.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Cale. My name is Severus Snape!", his hand gently touched his chest, his head bowed gingerly, which amazed me because that was the impeccable greeting of Purebloods and it didn't surprise me one bit that even my professor could be polite and know these practices, as the Slytherin's head of house. Well, I wouldn't be in any way inferior to him, and thus made the same gesture in a flowing, elegant movement.

"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Snape, and thank you for the invitation!" I had always said that the absolutely boring book about the customs of true-bred Purebloods would pay off.

"Where do you live?" he asked abruptly, his expression becoming unreadable, while I interlocked my hands in my lap.

"Ah, Mr. Snape, I think no decent girl should answer this question to a man she has known for ten minutes!" I replied coquettishly, smiling cynically at his mask-like face.

"Quite true, I'm just wondering if you're really decent?" he doubted my words with a velvety voice.

"What makes you think otherwise?", I acted affectedly shocked and raised my hand indignantly to my chest.

"I don't think a decent girl would be here," he pointed out coolly. He was right, damn! So I gave a scoffing laugh, which also made the corners of his mouth twitch a little.

"Very good Mr. Snape, what could I possibly answer now without digging my own grave?" I declared sardonically, and mockingly raised my glass.

"Did your potion succeed? It isn't easy!", he suddenly changed the subject, as if to lead me up the garden path.

"Why do you ask?" I replied motionless.

"I apologize, I forgot, but you don't seem to know me, I'm a potion master and teach this subject at Hogwarts," he said incredulously, pretending it's surprising that I wouldn't know him.

"Thank you for your concern, it's all going to my satisfaction," I nodded to him and drank the rest in one go, so that it burned painfully in my throat, but I needed the pain again to find my courage. "It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Snape, excuse me, but I have to go and thank you for the invitation," I tried to say good-bye and raised myself determinedly. Unfortunately, before I knew it, he had gotten up as well. He was like a gum on a shoe sole.

"Wait, Miss Cale. I'll accompany you, because the times are dangerous, especially here!" He objected with feigned solicitousness, stepping up to me. I didn't believe him one word.

"Very kind Mr. Snape, but do you think I would be here if I were afraid?" I soberly refused his offer and moved toward the exit, which he left uncommented and stubbornly followed me.

"What are you doing professionally?" he asked instead. Oh Shit, what did a woman do who was everywhere where he had seen me, most of them were of course prostitutes, shit.

"What do you think Mr. Snape?" I always had to suppress calling him sir or professor, and asked a daring counterquestion. We went into another side street, which was less dingy but even more deserted. He gently held me by my arm, steering me and I didn't find it in me to wrest my upper arm from him. Oh, what should I do? I had to play my role, what else should I do? I wouldn't allow my cover to be blown! Because I didn't want to know what he would do to me, if he found out! The motto was, grit your teeth and go through with it.

"You know what I think, but do I think correctly?" he snarled deeply, asking an ambivalent question. Unbelievable but true, I was always right with my estimations. That was really not fair. Did I want to fuck with my professor? To be a whore for him here in a dark, dirty alley? Or better, could I do something like that? Was I able to pull this through to the bitter end?

I mean, he would never know he had made advances to Hermione Granger, his student, in an immoral way. The other question was, could I still make a run for it? Would I still have a chance to escape without blowing my cover?

"Do you ever misestimate, Mr. Snape?" I asked sardonically. Did I just do this? Wouldn't the Twins have been a better alternative? No, I don't mean it that way, only the two didn't really turn me on, since red was so not my colour. But didn't this apply to Snape too?

"Most of the time never. How much?", he then got straight to the essentials and I was perplexed by his direct nature. Oh goddess, my professor had just asked me how much I wanted for sex, that I should spread my legs for him, but the worst was, instead of getting sick, a warm, tingling feeling pooled dangerously and forbiddenly in my stomach. Was I really so corrupted that I was ready to fuck with my teacher in an alley, for money? Shame on me.

"I'm not a street whore," I remarked coldly.

"Of course, I didn't think anything else. But I don't want to go to your establishment - this works well enough. I'm still willing to pay the full price," he explained boldly. Oh, shit! It had been worth an attempt, but that presented another problem: I had no idea what was an appropriate price for a whore. One second, did I, _Hermione Granger_ , just really think about a price for sex? Where would this end? Help! It wouldn't be appropriate to ask for 250 galleons like Alice, because she makes a special job for the whole night with extra wishes. That wasn't comparable with a quick fuck. What to do?

"How much would I be worth for you?" I flirted. Brilliant, pass it back to him. Although I doubted that real whores were acting like this and would give something as elementary as their pay out of their hands. Hence he questioningly raised his eyebrow. He seemed to know this stuff. Should I worry about that? Yes, absolutely, just not now... later, when I had done all this. On the other hand, I didn't think that Snape was looking for a solid partnership or even a relationship when it was so easy for him to satisfy his desires.

"...You know, I like you and I don't want to be greedy, so let me hear what I'm worth to you," I wooed him and stroked lasciviously over his cloaked chest with my finger. Man, I was good, but I tried to overplay my faux pas, and it seemed that even with a cold man like Snape, the possibility of brain activity in case of acute blood deficiency in the brain decreased.

"...If that is so, fifty galleons!" he offered quickly. Was bargaining appropriate now? Yes, I think so.

"Pah, seventy-five!" I cried deprecatingly, scandalized, but I didn't get any further. For then, he grabbed my upper arms tightly and immediately pressed me to the wall behind me. Apparently, we had come to an agreement, in his view, as he pinned me to the wall. The clasp of my coat was already open and I hadn't even blinked.

Now, after a deep breath, he straightened up and began to adjust his robes. I did the same and pulled my dress back over my breasts. I left my destroyed panties on the floor of the alley and put my coat around my shoulders. At the last moment I was able to stop myself from pulling out my whitethorn wand, as I suddenly remembered that Snape would recognize it immediately because of its rarity and identify me as Hermione Granger. So I wouldn't speak a cleaning spell, it doesn't matter. He was finished and had watched me, completely rigid and cold. Now he seemed as cold as ice. It was unnoticeable that he had been deep inside me a few seconds ago, as close as humanly possible. Therefore I proudly raised my chin and looked into his eyes. I could do this, too, even though it wasn't easy to ignore what I had just done.

I reached out a hand. "My money!" I demanded hard, because if I do something, then I'll definitely do it right.

"Miss Cale," he said in a flattering tone, handing me the coins I took from him.

"Mr. Snape! ", I said goodbye, turned my back to him, and wanted to quickly leave the alley.

"Miss Cale, how do I reach you?" he snarled coldly, making me stop walking abruptly. I beg your pardon? Did I just succumb to a deception? He wanted what... fuck me again? I mean, I admit, it had been good under the special circumstances, but hell, I was no whore, but he seemed to have enjoyed it as well, and this flattered my vanity.

"Send me an owl," I said without emotion, because an owl would be able to reach me even in my disguise, then I apparated immediately and left my professor behind. When I appeared under the old oak, slightly out of breath, I leaned against if for some time, cleaning myself, letting Minna Cale's look disappear, thinking about the events. Since this night, I didn't only sleep with Sirius, but now with Snape too. I still couldn't believe how I had allowed him to take me, but had even strengthened him in his assumption that I was what he was thinking. Unconsciously!? Could I still look in the mirror, and the professor in the classroom and Sirius, as he was no longer exclusively the one who had sex with me, because I dared to guess that I wouldn't need to wait long for Snape's next owl. Would I respond? I didn't know ... maybe ... I couldn't change the whole fiasco anymore anyway, so learn to live with it, I finally told myself.

But the knowledge and the realisation that I hadn't thought about Sirius at any moment and I just remembered him now confused me! What was that supposed to mean? That I didn't feel any commitment towards Sirius? I felt bewildered, no wonder after this experience, thus I pushed it out of my mind for now and continued to clean myself thoroughly. At least the trip had paid off and the time for the Twins was out as well, it was almost midnight, so I entered the house in a brisk pace.

In the living-room a cheerful, slightly drunk, and barely clothed bunch awaited me. Thanks to the goddess, I could handle more than them, otherwise Snape would have made me drunk in the Hog's Head Inn.

"Hermione, nice to see you!" George warbled blissfully.

"Hello!" Alice giggled sillily and began to dress herself. Meanwhile, I slumped into a chair, as I still felt the hard, rough sex in so many places. Yes, thanks to Sirius I was already sore and bruised, but thanks to Snape I wouldn't be able to sit for a while. While the three got dressed playfully, I sorted myself, because I had to be concentrated for the things to come, so that nothing went wrong.

"Finished? Come here Alice, sit down here," I demanded calmly and patted invitingly beside me. I could imagine just how she was feeling, because when I got handed the money earlier, I had been able to experience firsthand how humiliating that felt. She did as I asked and I began with the 125 galleons and as a tip I gave her my hard-earned money from Snape. I really didn't want to keep it. She beamed at me and I smiled back and quickly pulled out my white wand and knocked her out with an Obliviate. Her eyes glazed over instantly. At the same moment the twins abruptly stopped their whispering, but contrary to their usual habit they said nothing, accepting my decision. That's why you have to love them. Harry and especially Ron would have discussed this loudly for a start. I concentrated on taking away her memory of tonight.

I let her forget Rita, the Twins, myself and Rose Cottage, but at the same time I changed her memories to a handsome young man who had taken her for an intoxicating night to a Muggle hotel and rewarded her royally for it. Afterwards I took her and led her out of the house and dropped her off at Trafalgar Square, only then taking the spell from her. It looked like I had applied the spell properly.

Back in the house curious twins were waiting.

"Well, tell me. How was it?" I did not want to think about what I had done earlier.

"Awesome ... I think it was brilliant ... never thought it could be like this with three people!" Fred sputtered.

"I liked it a lot, especially thanks to your little surprise, it was very cool!", George winked at me mischievously.

"I was happy to be your fuck-template, no problem at all," I meant casually, after all, I had been exactly that in person for somebody else tonight.

"But I've also realised, actually I only need Fred, you're absolutely enough for me, sweetie!", he declared his love for Fred and that was what I had wanted to hear. Fred's eyes shimmered emotionally. "Me, too, George, it was always you ... but what I had never anticipated, it was still fun!" By now we all laughed and amused ourselves about their extraordinary experience.

"Alice was really great, thank you for this lovely woman, but what about the Obliviate at the end?" Fred asked curiously some time later.

"Well, as I said your wish fit nicely into one of my plans, the Obliviate was a part of that and I thought I should practice it whenever I can. I want everything to go well and I can only achieve that by practicing," I said openly.

"Does that mean something could've gone wrong with Alice?" Fred sounded a bit horrified.

"Yes," I admitted indifferently, as it was true, I had factored in that it could have gone awry.

"Gosh! … And what would you have done then?" George asked now, who seemed quite perplexed, just like Fred.

"Sent her to St Mungos," I replied, shrugging and sounding unaffected.

"Aha, don't you find that a bit ...harsh?" Fred said.

"Depends on the point of view. The people for whom I need this spell are closer to me than Alice, but it's pointless to discuss it. Firstly, I always would have needed to do it, for you alone, and secondly my spells succeeded flawlessly," I pushed their objections away from me rigorously.

"In fact, how did she react to your love?" I wanted to know, instead, curiously.

"Very cool, I think she liked us and getting pleasured by both of us was certainly not the worst thing she'd ever experienced, even though we are obviously brothers. She was really nice," Fred explained, grinning and nodding and one could see that he was briefly reminiscing the events of that evening.

"I'm glad! Cheers to a successful night!" We chinked glasses. Luckily, they were so satisfied that they didn't ask what I had done in the meantime, so I didn't have to invent lies, because I wouldn't be able to tell them what had happened tonight.

Thus we reached our beds at 1 o'clock and after so many things had gone wrong, well, actually everything which could've gone wrong, I apparently was entitled to a bit of luck, as Sirius thankfully hadn't waited for us to come home, and hence I could process what happened with Snape tonight at first, before I dared to face Sirius. This way an eventful night came to an end.


	28. Doubt and Jealousy

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Doubt and Jealousy

Sleep wasn't in store for me that night. I was shocked by myself and what I had done. In my mind's eye, I could see the memories played back, again and again, about Snape being so close to me. What had happened there?

I hadn't really done this, right? I mean, did I actually accept money from a man with whom I had sex with in a freely accessible place! And it still gets worse! The most brutal fact of the story was that the man was my professor and he had no idea who he had fucked with so little restraint! Did I have a talent for dragging myself into stupid situations, or what? The answer to that question is _yes_. Of course, now I'm worrying; wouldn't Snape have recognized me, since my facial features weren't changed at all? But then I remembered that I also had a hefty amount of makeup on my face. This reassured me. When I became Minna, I always had heavily accentuated eyes with a lot of mascara and dared to put on a deep red lipstick. Actually, it wasn't that surprising that he thought I was part of the oldest profession in the world.

Also, the thought struck me that almost no one recognized the Dumbledore brothers as what they were: close relatives. Except if you were like me and targeted them with this knowledge. And I was sure that though the professor had wondered much about who or what I was, Minna couldn't be connected to Hermione. Then I realised again that I had submitted to his demand for a quickie, but how could I have gotten out of this thing differently without him turning into a rabid dog, picking up my track and hunting me?! For Snape was a distrustful son of a bitch, who wouldn't give up quickly when he smelled a rat. So I had given him what he wanted instead.

How he had pushed me against the wall... Heaven... I was writhing in my bed. What was bothering me that much? What was the cause? I tried to analyse that, even so I thought I was close to the crux of the matter and I insisted on absolute honesty towards myself. I wouldn't lie to myself.

The sex shocked me because it was only about his satisfaction, so he had taken me without considering my own. That I had gotten an orgasm too wasn't due to his efforts to get me one, oh no, if he would've come before me, he would've ended it, cold as ice. His gestures and deeds in the alley had only been there to satisfy himself. That was probably the life and sex of a prostitute, but I wasn't used to it because I wasn't an easy girl, damn it! After all, Cedric, Victor, and Sirius had done everything they could that I would have the same pleasure as they did. But Snape, when I recalled it again, had just stimulated my breasts for his own pleasure, and when he fucked me with his finger, he had done this only to ensure enough moisture. Whether I had felt great pleasure or not had been secondary - after all, he'd paid for it.

The fact that I had been given an orgasm by him because of my perverse excitement and my tainted imagination might have puzzled even him, which is why I was quite certain that I was the most to blame for his request to owl me. On the other hand, I was glad that only that had happened. In the spheres I was moving in at the moment, getting money for sex was truly not the worst. I could have been raped at any time, no one would've cared. My wallowing in my self-pity was a great luxury because in principle nothing bad had happened. So why have a whinge? After all, he had paid for it. Argh, that seemed to bother me the most. Weird, isn't it?

Oh, I had to come to terms with myself quickly, because I would have to face Sirius soon, and he would surely want to know what the Twins and I had done last night. My goddess, all of us had done somebody, my damn cynicism was making another appearance. I buried my face in my pillow, groaning, because I couldn't and I still wouldn't believe it.

There was a slight throbbing behind my temples. Mental note to myself: a hangover cure should be added to my assortment of stocked potions. One should be prepared for any situation because the booze paid for by Snape gave me a wicked hangover. Nice that I could already plan again, especially taking into account my inner turmoil, even if it was only a passing thought of what I would brew next in my laboratory. When I thought about it, I should be really proud of myself that I had been able to withstand the mental attacks.

Yes, I must have made amazing progress at Occlumency if I was able to resist a man of such high caliber as Snape. I smiled happily into my pillow. Oh yes, I'd have deserved an Outstanding for that. Positive thinking was the motto now. The evening hadn't been that bad, just think about the Twins, who now knew with absolute certainty that they were made for each other and were absolutely gay - there wasn't a more gay couple anywhere else! Maybe they experienced a sexual adventure or two every now and then with the opposite sex, but never without the other. I was very happy about it because according to my humble opinion, they belonged together. Every third or fourth person would have disturbed this duality. They were clever inventors, who mutually motivated and challenged each other in a way no outsider would be able to match. These two were a dynamic entity.

At the same time, a slight lethargy encompassed me due these thoughts, because I felt like I would never be able to have a partner who could and should really know everything about me. I was alone. _Pull yourself together Hermione, you always liked to be alone, you have decided early in your life not to tell anyone everything. A decision once made shouldn't be mourned or even doubted. To change something about this is no longer possible anyway._ I turned around again, groaning restlessly. Ow, that hurt! My abdomen felt terribly sore, but I wouldn't take a potion, I didn't want to embarrass myself that way.

I didn't want to think about the next time I was going to be confronted with Snape. I wanted to take things as they came, because, I mean, just because his cock was inside me, didn't mean that something had changed between us. And Sirius, I wanted to remain close to the truth and would try to omit as much as I could, but if the professor had already failed against my mental wall, I would be able to resist Sirius, too. So, enough mourning about my choices. I still had a run to deal with, but in wise foresight, I wanted to have a shower first today. After my jog I could still hop under the shower again. I didn't want to chance that the "dog" would smell something he shouldn't smell. The danger was too great for me. Later, in the kitchen, I clung to my cup like it was vital medicine. God, oh God, it hurt down below. Why did these two men have to be so well equipped? That's why I couldn't think of anything else, whilst there was a dull throbbing inside me all of the time. Sirius and I had already jogged our rounds.

He had expected me downstairs as usual. This had somehow become a nice, daily ritual. Then we met each other again in the kitchen again, while the others came walking in bit by bit. Surprisingly, everyone seemed well rested today after yesterday's sudden illness. The only ones which didn't appear in the kitchen well rested and sporting a headache were the Twins, which amused me immensely. The night had left their mark on them as well. But I couldn't help them yet, I would have to brew the potion first. So I made myself disappear relatively quickly and hid. I read Rita Skeeters exposé on a woman named Dolores Umbridge, which I found interesting, yet disturbing. She was the first undersecretary of minister Fudge! She also had to answer for the anti-werewolf legislation from two years ago, which made it almost impossible for Remus to find a new job after leaving Hogwarts. What was to be expected of this woman couldn't be good, considering the special views that this woman represented against any "mixed race", and I had the rough guess that this included all the non-pure wizards.

One shouldn't be take her on openly, and I hadn't planned to do so. People like her always had a skeleton in their closet. You just needed enough patience and perseverance, ready to look for those secrets and soon you would have the perfect material to blackmail a person and I was predestined for this task.

I looked up and saw Sirius' grave, gray eyes. This time I hadn't heard him. He must have crept up on me quietly. Oops, he was in a good mood and he didn't even know that I had prostituted myself - and to top it off, to his nemesis, Snape, I thought spitefully and asked myself now what was waiting for me, because he really didn't look friendly. I looked at him hard and swallowed. Meanwhile he sat down with emphasised composure but a wave of subliminal anger seemed to have entered the room with him.

"What was all that about, yesterday?", he asked with a stern tone and looked quite rigid. Oh, just what I needed after last night, a self-righteous avenging angel, which defended the poor guinea pigs that the others had been for us. Great, really great!

"Nothing bad," I spoke softly while innocently fluttering my eyelashes, deciding to use my feminine attributes to my advantage. His eyes darkened even more if this was possible and reminded of slate. Gulp! What now?

"Again, Hermione, I'm neither an idiot, nor a child. Where did you disappear to with the Twins yesterday in the middle of the night and believe me, I know you came back very late. All the others lay deadly sick in their beds and if I have to remind you, you three weren't feeling that well either. What games are you playing?"

An angry Sirius could leave a lasting impression, how he roared around, his face slightly distorted in anger. Good that I always sound proofed the room with a spell, otherwise we would've had drawn a crowd by now.

"What do you want to imply here?" I asked pointedly calmly, closed the file, put it carefully on the table and sat upright.

"Firstly, you gave something to Harry, Ron and Ginny, didn't you?" His voice sounded hard and cold.

"Yes, we have!" I admitted, because I wouldn't get far with a lie here, only he freaked out even more, his body trembled with suspense. His eyes shot angry little lightning bolts in my direction, which struck. By now nothing kept him on the couch, he jumped up abruptly. At this moment he had an amazing resemblance to his animagus form. He darted towards me, aggressively resting his hands on the armrests of the chair to the left and right of me, holding me captive. Then he bent down to me threateningly, and I followed his movement, instinctively leaning back more and more into the chair and looking at him with great, but not frightened eyes, calculating and waiting.

"How. Dare. You? Making them sick, that's no joke!", he hissed furiously. He looked really wild. Mhmhmhm, delicious! It made him very attractive and he was bursting with life. I was absolutely crazy, but I would have loved to lick my lips full of pleasant anticipation. Somehow I always found Sirius appealing when he became temperamental.

"Calm down Sirius, haven't you always said I'm the smartest witch you know? Where is your trust? The Twins and I would never hurt the others, I swear!" I explained from my unrelaxed, captive position half buried under him.

"Oh, and you think that makes it better? What was that about? What reason did you have to sneak out of the house and paralyze everyone. That was the cause wasn't it? Why Hermione, what was that about?", he cried, still agitated to the extreme and very angry. Wow, the man was full of spirits. "And don't say now you can't tell me! It's dangerous out there!" He stared at me angrily.

"I can't, sorry, it's the Twins business!", I defended myself apologetically, but righteous anger against Sirius didn't want to rise in me, I had certainly done everything he might imply. For an example having sex with Snape, if he knew that, he would most likely be hopping mad.

He growled exasperation. "Again, what did you do with the twins out there?" Did he sound jealous? Or still narked because of our action to knock out the others? I didn't know at that moment!

"Are you jealous?", I tried it bravely and ventured a guess. Here he grabbed me roughly by my shoulders, his fingers poking painfully into my skin, and shook me vigorously. "I'm not a stupid boy, with whom you can play so easily, Hermione. I don't accept that you make a fool out of me!" He yelled angrily. So he was jealous after all, of the Twins, oh how sweet, that was so sweet, but also so wrong. But I had to counteract it at once. I belonged only to myself and to the one who paid the most. Nonsense, my sick humor always came through at the worst times. I just belonged to myself, no one was allowed to presume to own me and above all he shouldn't feel like this for me! The depth of his feelings was too much, definitely too much.

"Sirius, calm down. Don't behave that way. You're not a stupid boy, even if you're acting like one at the moment, and currently you make a fool out of yourself ," I told him icely, looking at him coldly.

"Oh, don't get smart with me. Do I come too close to the truth?", he hissed venomously, still holding me painfully tight.

"Hell, no, what do you think of me? I can promise you, no even swear, there is nothing going on between me and the Twins, if that's what is driving you!" I snarled, getting mad at him now after all. Did I ever say I hated to justify myself?

"Well… And I'm supposed to believe you about the Twins? I think I hear an undertone here ... if not the twins, then somebody _else_." he emphasized, "I won't let you fool me." he growled furiously, inching his face towards her, causing his hair to fall into his face, giving him a wild look.

"Argh, I don't owe you anything!" I cried angrily, for he had gone too far, way too far. "That's what _you_ think!" he yelled viciously, sensing that his legitimate doubts might be confirmed.

"Sirius, take your paws from me," I growled as I shoved his hands off of me. "If you continue like this, you'll be doing it on your own in the near future." I promised. "I'm not afraid of you. For me there will never be rules. What is wrong with you?" I asked in disbelief. "What did I do, for you react like this, how can you doubt me like that?" I was hurt. What he was saying hurt, how could he even say such things, he was clearly going too far, considering that I had made it clear that there would never be anything other than sex between us. I didn't want to lie and assure him that I won't have sex with other people, even I'm not that duplicitous, but what should I do? Once again I didn't have any other choice. _By now m_ y morality had become very flexible, comparable to that of a rubber band.

"Whatever ..." he released me angrily, thank the Goddess, and pushed himself off, pacing up and down the room, fuming. I pulled myself back up from the depth of the chair into a sitting position.

"So, after you three sneaked out, what did you do... if not fuck each other?" He hissed almost menacingly and looked at me questioningly with a suffering expression, but still with suppressed aggression.

"Sirius please, don't you think if I wanted to fuck the two of them that I couldn't have done that right here?" I challenged him, deadly serious, crossing my arms over of my chest. Which earned me a look of mixed horror and anger from him. What, that was only the truth! If I wanted to, I could have slept with them right here in the house!

"Y ... you're not serious, you …" he trailed off in disbelief. "So you're telling me that if there is someone else you'd like to have sex with, you would do it right under my nose?" His face showed complete astonishment as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Uh, yes ..." I replied, suddenly hesitant.

"I wouldn't have thought that even you were capable of something like that," he said gravely, looking concerned. _Well, until last night I wouldn't have thought I was capable of being a whore myself, but life was full of surprises,_ I added in my head. My emotions remained sparsely, so I kept silent and watched as he continued to walk up and down agitatedly.

"Okay. Does this mean that you've actually sneaked out for something else?" ,he asked, once again feeling hopeful. I nodded to him without a word.

"Yes, but if you want to know anything you should ask Fred and George, if they tell you, then fine, but if they don't, then that's the end of it," I told him I wouldn't say anything.

"In spite of your shocking revelations... I'll believe you haven't slept with the twins. I will be getting the rest of this out of them, rest assured." he promised, but to my ears it sounded more like a warning or a threat, and suddenly I was reminded that this was a former Marauder with a very fickle temper and that despite his kind nature, he was not to be messed with.

"You do what you have to, just be sure to remember that whatever you and I are, I'm not an object of your possession. I do _not_ belong to you!" I reminded him, because his possessiveness didn't suit me at all.

"Oh, so you wouldn't mind if I were to sleep with another woman?" ,he tried to provoke me, watching me carefully.

"Mhmh, I haven't thought about that.", I admitted thoughtfully, tilting my head to the side and giving the matter further thought, trying to imagine such a scenario.

"You can't seriously mean that, can you?" He protested incredulously, his exclamation interrupting my train of thought, before he collapsed in a defeated heap on the couch.

"Oh please Sirius, you know we won't marry," I replied briefly, choosing rationality over emotion. I had the feeling I needed to get some distance between us. That way Sirius wouldn't get the wrong idea.

"Oh, of course not, I know that, I just can't believe you could be like that." he played down the issue. "But how could you dare to mistreat Harry like that?" There was already anger glittering in his eyes again.

"You can go to the Twins for this as well if you'd like, it's their products they've tested, Skiving Snackbox. As a Marauder, you must see the genius behind it. I can promise you Harry won't have to worry about it the next time." I explained nastily and didn't let him blame me.

"What ...?" He asked, stunned.

"Go to Fred and George, they're in their room." I repeated slowly. "Now, I think we cleared that up, so I must be on my way soon." I said coldly, reaching for the file on the table.

"That's it? You just shrug it off?" ,he enquired incredulously.

"Yes, what am I supposed to do instead? We have made our points of view clear," I replied, shrugging.

"What is that supposed to mean?", he continued asking, raising his arms desperately.

"Well, if there is no more problems, I would suggest everything remains as before: we continue to fuck… or do you not want it anymore?" I provoked him, grinning.

"Okay... of course... but..." he stammered slightly, not seeming to have understood everything yet.

"Well then, until tonight, as always," I said good-bye nonchalantly, smiling at him gently and confidently. When the door closed behind him, I collapsed. Ugh, an angry, narked Sirius was like a tornado. Damn, unfortunately he wasn't stupid. He had guessed and sensed a lot, and he hadn't imagined that I had been with someone else yesterday. I groaned and ran my hands over my tired face. At least I didn't have to worry about my acting skills. I had played the quiet yet confident persona very convincingly, though his possessive manner had taken me by surprise. The way he had got that possessiveness across by getting physical... I hadn't judged him to be so vulgar. I shuddered, as if shaking off dirt, and then I got myself ready, because I couldn't alter this situation in any way; only make the best of it.

After the training, a cheerful Sirius came to meet me, blowing a daring kiss on my lips well hidden in the hallway, and begging me for forgiveness with his intense doggy eyes. I don't know what the two red devils told him, but it seemed to have fundamentally changed Sirius' attitude, for he was as tame as a puppy and very attentive. I quickly got the information from them after dinner. They told me that an angry Sirius had swept into their room and asked them brutally straightforward if they were sleeping with me. At first they were perplexed, thinking that it wasn't Sirius' business; their eyes had almost fallen out of their heads because of his aggressive manner since yesterday night they had essentially fucked with me - or in other words, my body.

After they had recognized with their quick perception skills that Sirius was, for some reason, totally jealous and that he was apparently my current lover - well, considering Sirius' behaviour, it wasn't rocket science - they realized that they couldn't tell him everything, in any case, and so they had woven a half-true story. So they had decided, after Sirius had sworn to silence, to inaugurate him into their secret and told him the truth about themselves and what I had arranged for them yesterday. They had truly told him that they had been a couple for years, to be more exact since the end of my fourth year, and consequently gay, but that they had wanted to test whether one of them was perhaps interested in women as well. Since they had only ever had sex with each other, they wanted to broaden their horizons, but only together. George had started his first attempts at Hogwarts with women, but he had never taken the final step; instead he had often switched girls from house to house; but Fred had never even tried to approach a female. Fred had been fixed on men from the beginning, and he had been much more outspoken about it as his brother.

And now they had told Sirius everything. They hadn't concealed the fact that I had gotten them a prostitute who had had fun with them yesterday, but they had carefully concealed that this woman had become my look alike, and they had said nothing about my whereabouts.

"You are fucking Sirius. Man, I can't believe it. You're always good for a surprise... it really caught me off guard. Since when?", they bluntly asked me and seemed totally cheerful and jittery.

"A few days after I arrived here," I replied pointedly serenely.

"Wow, I told you, you're fucking amazing. Firstly, you're really fast and second, he's hot!" The Twins would know which guy was hot and which was not and thus Fred licked his lips luxuriously.

"Is he as … hmm .. delicious ... is he as well... _equipped_ as I think he is?" He asked eagerly and with little tact. Sure enough this question came from Fred.

"Oh, you two are devils, alright, but yes, he fulfills all conditions and no, he isn't gay and if you wish to have a threesome with a man after all that, I'll curse you!" I threatened, acting mad, and grinned widely at them.

"Hey, don't be like that, one has to be allowed still to envy you your bed bunny," Fred said indignantly. "And get your mind out of the gutter, I won't let a second man in my bed!", he explained, piqued, holding up the fore- and index fingers of his right hand as in an oath.

"Eh, what do you think? Me neither. This carrot head is man enough for me!" George joked meanly and grinned boldly. The two were a splendid couple.

"I congratulate you on the decision. I find him better than Krum," George attested me and Fred nodded agreeably. So I left them soon, as Sirius was waiting for me. The reconciliation Sirius awarded me was wonderful, gentle, tender, and he concentrated on me very much. I want to note here that I would have given him my deepest thanks because my still heavily exhausted femininity wouldn't have been able to tolerate a less tender "mating", but it also reminded me that he actually didn't need to apologize for anything, but he would never come to know that. The following time flew by.

I got along well with the books, the weapon training became harder, but I always improved. The potions and ointments all succeeded as well, the work couldn't have run better. My days were filled with my tasks and projects, which ran to my full satisfaction. Even time with Sirius was great again. We had sex every night. I think for many years Sirius hadn't been as good-tempered as he was at this time. I spent some nice hours with Harry, Ron and Ginny too, playing and chatting together. I didn't know what Harry was doing different, but where I had felt so out of place before, he always succeeded in integrating me and created a niche for me where I felt comfortable.

But soon the holidays would be over.


	29. Letter from Hogwarts and Gringotts Again

Who would've thought that I'd find such amazing new Betas! We're really quite up to date. And I wouldn't have been able without my Betas. *cheering for them*

But now, A big Thank you to: The Guest (Whoever you are) Such an amazing Review. Thank you!

And of course my luvies: sjrodgers23 and roon0 I love every single word you send me.

Now, please enjoy our non cut all original non naughty chapter. xx

* * *

Letter from Hogwarts and Gringotts Again

Today, two days before the holidays ended and we had to go back to Hogwarts, a ton of owls, six total, sailed into the kitchen and landed on the table, which caused a huge mess, as was to be expected. And as usual with Weasleys, this ended with a lot of chaos, fuss and shrieking, the poor animals. Until finally everyone was holding their letter in their hands, Sirius almost fell out of his chair with laughter. My hair looked like a big bird-nest, after some stupid joke article from the twins went wild and put the birds in even more unnecessary additional panic and they sought protection everywhere, literally everywhere. At least I wasn't the only fool. Harry was still crawling around the floor on all fours to find his glasses, which got torn away from his nose by a frightened owl. It was really a laugh. The table, or at least the food on it, had fallen victim to a battle, and Ron still tried unhappily to remove the muesli from his hair.

It was hysterically funny.

Thanks to magic, we were sitting around the table twenty-five minutes later, everyone and everything more or less tidied up. We opened our official Hogwarts letters. As I expected, a silver prefect badge fell in my lap. I didn't look particularly surprised at the table, but when I saw Ron's incredulous, pop-eyed gaze and Harry's bewildered stare toward Ron's hand, I became uneasy. I immediately wondered what kind of brilliant idea the old man had had now.

"I ... I ... don't believe it Harry, Hermione ... Mum!" Ron shouted excitedly and waved the bit of silver in his hand through the air. Oh, no, please don't. What was Dumbledore thinking? Why Ron? Why should Ron be made the male prefect and not Harry? I immediately threw an intense, reckoning glance at Harry. He tried bravely to conceal his disappointment, and to be happy for Ron, including a fake smile. How could the headmaster do this to him? Everyone expected Harry would hold that office. By doing this, Dumbledore humiliated him in front of everyone, especially in front of the Slytherins. Why? What was he thinking with his twisted brain? I couldn't see how this could be a clever move. Besides, Harry would soon have to face again the mockery and malice of his fellow students because he didn't become a prefect, just like in the very difficult fourth year - don't even mention the way it ended.

Arrr, I was surrounded by idiots only and I would once again bet my right had that Draco Malfoy would very well become Slytherin's prefect and with this thought I didn't even want to know why Dumbledore was doing this, except that he totally discriminated Harry. I wondered if Umbridge was a reason for this decision. No, why now already, no, it couldn't be, I rejected this train of thought and got angry. I gave up on the mystery and my need to understand the professor's decision, because it would drive me into madness.

"Congratulations Ron!" I nodded. The completely surprising news that Ron was now holding this office had led to a small turmoil in the kitchen. Molly was so happy, she couldn't stop herself anymore. It was unbearable, as she instantly hugged Ron and sobbed aloud. The Twins gave me a disgruntled look, as to say, why Ron? Not that we weren't happy for him, but it should've been Harry. I shrugged in their direction, but I thought about what I could do.

"Uh, Harry, could you help me swiftly with my books?" I looked at him imploringly, and he looked back shyly and sadly, while Ron quickly turned to look at us.

"But Hermione, I can help you with it too!", the clumsy oaf Ron offered himself grandiloquently and puffed himself up. What was he thinking? Because we were now paired as prefects, we would be a pair in the romantical sense as well? How absolutely ridiculous this was! But the fiery gaze he gave me now could hardly be interpreted differently. He was so deep below me, I didn't mean that as bad as it sounded, but I had experienced a lot in my life, and the last few months separated me from normal young people of my age even more. Why else would I feel more comfortable being with the Twins, Harry or older men? They had experienced things, some of them horribly bad things, but it made them so unique and extraordinary. We weren't like the ignorant, large, normal mass of human beings, who knew nothing about the harsh and brutal reality of the world. I wouldn't say that we were special, but we were different in any case.

Only Harry, in his youthful naivete, hadn't yet accepted that he was different, special and certainly not normal, but the realisation would still set in. Sometimes it set in later rather than earlier, but it always set in.

"No thanks Ron, nice of you, but only Harry can help me, otherwise I would have to explain too much because it is about something muggle. Well, Harry, are you coming?" I got up and stopped Rons complain with a harsh gesture whilst the twins stepped in and began to tease him with his new title.

"Sure," Harry said, not very enthusiastically, but he shuffled after me faithfully. After closed the library door, I had quickly embraced the disappointed, sad, young man in the blink of an eye, and hold him tight. After a second, he gave up his stiff, uncomfortable posture and gave in to the feeling of security the embrace provided. I wanted to give him consolation, but I also knew that he was not accustomed to allow much physical closeness due to his life at the Dursleys. He always had to get used to accepting this, the token of affection, so he started to relax after a long time and then I whispered to shoulder.

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry, but please, get over it, don't let anybody see it... play the indifferent!" I told him, as he tried to distance himself from me. But I was much stronger than him, thanks to my strength training, and so he gave up his effort very soon, when I didn't let go and clung to him. "Harry, I'm not talking about Ron or the others in this house," I said firmly, but stroked his back gently as well, to break his resistance, until he stopped abruptly to struggle and laid back in my arms again.

"Harry, can you hear me?" I implored him. He nodded mutely at my shoulder. We were still standing in the middle of the room, hugging tightly. I thought I heard a little sniff. Oh, my dear, poor Harry. I'd love to choke this old buffer, if he knew how he hurt Harry and his feelings again and again.

"Listen to me, as much as I hope I'm wrong about this, you know that I'm most likely correct with my assumptions, and I suspect Malfoy will be the prefect for his house," I continued to talk business with him, even while keeping him trapped in my embrace. Currently he struggled again quite energetically to free himself, but I knew how to prevent it. This showed me that he hadn't thought that far, just like probably everyone else in the kitchen, okay, maybe excluding the twins, and that it made Harry's humiliation complete.

"Shush, calm down. I told you because I want you to be above it, smiling, and not give them the satisfaction of seeing you hurt," I continued quickly, my voice urgent. He started to calm down, but couldn't suppress a sob, which escaped him loudly. I embraced him even more firmly.

"Why Dumbledore didn't appoint you as the prefect but chose Ron instead, I haven't the faintest idea. I can't understand it and I think it's wrong!" I said fervently, allowing my hands to gently stroke Harry's trembling back in an effort to comfort him.

"Oh Mione, what would I do without you? You are my anchor; without you I wouldn't have survived the past few years," he muttered softly, his face still pressed against my neck. "Especially the last year during the tournament. I would definitely be dead if you hadn't practiced with me."

"Shush, Harry don't say that! I do this because I love you. Don't count it up, because you don't owe me anything, understood?" I whispered roughly into his ear. He nodded hesitantly, but I knew we understood each other in that matter.

"I'm so disappointed, have I done something wrong?" His voice was full of anguish. "Also, I'm a bad friend. I'm happy for Ron, but then I'm not!", he stuttered, his confusion and frustration evident. I pulled myself back, releasing him from my embrace in order to face him. I could see unshed tears glimmer in his eyes and his nose was red.

"No, no, no, that's the wrong way of thinking," I told him indignantly. "Harry, I know you don't want to hear it, but Dumbledore is doing something wrong," I said, my disapproval clear. I then tried to reassure him. "You didn't do anything wrong. And that you envy Ron is understandable, but that doesn't make you a bad friend! Also, Ron hadn't exactly covered himself in glory last year!", I showed my anger openly. I pulled him to the couch and cuddled with him to comfort him.

"Hmm, you're right, now I'm no longer sad, but annoyed! It's not that I really want to be a prefect, but everyone ...! Well, if everyone assumes it ... and you really believe he makes Malfoy a prefect and not me?" He looked trustingly at me with his big, emerald eyes and spoke a lot of truth. It would have surprised me if Harry had wanted this post of his own accord, but as he said it, if this was expected by your environment, you also expect it and that was the terrible offense of Dumbledore, as I thought. At first he made it appear as if Harry would always play a special role for him and now that! I breathed out unhappily.

"Yes, Harry, I fear it to 100 percent!", I stated gently while I smiled sadly at him.

"If you say so, I believe it. I would never bet against you in such a case," he laughed unhappily, his expression showing a certain serenity that hadn't been there before.

"And you think I should endure it with a cold shoulder?", he asked cautiously, looking quite unhappy.

"Yes, don't give them the satisfaction! Be above it with a fake smile!" I pled with him, stroking his cheek encouragingly. He suddenly turned his face and grazed the fingers of my hand with his lips, then lifted his own one, gently took my still raised hand into his and breathed a soft kiss on it. It was an unfamiliar charming gesture that surprised me, but it was simply sweet.

"You're the best thing that could happen to me. I thank you, that you always help me with advice and deeds, thank you!", he whispered intensely and tenderly caressed the back of my hand with his thumb.

"Of course Harry. Are you better?" I asked, unusually caring. He nodded briefly and smiled slightly, though it wasn't easy for him.

"I'll go and celebrate Ron. He is otherwise always in my shadow! He should enjoy it!", it came surprisingly solid of Harry and he rose. It showed, that Harry was a really good friend who managed to get his own disappointment behind him.

"Do that, I'll stay here," I replied, smiling sweetly.

"I thought so, my bookworm!" He laughed heartily. Good, we had this drama behind us. But Harry's statement occupied me. Had the old man actually given Ron the office so that he wouldn't always be in Harry's shadow? That would be so unfair. Ron had to be buttered up, so he would stay Harry's friend? What was going on in Dumbledore's mind? Especially how Ron had behaved in fourth year, he could be glad that Harry wanted him as a friend again. Oh, when I thought back to the time of the tournament and Ron's inappropriate, jealous behavior, I regularly began to boil on the inside. But I couldn't go to Ron and tear the badge out of his hands, so I accepted the idiotic decision and stringently continued my daily routine.

I arrived back for dinner. My sensei demanded more and more from me. I had to increase my strength training steadily and a constant development was noticeable as a result. I would've never anticipated or even thought it possible that I could ever be so strong. No one would presume this strength in my small, delicate body, but I was absolutely exhausted as a result of the exertion and burst into the middle of a party - for Ron and me to celebrate our prefect appointment, Sirius explained to me whisperingly. Aha ... nice for Ron ... and appaling for me, this noise!

They had turned the kitchen into a mess of chaotic, colorful confetti, with garlands and colorful plates and cups. The dessert was a cake with silver glaze, whose shape was modeled after the prefect plaque, but which seemed relatively crooked. Ron immediately presented his gift to me enthusiastically, a voucher for a racing broom which he would be able to redeem tomorrow. Under Sirius' attentive gaze I secretly took Harry's hand and squeezed it lovingly. The night went on longer thanks to the party and the Twins seized the moment to perform many mean jokes on Ron's cost. My two Red Devils could be so magnificently evil and compensated me.

Later, Sirius also found a way to vent out his frustrations, with a little help from myself. He wasn't happy to be alone at Grimmauld Place again, his only company his nagging mother and Kreacher, whom he loathed from the bottom of his heart. He was becoming quite melancholic, but I managed to divert his thoughts. So we spent a passionate night, though tainted with the bitter aftertaste of parting.

The next day everyone was in a rush to get ready for today's trip to Diagon Alley, since tomorrow was the last day in the Blacks' homestead before heading back to Hogwarts. The knowledge that I would be a Prefect made it easier for me to set up any plans I had for the future, mainly because I would have privileges that most that Hogwarts students didn't.

The position brought with it some perks I would make sure to use. The duties, on the other hand, were laughably small. Sirius looked very sad, probably because he would have to stay back at the house. I said good-bye with a smile promising unforgettable hours, before our large group, containing Molly, Arthur, Twins, Ron, Ginny, Remus, Tonks, Harry and myself, began to make our way to the Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley.

The medieval looking alley was brimming with activity, witches, wizards were buzzing around with their families. I loved feeling like this. It would be nice to be able to easily enjoy life and what it offered without having the thought of having the Dark Lord returning hanging over our heads, but he was, and now we all had to live with the darkness that was beginning to rise. Vanishing that train of thought from my head I began leading the way to Madam Malkin's for new robes and a quick stop inside Mr. Mulpeppers Apothecary to restock and Eeylops' for treats and so on. After we had purchased our books at Flourish and Blotts we all decided that a long day deserved a good treat so we all went to Florean Fortescue's for ice cream, where the Quidditch loving Weasley clan agreed to go and get Ron's broom. And never one to miss an opportunity, I put the plan into motion that I had devised a long time ago, given that my appointment was fixed since the start of the holidays.

"I'm sorry guys, you'll have to go without me!" I Ï made a show of apologizing to the boisterous group standing under the bright blue sky, their hair catching the light making it look as if it was burning.

"But Hermione, why, what, how?", Harry whined eloquently.

"I have an appointment. See you this evening, okay?" I said, placing my hand on his shoulder and giving him a brief kiss on the cheek, noticing out of the corner of my eye that Ginny was watching, her face looking like she had bitten into a lemon. Seeing this, Fred and George began to imitate me and Harry jokingly and mocked Ginny, apparently her coy fawning for Harry was getting on their nerves.

"An appointment Hermione, _really_? That's not feasible. What are you up to?" Remus asked his head shaking in disapproval.

"I have an appointment. Nothing I haven't done frequently in the last few weeks," I said in annoyance, _why was everyone suddenly questioning me?_

"But that's too dangerous now," Molly said, disapprovingly, and Remus nodded in agreement.

"It's not and if I don't hurry, I'll be late and I don't like being late." I snapped and pursed my lips into an angry line.

"See you all later," I said in finality before I stormed off into the midst of the masses crowding Diagon Alley in the hours before noon.

"Hermione, wait!" Harry and Ron were already shouting. "We're all coming along!"

 _Yes, because that is_ exactly _what I need right now._ I thought sarcastically. I needed to act fast. Noticing an opening, I quickly slipped into the crowd and pulled out my wand before transforming myself into Minna Cale, and making a run for it, feeling thankful that I had chosen to wear my light, dark gray coat, and didn't stand out any further because of it. Once I was a safe distance away I fell into a more leisurely pace, and soon a bunch of redheads stormed past me. At a much slower pace a pair of twins followed the others, seeming to enjoy themselves splendidly.

I couldn't resist the triumphant smile that crept onto my face as I hurried up the white steps into the building and to my _appointment_ , to my important appointment with Rangok. A few minutes later, I was sitting opposite of him in his pretty, bright, marble office. "How lovely to see you again, Miss Granger. How were your holidays, relaxing I hope?" He asked politely, and as I was now more practiced to conjure up my disguise, I sat opposite him as myself.

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Rangok, it was both eventful and successful. Less refreshing I fear," I said with a friendly smile as I looked at the goblin.

"Well then, before we discuss further issues, I will bring you up to date with the activities so far," he said eagerly. I watched him attentively as he straightened himself up.

"First point of business: We've finished faking your muggle documents, including new identities for both your parents. All you have to do is to mandate the time for the exchange with the real documents." he said giving me a look before he continued. "The magical documents attesting that you are a year older, due to the use of a time-turner, have already been made in your presence and thus, they will go automatically to the ministry when you give us the go ahead." After taking a short breath he reached for the next pile of parchments, before continuing.

"Second: The properties in Australia have already been considered and can be acquired." I nodded in satisfaction and he carried on. "Third: The documents necessary to put your parents' dental practice up for sale here in England are finished and thus it can be released for sale at any moment." _That worked better than expected_ , I thought in surprise, while Rangok continued and didn't disappoint me.

"Fourth: The accounts, shares and savings schemes for them have also been prepared for when you're ready to have them attached to their new identities. In which case, we also prepared the pension payments and health insurance contributions of your parents to be transferred to their new names." The immense wave of relief that flooded over me at hearing this was so powerful, I felt a great weight lift from my shoulders. _This was good, this was really_ good. I listened to the goblin with newfound eagerness as he pulled forth what appeared to be the last stack of parchments.

"Fifth point of business: The accounts and savings schemes which your parents created for you, are also ready to be transferred to your Gringotts vault as soon as you give us the starting signal. Sixth and last, a warding team is on standby to provide the blood protection for your parents home in Chelsea as soon as they are gone." Now he nodded in contentment as he peered back at the documents before continuing.

"Well, I think that was everything for now. Oh no, here your, ... your last instruction ... ah here, we did as you instructed and sent 2,000 galleons to the vault of Mr & Mr Weasley!", Rangok explained and then leaned back, satisfied.

"Mr. Rangok, I don't know what to say. Gringotts is incredible. I don't know what compliment I can give to express my full satisfaction," I said, deadly serious.

"I thank you for the compliment, Miss Granger!" He bowed slightly, showing his sharp teeth. "Gringotts sets great value that its customers are absolutely satisfied!"

"Can I do something else for you?" He asked tentatively.

"You can indeed, Mr. Rangok. Point 1: I plan to send my parents away next year one day after the start of the summer holidays, so on the first of July. That is, I would start with the sale of the dental practice one to two months before that and then hand it over in the late afternoon on the day my parents disappear. Once the practice has been sold, please immediately buy the real estate, home and practice in Australia. The flight tickets should also be issued for the first day of the holidays, I leave the exact time to you. I'll change their memories at 8 o'clock, after that they'll be yours!", it came very structured from me, but also unemotional, while Rangok just nodded.

"This is all very realistic. That means the final deadline for the remaining points is the first of July, correct?" I shrugged in agreement.

"Mr Rangok, I thought you might make it look like the married couple Granger really wanted to emigrate, and then, under unfortunate circumstances, it would never happen!" I said deliberately and very suggestively.

"Everything is recorded, but I don't quite understand your last idea yet?" He scribbled quickly and asked, interested. "What do you really mean, what should we do?",he enquired offensively now, a devious gleam in his eyes while he looked intensely at me.

"This could be delicate now and it is very unpleasant for me, I hope you ... ah ..." I stopped frustrated. I didn't really want to talk about this with the goblin, but I needed their help to do all this as I planned.

"You know that we take the secrets of our customers very seriously, Miss Granger. Your secrets are our secrets, that has been the business policy for centuries!" The little goblin said seriously and made a wide-reaching, all-embracing gesture with his hand. I nodded, surrendered, and then raised my head resolutely, and straightened my back. Finally I released my breath in a long sigh.

"I would like you to book a family suite at the 'Marquis Inn' in Dover on the family name Granger starting on the first of July. I will check in after you took over my parents. Hence, I would like you to not sell my parent's car, but to make sure that the car is on the first of July at 10 pm at the Chalk Cliffs in Dover," I explained. Rangok grimaced so much his eyebrows just reached his hairline. I could almost hear him rack his brain.

"I ... however you wish, anything else?" I could see how difficult it was for him to ask no questions.

"Please, leave the life insurances of my parents, as I know I am registered as the beneficiary after the specific parent!", I declared emotionless, cold. Rangok's eyes had just to be described as gigantic after my words and disbelief glimmered through them at me.

"Let me check that, Miss Granger!" He croaked a little, his voice sounded slightly pressed. I leaned back and waited and watched the swiftly floating parchments. Rangok suddenly seemed a little bit less confident than I had ever seen him.

"Yes, yes, here we have it! What you say is correct. Mr. and Mrs. Granger each have a life insurance, with 2 million pounds per person completed in your favor!", he read zealously.

"Wonderful, you know Mr. Rangok, I thought it might be noticeable when my parents suddenly disappeared, but this way there will be a natural explanation that I don't have any parents anymore," I smiled now, and received just brief silence.

"But how do we explain that your parents wanted to leave from here?", he asked curiously.

"Well, as I said before, you can make it look as if they were really intending to emigrate for example to America or Africa, and wanted to go on a last family trip with me in England. It doesn't matter where my parents live, since I go to a boarding school. But before they can fully turn their backs on England, they will unfortunately...", I left it open cryptically and made a vague hand gesture, something that the magical being in front of me skeptically looked at before he shivered and then continued busily as usual.

"All right, as you wish, Miss Granger. Everything will be done, but you intend to really send your parents away, don't you? How will that work with the car and the life insurance?", the goblin wanted to know curiously, as he wriggled on his chair, unusually restless for a goblin.

"My dear Mr. Rangok, let that be my concern. If everything has been successful, we'll talk about it in detail!" I promised, but quickly showed him his boundaries.

"Of course, Miss Granger, can I do anything else for you?", he asked attentively.

"No, that's it. It was a pleasure for me as always, and I am looking forward to our mail exchange, from now on every first and 15th day of the month. I once again thank you for your extraordinary effort. It's always a pleasure to do business with you!", I bowed politely and said goodbye.

On to my next appointment.


	30. Fight for Life and Death

OMG here I am again, finally! I do apologize for that long wait. (My housing agency is bullshit and didn't give a f** that we didn't have any wifi for more than 2 weeks. xD It was hell) But now I'm all yours again, so please do enjoy!

Thanks so much for all the new readers, followers and awesome reviews! xxx

PS: Please note, from here on the story will be Mature - Explicit and we ask you to not read it if you're under 18! For everyone else; Don't like, don't read.

As Explicit scenes aren't allowed in FF Net, I have to warn you that all the "graphic depiction of violence + minor character death" Scenes are cut out. As usual you can let me know if you want to read the full chapter.

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Fight for Life and Death

If I had known what a crucial turn my life would take now, what boundaries would be exceeded today, I would've fled to Grimmauld Place, would've hid in my room, but I didn't. Thus I faced my fate and it happened as it was destined to be.

I had to hurry to get to my sensei on time. When we finished the training, he said to me: "You are an amazing student and I am very proud of you! You have built up an incredible level of skill and knowledge in the short time available. It was a pleasure to teach you." He gave me unusual compliments, which was not necessarily his way, but I was all the more pleased.

"Sensei, your praise makes me tremendously happy. I have a request: could you continue teaching me once a week, every Friday, from 5 pm to 9 pm?" I asked him inquisitively. A smile spread across his face. "Of course, I had the hope that you would want to continue, because you are able to reach true mastery in combat, Miss Granger," he said very seriously, and this was evident as well on his usually stern face.

"You are too kind, Sensei!" I showed my respect and bowed deeply. "I'm going to ask my bank to do a monthly membership payment, say 500 pounds a month?"

"Do that, that's alright. I'm looking forward to seeing you next Friday," he smiled, very pleased and said good-bye.

It was wonderful that we had agreed on an appointment because I had chosen to continue my training despite the resulting difficulties. I would have to leave the school without permission, but it was just too important to continue my combat training, so I was ready to take that risk. In addition, Hogwarts offered many opportunities to disappear for a few hours. When I exited the centre, the bright blue sky from this morning had vanished. It had darkened, clouds had appeared, a certain humidity had spread over London, announcing a thunderstorm. Thus now, shortly before eight, it was already really dark. As I approached the side street to apparate, I heard strange and suspicious noises behind me!

A somewhat louder, hectic shout, whispers, quicker steps that made me restless and suspicious. I instinctively increased my pace as well, but I didn't dare to turn around, since I didn't want to draw attention to the fact that I was very well aware something was wrong.

Was someone following me?

I carefully raised my arm on which the holster with my wand was fastened. I wore my invisible horus daggers over my jeans, so I felt relatively safe and well protected. One never knew in these times, but nevertheless the uneasy feeling didn't leave. I kept moving swiftly in the direction of the dark alley. My hands were clammy with anxiety, for I still sensed the steps threateningly behind me.

They were still hard on my heels, damn it!

Bloody hell, I could hear their rattling breath. They came closer fast and I was sure that these people were following me! I realized that not only would I not be able to apparate unseen, I also didn't know with whom I had to deal with - whether it was some young muggles, who wouldn't be scared of my wand, since they would be more amused about it than anything else: "What kind of thin stick is that?" But, in the end, I'd have an easy job of it. Or the other alternative, which I didn't want to think about, but with my luck it was almost certain that I got the less desirable alternative.

There was no other choice; I had to turn around, face the enemy and see what or who was following me. There were at least two, I was able to determine based on the sounds they made. _Just do it. You can do it, Hermione,_ I told myself relentlessly. And then I did it, throwing a quick look over my right shoulder from one second to the next...

What I saw made my blood freeze in my veins. I could see two big male figures in dark pants and t-shirts, which were known to me, unfortunately, and so the worst that could have happened, happened once again. Once again luck was on my side. I had the honor of two recently graduated Slytherins who had probably recognized me as Hermione Granger, and could hardly believe their luck.

Okay, where was Snape when you needed him? I'd love to take this alternative, to spread my legs for him, for money or not, but no, I had to get the best part of the cake again. Great, I was a darling of fortune. My mind was working with full capacity. What was the name of the two thugs who chased me? I knew them from seeing, they had been on the Quidditch team, hadn't they? One I finally recognized as Bole, an ugly guy who had gotten too many bludgers to the head. His long, blond hair was tied in a pony tail. The black-haired man next to him was Derrick. I remembered that he was the other's partner as beater on the Slytherin Quidditch team, and was rather tall compared to the broader Bole. Both had been unsympathetic bullies already at school. Unfortunately, the sight of these two brutal guys only allowed one conclusion, and I just didn't like it: Death Eaters! Probably marked with quite new and still painful dark marks. I hardly could believe my luck, I, of course, had to encounter Death Eaters in a purely Muggle area. What business could they possibly have here?

And these idiots were, of course, also former schoolmates who immediately recognized me as Harry Potter's friend. Sometimes life wrote really more grotesque stories than any crappy film script. It was enough to drive me crazy. Since they were wizards, I could use my wand - there had to be something good about the whole thing, because they wouldn't expect it. They would also underestimate my defense, as they only saw a little schoolgirl in me. I had to use this to my advantage, because I was outgunned purely by these bullies' physicality. I should take it as a challenge; I had prepared myself for a long time for this kind of situation: Death Eaters! And also, to stand up to physically distinctly superior people in a fight and to be an equal opponent. Now the time for hesitation was over for me. I wanted to jump into this fight and I did, similar to the situation with Snape, when I just did it and acted like the whore he thought I was; so, I would go through this in the same way.

I currently didn't feel any fear or anxiety. My breathing was normal and calm, the sweat had dried on my palms, so I mentally prepared myself for the expected confrontation and nipped any panic in the bud. I had to keep a clear head and banished my rushing blood into the background with an inner, icy control. I steadily increased my pace, ran hurriedly into the alley, welcomed the darkness there, and saw it as a friend, instead of something terrifying. I quickly ran around the corner and hid behind one of the many garbage cans scattered across the alley. From there I aimed my wand at Bole. Now I needed to be fast and catch them by surprise. As one witch against two wizards speed was my only advantage. Let's do it! The two started to run, too, as they apparently suspected that I had seen them. They had already drawn their wands while in pursuit.

I fired a wordless Expelliarmus towards Bole, who's wand got ripped out of his hand in the middle of his sprint and flew towards me. He looked stunned, dumb as he narrowed his eyes in disbelieve but stubbornly continued to run, even speeding up. I loudly called out a Stupor against Derrick, who was running a little farther ahead. The red ray from my wand hit him directly in the chest and hurled him violently against a wall. He hit the street hard with his body. One could hear a distinct crunch, before he sank to the ground slowly, unconscious. This happened in a matter of seconds. Haha, I had just knocked out an 18-year-old, but my joy only short lived as his buddy was charging towards me like a giant wild bear. Because I had disarmed him, I counted on a physical attack.

I was also stained with Boles blood from head to toe, still holding one of my daggers in my hand, was ready to continue fighting any time, and only now did I regain consciousness that I had suffered an injury as well. I quickly looked down my body. Thanks to the adrenaline rush that the fight had given me, I felt absolutely no pain! I was in shock I confessed to myself with a sardonic and almost sad smile when I saw Boles knife still inside me and was tempted to scream at this sight. But then I recalled all the medical books I've read, which had been at home and which I already finished reading when I was a young girl. Thankfully my parents were doctors, this had enabled me to take a few first aid courses.

My blood rushed pulsating in my ears and the adrenaline pumped heavily through my veins. So, where were we? The knife was stuck in my left side near the back. I knew the spleen had to be there, not a vital, not an essential organ. I cocked my head in thoughts, as I squinted down at myself. I had to suppress the strong impulse to grab the hilt and pull it out, but that wouldn't be good. As it was now, the wound was sealed neatly and I couldn't bleed out, hence I came to the ice cold, calculated decision to leave it stuck inside me because I wasn't very handicapped for the time being.

It wasn't easy, but I had the discipline to consciously leave it stuck, although I was struggling with myself heavily. I lifted my head and took a deep breath. Shit, that had been a near thing. I had almost kicked the bucket. _Stop_ , I told myself to abandon the thought, because there was no time for that. I had to act quickly, because if someone found me, in this more than compromising situation, I would have to explain way too much. I would get into trouble if anyone would discover the corpse, not only with the muggles, but also with the wizards, so I had to tackle everything well planned, in order to get out of it safe and sound in more than one respect. Bloody Death Eaters!

I put my dagger away with a skilfull move, and raised my hand to see if the purchase of the holster for my wand had been worth my money, since it had been beaten out of my hand before, and lo and behold, Ollivander had not lied about his family secrets, my wand was already in its proper place. Very well, the investment was worth it, just like these magical knives, which cut and stabbed wonderfully through everything without too much effort, I thought very pleased. Next, I magically retrieved my lost dagger, which Bole had slapped out of my hand.

Good that I had always been fast in making plans, because I had already something in my mind. First I called both the wands of Derrick and Bole to me with an Accio and let them magically disappear in my sports bag. I had dropped it behind the dustbin before. Only then did I turn to the living person on the ground, Derrick, which I knocked out with a stunner. I could see that he seemed to have a laceration at the back of his head. The rest of him seemed more or less alright. Apparently, the Stupor slowly lost its strength, as Derrick groaned again and agai. I guessed he had a broken skull, based on the sounds when he had crushed into the wall earlier, but I didn't care. Despite this whole grotesque situation, I got a brilliant idea to show Fudge that maybe strange things were happening in association with Death Eaters after all, for how else would two Hogwarts graduates have acquired the Dark Mark?

I hardly moved, instead turning around to and fro with caution. I cut off the shirts on the left shoulder of both of them with a diffindo, and immediately I could see the tattoos of a skull with a snake twining out of its mouth, almost glowing on the white, pale skin of their left forearms. In spite of this surreality, I continued to pursue my quickly devised plan, functioning like a robot. Now I woke him up with an Enervate, brought him out of the unconsciousness of the Stupor. Derrick immediately opened his eyes panicky and wanted to attack me despite his injuries. I expected that and was faster. First I spoke the Incarcerus, whereupon ropes surrounded his body and captivated him. He shouted angrily, just to whimper seconds after, as his head ached painfully.

An Obliviate followed immediately, his eyes grew dull and glassy. I ordered him to forget his name, his family, the Dark Mark, me, the alley, everything, instead I whispered to him, malicious as I was, that he was a muggle and something like magic doesn't exist. Punishment and revenge were necessary and I was really furious. Hell, a knife was sticking out of me! My mood was at rock bottom. When I finished the spell, he still seemed spaced out. Wonderful, now I had practised the complete deletion and re-creation of a completely different life story, too. I was getting better and better for my parents. Next I turned my head and looked at the corpse indifferently. I wouldn't have to invest much effort with him, I thought deprecatingly. What an ass!

My left hand absentmindedly wandered to the knife in my side and ran lightly over it. I grimaced. _Not now, stay with the present, you can take care of it later_ , I motivated myself. I tried to move as little as I could and kept my upper body rigid all the time, as if a board had been strapped to my back. Well, what you wouldn't do when a knife was stuck in you. It couldn't be so bad when my humor came back, I thought resigned, but not really amused. With a Mobilicorpus, with which I spelled the corpse, the lifeless body rose in the air, floated in the middle of the dimly lit alley like in a bad horror film. If one were inclined to be afraid, one would surely pee in one's pants now. With a wave of my wand, I gently directed the dead man to lie down over his mate. This wasn't meant as a macabre joke, no, I had a reason to pack the two as a small package. I grinned to myself nastily, maybe even a bit crazy, it was clearly the shock!

Well, then I would go on to break another law of the ministry. Now I would for the first time - somehow I recently experienced far too many first times for my taste - create a portkey. I looked around the alley attentively and discovered a coke can, which I called to me with an Accio. It flew into my hand. I concentrated myself, pointing with the wand to the can and whispered, "Portus, the ministry of magic, arrivals hall," whereupon the can lit up in bright blue, then looked completely normal again.

It wasn't an easy spell, but it wasn't difficult for me either. I floated the can into the hand of the wounded Death Eater and stepped back, watching the events closely, hoping to have done everything correctly, and soon I was alone in the alley stinking of fresh blood and summery, decaying garbage. I had totally forgotten my bloodsoaked look. My thoughts were still dwelling on the two attackers. In consideration of whether I had hopefully created the portkey correctly and what excitement would rule now - if it had worked - in the halls of the ministry in which two Death Eaters had appeared out of nowhere. One was severely injured, more or less left dumb after an Obliviate, and the other a violently mutilated corpse. Well, hopefully there weren't any small children right now. I would employ Rita to find out everything, because I was way too curious.

But now I had another, much more urgent problem. To get myself out of the mess and without much ado. Since the immediate danger was now gone, I felt a faint dizziness suddenly invade my body. I staggered slightly and braced myself, exhausted, with a hand on the wall. Ah, now that the first rush had subsided, throbbing pain spread through my body. I mean there was a knife stuck completely inside me. How did I deserve that? Had I done anything to anyone?

Oops, well, now I did, but I didn't want to think about it, I wanted to go home. I realized, as my hands began to shake and I let out my quivering breath, that getting home would be a long way. _Pull yourself together Hermione, you haven't been through this to collapse now._ I could still do that later, I reassured myself with nearly emotionless. Then I called my bag to me and concentrated solely on Grimmauld Place. Home, Sirius, Harry, Help! Concentration ... and jump.

I stumbled forward a few paces, groped blindly for the snake-alike door knocker of Black House, my breathing becoming more and more laboured. Sweat had formed on my upper lip, the effort I had to use to keep my body alert was quickly tiring me. I was lucky enough to have made the leap, which had brought me directly to the door of the city house and not into an alley, but in my distress I didn't care, since I was just glad I had not splinched myself into individual parts. I felt an incredible, heavy fatigue settle in my bones. _Not now Hermione, pull yourself together,_ I chided myself. _You've made it this far._

With an unbelievable effort I kept myself on my shaky legs, trembling uncontrollably. I once again looked at the unadorned, simple black wooden handle, which stuck out of my side. I almost lost myself in the sight, it held some incredible fascination for me.

Wow, the desire to immediately remove the foreign matter from my body was really huge. I actually had to use every bit of discipline and self-control I possessed to not do something very unreasonable. As I had said, I had apparated directly in front of the entrance, as I didn't have the strength to not choose the direct way. Now I carefully opened the door. It was just after eight o'clock, almost half past eight, everyone was most likely in the kitchen. Good, that was good for me, I thought, exhausted, and blinked with tired eyes. In less than half an hour, my life had turned by 180 degrees. Tears filled my eyes, I hadn't expected that I would be faced with the decision between life and death or at least not so soon, not that early, nothing, absolutely nothing would be like before!

Trembling I released my breath and pushed a sob back down my throat, where a huge lump was forming and I was tempted to cry loudly and scream for help! Well, there would be casualties in war, that couldn't be avoided, but we weren't in a real war yet. Oh, reality could really rob you of any illusion, I bluntly realised. I had always seen myself as a grey entity, I now had gotten my first black, raven-black holes in this greyness and when all was done, I was afraid that maybe I would be dark through and through.

That genuinely scared me, it scared me stiff. A choked sniff escaped me. I think I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The experiences I gained within the last few months might have been a bit too much for me, because it wasn't easy to handle it all! I always saw myself as tough and strong, but in this instant I felt empty, small, and weak. In any case I didn't want anyone to see me like this, because I was sure I looked terrible. Just now it occurred to me again that there was probably no place on my body that wasn't spattered with blood. I raised both hands and looked at them, but what I saw was sobering. Slender hands, blood stained hands.

So I dragged myself slowly and exhausted through the gloomy hall towards the stairs. _One step after the other,_ I tried to bolster myself up, but it was getting increasingly difficult to lift my legs for the next step. Eventually I stood at the bottom of the stairs. I wanted to go to the library, but looking up through the stairwell at the upper floors of the house made it seem like climbing Mount Everest. I groaned and swallowed heavily, my larynx was unpleasantly scratchy. Gosh, my throat still hurt! I wondered how it looked like.

An uncertain glance at the stairs and I decided that it was no use to stall. _Grit your teeth_ , I told myself. _You defied two Death Eaters, compared to that this here is but a joke_. I held tightly onto the banister with my right hand, pulling myself up step by step. The pain that swept through me as I raised my legs to climb up the stairs almost made me black out, as the knife scratched inside me with unconscious movements. This feeling would haunt me in my nightmares. My breath escaped loudly, rasping and puffing.

Wow, I felt dizzy, clearly from the blood loss. I didn't bleed like a pig, because I had let the weapon stuck inside me fore-sightedly, but it seemed like I had internal injuries that bled violently, which really didn't surprise me at all. I had managed it, I was on the first floor. I breathed like a walrus and dragged myself into the library with difficulty. I walked in like an old woman through the door and then my legs suddenly collapsed under my body, devoid of all strength. I sank to the floor with a scream, twisting quick-wittedly to land on my butt, since a knife still protruded from my body. Oh my goddess, who hated me so. I let loose another choked scream. It was hurting so much!

At last tears streamed down my cheeks, leaving trails in the dried blood on my face. I had to look like a monster. The monster I had become today. I drew my wand with an unsteady hand as I sat on the ground like a picture of bleeding misery, and thanked all the gods that I had practiced the Patronus spell here with my books in the last few weeks. After I had experienced the rescue of Harry and Sirius in our third grade, and now, after Harry had been attacked by Dementors in the midst of the holidays, it had seemed very sensible to me. As this corporeal protector could transmit messages as well, it was also suitable as a means of communication. I conjured my Patronus, and sent it away, hoping that he would understand and rush to my rescue, for I couldn't carry on much longer. My energy reserves were completely depleted, not only physically but also mentally. It was getting darker in front of my eyes, but I didn't allow myself to fall asleep as long as I was alone, so I directed an Episkey towards me, which was extremely weak and didn't really help.

I embraced my maltreated neck with my hands and ran my fingertips over my throat, discovering that I could feel the pressure marks of Bole's fingers and hands. Goose bumps ran over my entire body. I had only narrowly escaped from death. It made me feel terribly cold and sent my whole body shaking. Next, I called a blood-replenishing potion from my bag, which I had dragged up the fucking stairs. I managed to drink the potion before I couldn't hold myself upright any longer and let myself sink gently to my right side. How would the medics say, stable side position. Then I could feel my last strength flow out of my body, just like my gloriously deep-red blood, which was spreading over my grey T-shirt, which I noticed with blurred sight as I squinted down.

I stared dizzy at the door, my eyelids becoming heavier and heavier...

End of Hermione's POV


	31. Injured

We're back again!

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Your questions will be answered in this chapter today, I hope you enjoy.

See ya next week. xx

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Injured

Snape's POV

This house was a madhouse. Was it because of Black, the Weasleys or the gathering members of the Order?

I didn't know, I only knew that I could live without it, because these _giggles_ were absolutely annoying and now Potter's permanent presence in this house harassed me too! When he had come in he had looked absolutely dumbstruck when I had been sitting in his usual seat, in the dark next to Black. Potter apparently didn't like it at all, so his lips had twisted into a thin, disapproving line. Then he had turned away abruptly and settled down spontaneously in Miss Granger's usual seat, which, as I noticed Black's temporarily tense posture, didn't suit the other man in turn. It was hysterically funny, but of course there was nothing more than emphasised indifference on my features. Oh well, Potter, even the godson can't compete with the youthful, willing body of a woman, I thought maliciously and twisted down the corners of my mouth, for already the pictures of the last meeting came to my mind, where I had seen Black and Miss Perfect in action.

No, I didn't want to think of that, I called myself resolutely to order. I had found a way to eradicate the pictures of Miss Granger, but unfortunately hadn't been able to arrange a new meeting in the last few days. This close to the start of the school year and combined with my live as a spy my tasks were just too varied to have time to pursue my rare pleasure. When I thought about it... Minna, yes, she had successfully suppressed the thoughts of Miss Granger, and as I recalled my memory, I decided to send an owl soon!

But then my thoughts were interrupted much to my chagrin, as the cacophony of my surroundings reached unimaginable heights, and I had to listen to Lupin, Tonks, Potter and the red posse and how loudly indignant they were about Miss Granger's behaviour, since she had just said good-bye in Diagon Alley and disappeared without a trace! Unbelievable, unfortunately, I couldn't blame her. This was the dominant theme of this impertinent and obnoxious rabble.

I looked at Black, who became increasingly restless and glanced at the door again and again. It was already half past nine. And as much as I knew, Miss Granger always came back at eight o'clock, or shortly afterwards. She was punctual and in this respect she was just as pedantic as with her mile-long essays with all the cross-references, annoying but predictable. I would never admit it, but I was like her. Me and any resemblance to Granger, just ridiculous! Why did that annoying little girl dominate my thoughts that much?

Exactly because she didn't present herself like a little schoolgirl. To Potter and the Weasleys perhaps, but to me and Black she had shown another, very different and very unexpected face. But now, what would I know or what would we know what Miss Granger was doing anyways? I wouldn't try to guess where she had left to, after I had gotten to know her more closely, as I doubted not to say something vicious, perhaps she was amusing herself with a man in an alley? Who could know it with her, I thought contemptuously and a little bit spiteful! Whilst I was deep in my thoughts, all of which were about Miss Granger, as I recognized with contempt and which I would never admit openly, a Patronus burst suddenly through the kitchen door, a magpie! Who, by Slytherin, had a magpie? It flew straight toward Black.

I just indignantly raised an eyebrow and watched all this from my corner. The whole kitchen was wrapped in silence. They all stared at the spectacle that was taking place before their eyes. The whole order was already there, except for Albus, and no one knew such a Patronus. This Patronus was now already in front of Black and a scratchy, breathless voice aspirated only one word "Casanova" and the magpie dissolved immediately into smoke and had thus delivered its message. Black's wary glance looked anxious at once, and his face had become very pale. He rose abruptly and rushed out of the room, even before a question could be addressed to him. He left behind a brief, intense silence before the grueling yelling started. What was that? Who was that? Why did Sirius know what it meant? What was meant by "Casanova"? And so on and so on ... blablabla ... why did I always have to persevere in the midst of such idiots? I thought to have a weak idea, but knowing..

And soon the kitchen door was thrown open with such impetus that it loudly hit the wall. It revealed a stiff, Black, white as chalk, his lips squeezed tightly.

"Snape. A. Word. In. The. Library!", Black breathed out breathlessly, as I had never, but truly never, heard him before. His eyes were rigidly fixed on me, as if they wanted to tell me something important. I slowly looked up, tilted my head. As it seemed serious and important, I nodded briefly and rose up smoothly. Black had ignored any question of the others, acting unfamiliarly cold. He astonished me, for he suddenly grabbed my arm.

"Faster, Severus, quicker, please," he said, trembling and started to jog, and I didn't appreciate such a treatment at all.

This sentence, with ... with my first name and the word "please," from Black! These things gave me a really bad feeling, because a Black who pleaded for something was impossible! Black would never address such words to me, for that we hated each other too fervently. What happened here? What was going on here? Thus we both stormed into the library and what revealed itself to me deeply touched me. My breath stopped and my blood was freezing in my veins. It was a horrible sight.

There, in the Blacks' antique library, surrounded by all the wonderful books, laid Miss Granger and what I saw was incredibly terrible! She laid unconscious on her right side on the carpeted floor, which was getting more and more red around her. The handle of a knife protruded from her left side, but the rest of her appearance was frightening too. Every place on her body was covered in blood, her clothes, her hands, her face! She looked like she was completely painted red. Her curly brown hair had turned into a hard, clotted mess of blood. Where had come all this blood from? It came to my mind that one would have had to slaughter for that amount of blood, the sight was shocking! All questions were, however, put on hold. She was badly hurt, Black had done right to get me.

I growled furiously, rushed toward the young woman lying on the ground and kneeled beside her. She opened her eyes with difficulty and looked at me with her large, brown, slightly blank eyes. An exhausted smile appeared on the corners of her mouth, which looked creepy on her bloody face. Her breath came raggedly and falteringly. I already spoke a spell, which made her top disappear. Now she was only dressed in a bra in front of us. A Tergeo cleansed her from the blood so that one could see what blood was hers and what wasn't, for she had looked like she had only a single, large wound. I chanted a strong Episkey, that would at least slow her bleeding a bit and then put myself to work.

"Hermione, what happened, Hermione?" Black asked the injured girl anxiously, repeatedly, whimpering the entire time. I didn't pay any attention to this. I completely ignored him, all my attention was on the injured, bleeding, young woman at my feet.

I hissed, "Pull yourself together, Black!", then I took off my coat and held it up. "Search my coat here," I ordered imperiously, still holding it in front of him. "Blood-replenishing potion, strengthening potion, healing potion..." I demanded sharply and forcefully. That I would live to see the day, I couldn't believe, but oddly enough, Black followed my instructions without any objections.

"Snape, this vial was laying on the floor," he suddenly said in a rough voice, handing it to me. I took it off him and smelled at it.

"Mhmhm ..." I muttered.

"What is it, Snape?" Black asked nervously.

"She apparently still managed to take a blood-replenishing potion," I deigned to give an explanation before I stopped talking again. First, I had to get an overview of the nature and diversity of the injuries. I let my exploring gaze wander over her body. The knife was stuck inside her, and I could see something that apparently had escaped from Black's eyes in his panic: her neck didn't look good at all! I dared to venture a guess that someone had tried to strangle her. I could clearly see the bloodshot prints of each individual finger on her throat, someone had to have squeezed with uncannily raw strength, the bruises were extremely noticeable. They contrasted starkly with her waxy pallor. It was difficult for her to breathe air into her lungs, as she tried to breath deeply and sometimes even gasped, so I spoke an Anapneo, that would free her airways and she could breathe with ease again. She would need her breath while I healed her stab wound even if it would just be to scream. But otherwise, my searching look couldn't detect any more superficial wounds. There were already enough.

"Black, look for a decongesting potion too, and feed it to her," I figured belatedly. I now cast spell after spell, to get control over the stab wound on her left side. The diagnosis spells had shown me that no vital, internal organs had been hurt, only her spleen was injured. She was lucky that she didn't get stabbed in the right side, because it would've hit her liver instead and then... oh, doesn't matter, it didn't happen. Fortune favors fools, tore through my mind hatefully.

"Give her all the potions, Black!" I managed to say casually, while I gently run my finger along the stab wound. "But leave the painkiller-potion, understood!" I growled darkly, watching as he tried to lift her head as gently as possible and helped her swallow the potions, which had to be very painful and difficult in her position and with the throat damage. But I could see how she forced herself to swallow the fluid, her larynx moving slowly back and forth. Nothing but a faint whimper escaped her lips.

"Why doesn't she get a painkilling potion?" Black asked stricken with sorrow, when she couldn't suppress a painful groan, staring simply shocked but fascinated at the weapon sticking out of her body, unable to look away.

"I can't give it to her. It would be counterproductive, the other potions wouldn't work properly anymore," I said scornfully when faced with his ignorance. "But I think she knows that?", and looked into her open brown eyes, wide from shock, which looked like they could see deeper than ever before. What had she experienced today? What had she done or needed to do to survive?

"Hush, you can do this, Hermione!" Black whispered to her vehemently, stroking her hair soothingly.

"First to the difficult part, Miss Granger. Can you hear me? It was the right decision not to pull out the knife, to leave it in place," I declared during the diagnosis-spell.

"I don't know how you came to this divine inspiration, but if you had done it, you would've bled out, at the moment the knife acts as a stopper. That is to say, if I remove it, we must hurry, first to fix the damage on your spleen and then close the wound as quickly as possible, to stop the bleeding. You've lost enough blood today," I explained objectively. I looked at her gravely, and at Black, who was staring at me with fearsome eyes, but seemed to hang on my every word.

"Just so we understand each other correctly, and you won't give yourself any illusions, it will be very painful, and if you don't black out, you will experience everything vividly, Miss Granger!" I clarified with all honesty and very little empathy, but she didn't look away for even a second, simply held my gaze firmly. Black looked at me horrified. "But... but Snape, this is inhumane," he whispered indignantly, looking shocked, "..you can't.."

"I can and I will, Black. You can not give her anything for the pain until afterwards, I will still need your help, because you have to hold her down while I pull the knife out. You have to push her to the ground and make sure that she'll hold still, otherwise she could make the injury worse. She must keep still, did you understand that, Miss Granger? When the object is removed, you have to turn her on her stomach immediately, so that I have the best access to her wound, understood?", I stated impatiently, looking at him imploringly and sternly .

"Yes!" She whispered softly. Her voice was hoarse and rough, but she looked deep into my eyes, her own filled with determination.

"Well, let's do it, on three!" I said resolutely, gripping the handle with my hand. At this time, Black held Miss Granger's shoulders to the ground and looked into my face, nodding at me. "One, two, three, and.." and without any hesitation, I tore the handle out of her side. The handle disengaged quite reluctantly with a slight smacking sound from her flesh.

Her blood gleamed in the glow of the fire on the silvery blade. I put this relatively small boot knife - the blade measuring about twelve centimeters - now beside me and turned to the body writhing before me. She had tried to rise up and gave a sharp scream as I pulled the knife out of her so suddenly. I could see a small trickle of blood flowing from her mouth. Tears streamed down her pale face, and beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. A constant whimper came out of her trembling lips, but this left me cold at the moment.

I focused my attention on her injury. Black turned her on her belly, so I could examine the stab wound. Now, without the resistance, the blood flowed quickly out of the wound. I immediately raised my wand and recited spells to fix the spleen inside her and to slow down the flow of blood. Thus the inner cuts slowly closed. Sweat also formed on my forehead, for healing had always been exhausting magic, that's why it was so hard for a wounded wizard to heal himself, even with magic. Black had to fight to keep Granger restrained without inflicting too much additional pain on her. The pain inside had to be tremendous, because it twinged and pulled terribly when such serious injuries healed magically.

But as it looked, Miss Granger didn't slip into the saving grace of unconsciousness. I could imagine what kind of pain she was going through. Why did she never make it easy for herself, I thought resignedly. My spells continued to work, and suddenly she stilled, fully ceasing her resistance, only a slight groan and whimpers came over her torn lips. Her strength must be exhausted by now. Next I used a diagnostic spell that showed me that I had more or less fixed the internal injury to the spleen, and was now able to close her outer wound. Since this was not a simple cut, but an incision deep into human flesh, I had to sew it close magically.

There would be a scar left after such an injury, not an ugly one, but a long, white line would always remind her of the knife that had been stuck inside her.

I conjured up needle and thread, and leaned down close to the wound. I looked briefly at Black, who had his hands on her back and was bent over her, his gaze fixed on me. He looked frighteningly pale, his hair clinging to his face, and his lips pressed together tightly. I signed him to hold her down again, as the stitches wouldn't be pleasant. He nodded at me understandingly, a seething expression in his eyes. The first stitch of the needle, the piercing of her skin, made her twitch slightly, but otherwise she didn't show much reaction, then she got used to the steady, piercing sensation and didn't even twitch anymore.

We could see Miss Granger biting her lips as she turned her face sideways and pressed the cheek to the floor so as not to scream, which made me feel admiration for her because I sewed her skin without a painkilling-potion or any anesthetic. She was really tough, the way she lay there was almost unreal, a scary picture. With her belly on the carpet, Black, kneeling at her head and restraining her, I, who was sitting next to her midsection, conducting the magical needle, and all of it was illuminated by the fire in the fireplace. It made a surreal picture.

"Black, in my coat is still a highly effective healing ointment, which helps against scarring and cuts, give it to me, when I tell you to!", I commanded again.

"But, Hermione, she...?" I interrupted him harshly. "Will not move, she has become accustomed to the pain," I replied, fending of his objection, while he looked doubtfully in my face, but she briefly nodded to him. He released her skeptically, and soon he held the pot with the inscription Dr Salbader's ointment in his hand and before my eyes. When I had finished sewing, the thread was knotted, the last healing and cleansing spells were spoken, I let myself sink backward, exhausted, and pulled my chin-length, raven-black hair out of my face. It had been stressful minutes. The injuries weren't small. She could have died. Finally, I tiredly pulled myself up and stretched my tense back. With my hand I indicated Black to give me the ointment, which he did without a word.

Black watched the scene, while she laid in front of us and I rubbed in the ointment very cautiously along the stitches so that only a small, white scar would remain because the blade had a smooth surface. Then I pushed myself up, got back on my knees and began to lay bandages around her. When this was done, I conjured a long, comfortable button-up shirt for her and hexed it onto her. Then, with a non-verbal Mobilicorpus, I let her float gently towards the couch, laid her down cautiously and cleaned the carpet of the suspicious red. Black slumped into the left armchair and I sank into the right one. Suddenly he jumped up again and ran to a chest of drawers, then returned with two glasses. He pressed one of it wordlessly into my hand and I indignantly raised an eyebrow and sniffed at it!

Aha, firewhiskey, why not and I quickly drank it in one go, reclined into the armchair in exhaustion, feeling whacked, and brushed sweat from my forehead with my sleeve. This had been quite taxing. I could see Granger tensing slightly. She had clenched her hands into fists, so I got up and went to her. With an Accio, I had summoned a vial from my cloak before, knelt down on one leg in front of the couch, and put the potion to her torn lips, which she opened obediently and drank.

"Whaaaat..?", it came from behind. "Pain-Killing Potion!"

She dropped her head on the armrest. "Oh, thank you!", she whispered hoarsely.

I sat back into the chair. "I hope you feel capable to explain your predicament. Do you, Miss Granger?" I said casually and crossed my legs nonchalantly. "Because it didn't need much more and we could've made you a coffin!" I sneered viciously, but my mood was sinking very fast after this drama had been overcome.

Black nodded agitatedly. "He's right... absolutely, Hermione. You gave me the scare of my life today, and I've already experienced a lot, but to see you covered in blood... with the knife that sticks out of you, I... I, oh my God!", he stuttered, groaning, his head sinking into his hands in despair.

"What happened, Hermione?" Black inquired in a slightly calmer tone, his face still hidden.

"I feel awagh- awful…" she said after clearing her throat. "As if a truck run me" she stated, as she coughed to clear her throat again. Her eyes were pinched together and she had her hand over her eyes to cover them from the light.

"And here I thought you looked just lively." I said smugly, not bothering with pleasantries. My sarcastic character just came through with me again. She raised up a bit. "How,..." she paused to clear her throat before trying again. "How bad is it, sir?" she asked, her large shocked eyes not helping her pale complexion.

"Quite well, given the circumstances. Your injury should be completely healed in two days time, I will however need to have a look at it tomorrow evening at Hogwarts." I told her. "You have survived purely out of foresight, though had things not turned out how they did, we wouldn't be having this conversation, Miss Granger!" I reprimanded. "Now, an explanation if you will." I demanded crossly.

"What happened to your throat... Hermione, it looks completely squashed... Hermione?", Black started to screech, only now realising Granger had been choked. He must have been beside himself until now, as the bruising _was_ hard to overlook. His antics were starting to build a steady throb behind my eyes. Granger however, didn't appear to be bothered much by the fact she had been nearly strangled to death, could it be shock that was keeping her so level headed, so collected? Or was this perhaps all an act? She seemed too calm, especially as she looked him questioningly in the eye, one brow raised in what I could only guess was annoying disbelief. Was it not obvious that someone had tried to strangle the chit? Apparently it was not, seeing as the fool was asking obvious questions. She shook her head for a moment as if to acknowledge the lifelong idiocy of Black to herself and closed her eyes in exhaustion.

After clearing her throat again, something that was starting to grind on my already sensitive nerves, she began her tale in what was probably the softest tone I had ever heard her use. Was the girl talking to herself or trying to get her mutt to calm down? "Where shall I start?" She appeared to be lost in thought, her hands crept unconsciously towards her neck, gently stroking the tender flesh, causing her to let out a soft pained moan. Her petite body trembled slightly, probably the memory came rushing back into her mind's eye. She took a deep breath, and she might have fooled everyone into thinking her cold and calm had I not been in the room and able to see through her facade, through the crack in her mask before she slipped it back on, before she regained control of her memories.

"I walked into an alley... towards the point I had chosen for apparition… as fate would have it… I was ambushed… " she explained, taking a short pause to ease her throat muscles. "I wanted to come… here… and… and from behind I heard … two… and slammed into the wall." Another breath before she continued, while I frowned heavily, her stuttering made little sense.

"I… held my wand in hand and… and was able to _Stupefy_ him." _Was it just me or was the girl's voice shaking?_ I thought to myself as I watched her fingers reach around her neck before burying themselves in her hair. "I-I managed to…. And then I…. the next… and he…. I" suddenly the hands in her her hair were pulling viciously at it and her breathing had accelerated. I motioned Black to give her a glass of firewhiskey, in hopes that it would calm her down enough to explain herself properly, instead of spewing gibberish.

"Here, Hermione, drink this," he said tenderly as he held the glass for her to drink from, as she was still shaking, and she downed the firewhiskey in one large gulp before coughing violently and gasping for air. She grimaced, the firewhiskey having obviously burned her maltreated throat, but it would drive away the shock and she would perhaps be able to articulate the events.

"Better?" Black asked, and she nodded.

"Start again from the beginning. You wanted to Apparate to Grimmauld Place, but two young men stopped you, you knocked one of them out with a _Stupefy_? Is this correct?" I summarized. "Why, what did they want from you?" I had cocked my head, watching her with curiosity, and swung my glass, which I had refilled, deliberately back and forth in my hand. The amber-colored liquid sloshed and fire light sparkled in it. She just nodded at us and fixated something in the distance with her eyes.

"Yes..", she fell silent and lowered her head. "..it's easier... if you know who they were... Bole... Derrick..." she breathed between coughs, closing her eyes. At that moment, my eyes threatened to pop out of my head! That's luck alright, she had come across these two boxers! Bole and Derrick were two Slytherins, against whom Crabbe and Goyle were harmless teddy bears. I knew that both had just been branded with the Dark Mark, I had participated in the initiation shortly after the beginning of the holiday.

These were always festivities to which the Dark Lord put emphasis on when the family of Death Eaters expanded. It was really hard for me to keep my blank mask intact, because these were malicious, nasty contemporaries who would be doing short work with a small, petite girl such as herself. They wanted and needed to establish themselves among the other Death Eaters. As new members without a family strongly incorporated into the ranks, they had to find their own place among the Dark Lord's troops in the lower tiers.

I could imagine that they had recognized Granger with whom they had gone to Hogwarts, and had calculated their chances of winning favour. Slytherins were always quick to recognize their own advantage at a moment's notice. But these two weren't really embellishments of my house and always thought only as far as throwing the first punch. Finesse was alien to them, they were more the type for rough work. I sat up very straight now, because this promised to become exciting, now that I knew the protagonists of this drama.

"Who are Bole and Derrick?", Black wanted to know curiously. I brushed him off, put it off till later. She seemed to have caught herself again, and now turned her head back and looked icily at us. "I attacked, Derrick... Stupify... and Bole Expelliarmus... then he came... grabbed my throat and slammed me into the wall... he... wanted to strangle me..", she said, and rubbed absentmindedly over her throat again. "... I pulled my daggers ... chrmm ...", her other hand trailed to her thighs. _Where are the daggers_ , I thought, frowning, but she surprised me again, for at that moment she pulled out two previously invisible daggers, whose long blades were stained with dried, brown blood, and looked at them pensively.

Black sat still with his mouth gaping open, which didn't really make him look smarter, but I think my otherwise perfect mask was just a bit askew as well. The way she lay there on the couch, with these two large daggers in her petite hands which she held skillfully, was a sight that you didn't get every day.

Well, I _had_ a better grip on myself, but it would not take much and I could have the same idiotic expression on my face as Black. Now that was a horrifying thought. We still said nothing, waiting for her to continue. The tension in the room was palpable. At the time, almost everything was quiet, you could only hear our breathing and the sounds of the fire.

She shook her head slightly and cleared her throat once again. "... I used them! ... firstly ... so he'd let go of me, I stuck one in his liver ... he jumped back ... then he pulled his knife too ... we attacked each other ... and then he shoved his knife ... inside me ... " she murmured softly " ...he was so close ... and there I ... took the chance and ... slit his throat ... " she said haltingly, but also very quiet and incredibly cold and collected.

Miss Granger, Gryffindor princess, overachiever, Miss Perfect, had taken a human life today, my world view shook to the very foundations! What a realisation! I could see that all this took its toll on her, but she still seemed to be rather distant. It should be different when a person took a life, a young girl, a schoolgirl shouldn't seem so calm, even if she had been severely injured. You would start to panic and wouldn't remain as calm as she did. You wouldn't stay so measured, but tend to pull out the knife in a kneejerk reaction, it was a human instinct. Suppressing it wasn't easy. I knew what I was talking about because I had already waged the first war from the front lines.

"Continue", I wanted more information and Black seemed to be no longer receptive. "What happened then?" I elaborated, when I noticed her questioning look.

"Oh, it... really... wasn't really nice, that... lots of blood... came out like a fountain over me..", she grimaced in disgust and stared at her hands holding the daggers. "..revolting, his... gaped wide open... ran over my hands, I... this is so disgusting. Then he was dead, collapsed, so dead.." she echoed incredulously, but shrugged and put the daggers away again.

"I panicked, but I made myself calm down, when I saw the knife inside me... it wasn't nice, but I know from the muggles that you will survive better - with injuries like this - if you leave it inside... The spleen!", she looked up again and gave another shrug, "... and so I left it where it was... I took care of Derrick... and then I apparated, directly to the front door, was really exhausting. Next I went to the library. I have no idea how I was able to climb up the stairs!", she said visibly surprised by herself, but it wasn't just her that was astonished at the turn of events.

"What did you do to Derrick?" I asked in a husky voice. Heaven, hopefully she didn't deliberately... She couldn't have done it, right? I hastily took a sip, a glance to the side showed me that Black was sitting there motionless.

"..Oh... oh, I did something forbidden..", she breathed conspiratorially, and this confirmed my worst fears, as well as Black's, who was wincing beside me. "... I sent him to the Ministry, along with Bole, I thought... yeah, what did I think... might be funny... Fudge..", she muttered quietly and absently to herself.

"What, how did you send them there? What if Derrick tells...?", Black immediately yelled, it seemed like he was still on the ball, _who would have thought_ , I passed judgement viciously.

"Do you think I'm stupid? Derrick has fallen victim to an extensive Obliviate... do you really think I'm an idiot...?", she hissed now angrily and with flashing eyes. Wow, what an amazing change within a second.

"No, of course not, but that you were able to be so considerate in this situation...", Black said intimidated and now very feebly.

"I agree with Black, Miss Granger, something so thought-out in such an exceptional situation, there is a certain detachment necessary!" I told her. The expression in her eyes confused me. It looked as if she knew something I didn't know.

"Well, I'm considerate most of the time...", she continued succinctly. "... I've eliminated all traces of showing that I was involved..." Her voice was ice-cold by now.

"Oh well... so I've apparated, it was very exhausting... went up here... and then I've summoned my Patronus… hoping you would understand the message, Sirius, and I don't know much more, it's all a bit blurry. I think I've managed to take a blood-replenishing potion. After that..." she stopped. We were gobsmacked, both of us. Black was all gaga about it and drank another glass. I just sat there and stared at her absolutely speechless. What was that? Hermione Granger, Potter's golden girl, had taken a human life today, killed a young man we knew and was very cold-hearted about it. I was speechless and that didn't happen often.

"Hermione, you... you murdered a man today!", Black blurted, sounding absolutely shocked .

"So what Sirius? If not Bole, then I would've died in the alley! No, thanks!" she hissed. Black backed away as if she had hit him.

"She's right!" I said coldly, looking at her with a raised brow. She nodded at me. I agreed with her, Bole would certainly have strangled her, or later slaughtered her with the knife, they weren't part of the Death Eaters for nothing, but that Miss Granger was able to see it rationally despite the circumstances was very shocking. Yes, it shocked me.

"Your Patronus was impressive. Where did you learn it?", I wanted to know, as I had still some questions left.

"Right here. I've practiced it often in the last few weeks. I could only pray that it would work in this situation, but I've always functioned pretty good under stress," she said succinctly and coughed again. I conjured a glass of water, which she took gratefully and sipped it carefully.

"How do you cope after you have taken a human life?" I asked.

"Professor... how I did it was disgusting, and I'm sure I'll get some nightmares or will have to take a potion for dreamless sleep... considering that the image has burned itself into my mind... I never wanted to make such a decision, but I had this one thought in my head: 'If I were to die here, I will take these scum bags with me. Periode.' I tell you both this because I owe you both my life. You deserve to know.", she said, her stance determined and her voice quivering with suppressed rage.

I could hear Black gulp, as if he were swallowing a big stone.

Though my face remained impassive, I was surprised by her lack of hysteria. Where was the struggling with one's fate that often followed murder regardless of whether it was justified or not? Where were the tears that were normally expected from her? I had seen grown men crying after such events from the guilt and women, as everyone knew, were prone to tears.

"Hermione, are you sure you're okay?" Black asked disbelievingly, wringing his hands.

"Sirius, are you _really_ asking me that? I was stabbed! Stabbed all the way through! Of course I'm not well, damn it!" she cursed, sounding less than lady-like.

"But that's what I meant to discuss, honey. You did what you had to do in self-defence. No-one should have to go through what you went through... Hermione, I'm so s-"

Black was cut off by Miss Granger's indignant "Don't finish what you're saying, Sirius!"

Black's face betrayed his emotions, his eyes wide and his mouth stuck mid-word. She chose to continue while he was struck dumb, all while glaring daggers at him. "Don't say you're sorry. You can't change what happened, and I'm certainly not sorry. Those fuckers deserved it."

"Miss Granger, do you think this attitude is the right one?" I asked demandingly, somewhat offended by her language. Despite that, I was impressed by how level-headed she was. She didn't need to be reassured that her actions were justified. She knew that already. She amazed me again and again.

"Yes!" was her curt reply. I then decided to change the subject, not wanting to anger her further.

"The idea with the Patronus was good. Black, how did you know who sent it to you? And furthermore, how did you figure out where to look?" I inquired, turning left to face him. He was sitting in his chair, thinking while almost pouting.

"Oh, that's a simple one. Hermione... she always calls me 'Casanova' and so I knew it was her. But her voice sounded so funny and I thought of the library first..." Sirius explained, his tone glum.

"That was very clever of you, Miss Granger," I praised. "If something like this happens again, you can send me your little magpie. Our code word will be 'bat'. You'll also have to indicate where you are somehow. I'm afraid I'm not as attuned to your usual whereabouts as Black seems to be!" I grinned, unbridled scorn lacing my lips.

It then occurred to me the I had just, unconsciously, offered her my continued assistance. How did that happen? I had no reason to continue helping her. And I had no evidence that she would be in a dangerous situation again. When I tried to think upon it, my mind could only conjure up the last few occasions that we had met upon since the holidays began. I had already patched her up two times in that short a timespan, that's why.

Something let me believe that this wasn't over with Granger. Maybe it was instinct, maybe intuition or maybe even just paranoia. Regardless, I was not used to this at all. I prided myself on my logic. I wasn't about to abandon it now. Chalking up my abruptness to restlessness and constant surprise, I shook my head clear of these thoughts.

"Wow Snape, what are you doing?" An astonished Black could never shut his mouth, I thought grimly.

"Thank you, Professor... but 'bat'?" She whispered cautiously with a startled look.

"Yes," I said, firmly. "No one is crazy or daring enough to call me that, so I will know that the message is from you." And while Miss Granger was mulling over that, I felt compelled to add "And be sure not to do this often. If you call for me and you are _not_ mortally wounded, you will be in _deep_ trouble!" No doubt, my speech was as threatening as it usually was. I didn't give any indication of leniency. So _why_ was she _smiling_?

"Thank you, sir," she replied, closing her eyes, and grimaced with a suffering expression.

"I think it's time to call it a day," I said. "Your exhaustion is incredibly obvious. And before someone comes looking for us…" I checked the grandfather clock. "Since it's almost ten o'clock... I'll go to the kitchen and distract everyone. Black, you escort Miss Granger to her room and then come back down," I explained, extricating four vials from my coat.

"I recommend taking three drops of the dreamless sleep potion. The less you move, the better," I said, handing him the potions. "And tomorrow morning, you should take these three vials. A blood-replenishing, a healing and a strengthening potion." Black took the potions and I shifted my attention to my other companion. "Will you be needing a pain-killing one as well?" I asked Miss Granger as I picked up the boot knife that had stuck in her earlier.

"As a precaution, maybe. The journey to Hogwarts and the feast... will certainly be exhausting," she mused. I nodded and gave her what she desired. It was at that point that it occurred to me why she was so composed, so trusting of Black and I, so willing to divulge all that had happened today. It was because of that damned spell that she had put on us both in the beginning. It guaranteed that we wouldn't tell anybody a single word about her escapades. My head began to throb immediately and powerfully at the thought. She knew she was safe. Oh, this little, sneaky minx. She really was too smart and meticulous, downright Slytherin.

I knew now that Miss Granger was a murderer, even if it was out of self-defense. What would the honorable Gryffindor say? After all, I myself was... speechless at the realisation. But she had made the right decision. It was a matter of life and death, and she chose her own life over those of the Death Eaters. That would be expected, logically, from most human beings. No, the part that was surprising was her lack of guilt. Most people quarreled with fate because they felt burdened with the taking of a human life. Their conscience and their morality helped little in dealing with the aftermath. But why did I doubt that this would happen to Granger? The way she carried herself and the way she talked… she had convinced me that she would learn to live with it or rather had already begun to accept what she had done without letting herself be greatly influenced by it. Thus I departed hurriedly to the kitchen, only to meet an instantly annoying, curious mob.

Amongst the loud and unorganised voices, Potter's was the loudest as he asked, almost accusingly "Where's Sirius?"

"How would I know?" I hissed, sliding into my seat with perfected indifference.

"Severus?" came the soft yet distinct voice of Albus, his tone simultaneously inquisitive and chiding.

"He'll be here shortly," I replied curtly. Despite my answering his question, Potter continued to scrutinise me over the edge of his glasses. "Well, then we should send the children to bed. After all, it's quite late already!" ,the Headmaster said and promptly the group started to move, albeit grumbling.

"But Sir, Hermione hasn't come back yet and we're worried," Potter cried yet again pompously. "We have to-" The boy was really too full of himself.

"Calm down, Potter, I've seen your _oh so great_ Miss Granger. When I left the kitchen she walked up the stairs," I informed the group, emphasizing indifference. Hopefully, Black moved quickly.

Now, the billowing crowd was far too excited to notice when Black scurried back to his seat a moment later. At first, we discussed what kind of escort to the Hogwarts Express would be needed for Potter. After all, meeting had been planned for this purpose initially. Granger had instinctively chosen the right day to nearly get slaughtered as I had been able to be on the scene on short notice this way. Black couldn't really have helped her. None of the people currently living at Grimmauld Place would've been able to heal her. Only I could do so. But after so much bad luck in one day she deserved a spot of good fortune, I thought cynically.

The evening continued to be interesting when Albus told us of his visit to the Ministry. At eight o'clock, he told us, two young men had appeared with an unregistered portkey, the Dark Mark present on their arms. One of them apparently suffered from amnesia, not remembering anything about his life and thinking himself a muggle. The other was not fit to tell his tale, seeing as his throat was torn out. Further inspection of the corpse revealed even more injuries. All this had plunged the Ministry into disarray, with Fudge at the forefront of it all.

Albus also provided the names of the two Death Eaters: Bole and Derrick.

The members of the Order were at a loss, as they had no idea what to make of this. Black and I, on the other hand, were pondering over Miss Granger's words and whether she had omitted a detail or two. Since when was she able to create port keys? But then she had also managed to teach herself to conjure a corporeal Patronus, a feat that was considered difficult by many adult wizards. The throbbing in my head began to increase in size. How smart was this woman really? The fact that, in her youth, she apparently managed to perform every difficult spell with ease and invented incredibly complex curses was just ridiculous to me.

I smiled at the thought that I would snatch her tomorrow at Hogwarts.

End of Snape's POV


	32. The Departure

Draco-Fans, are you ready?! :D Because he's coming! :P

Thanks so much for the awesome reviews! We're finally going to Hogwarts!

A Quick answer to the Review from Ash will be below the chapter. :)

Also, I may not have made it clear enough to everyone:

This is a translation from a German Fanfiction, as a Translator I take my work very seriously, which also means, I cannot under any circumstances change the plot.

And Second: Because this is FF Net and their rules apply, our story is Explicit Mature, we have to cut the explicit scenes, because I don't want any prude nun to report us to the Moderation of FF Net and loose all the progression here. I WILL always tell you when a chapter got cut scenes.

IF you want to read the absolute original English Version, we have several options:

AO3 - Wattpad - our own WHF website. You find it under: When Hermione Fights. Or if you want the link, just contact me with a review or a message. xx

Please, Enjoy!

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The Departure

Hermione's POV

The next morning I awoke from a restful and dreamless, almost comatose sleep. I opened my eyes and was awake within seconds, figured that it was almost half past eight and that I hadn't slept so long in months. Unfortunately, the memories of yesterday hit me all at once and the realisation of what I had done came back to me. In hindsight it seemed like a bad, obscenely macabre horror movie to me. Did all this really happen or was it just my wanton imagination?

My hand travelled to my left side tentatively. I could feel the bandage, so it was not a nightmare, rather nightmarish reality! Great, really great. I had really walked through the city with a knife sticking out of me, and I owed the professor my life. Professor Severus Snape had saved my life! Oh Goddess, I had almost died the day before, damn it! If I hadn't been training for months, I wouldn't have survived yesterday's attack.

Arrrrrrrhh, this realisation, it was making me crazy. Stop, I had blocked out the other side:

I not only would have almost died, I had also killed yesterday. Taken a human life, and not in a particularly nice way either. It had been horrifying and dirty. With this revelation, I raised my hands to my face and looked at them in the glow of the summer sun shining into the room through the curtains of the window. These delicate little hands had actually murdered someone. They were still slim, long and white, but had been fully coated with dried, red blood yesterday. But now they were clean again. No one would see what I had done, what I was capable of. I had washed them, but in doing that, was I really clean again?

But just as my hands were tainted, I was now tainted too! I no longer had a clear conscience. I had done something that none of my friends would approve of, since it was said that you should not kill. But hell, if I hadn't, they could bury me now. In their preconceived notions of morality, would they really be so harsh with their judgment? Everything forbidden that I had done so far - stealing, breaking in, blackmailing, breaking the school rules - felt like a joke in comparison. But know I had done it, had broken the ultimate taboo, and how I had done it! So, how did I feel, now that I had to bear this guilt - justified or not - my whole life. Whilst reflecting on it, I breathed in deeply, closed my eyes and thought about it, went deeply inside my mind: I was a murderess!

No matter how this story ended, whether the light or the dark side won, I had already lost. Lost because I would never be pure or good again. Too much had happened, too many taboos had been broken. This occurred to me with brutal clarity. I had made a decision that could never be reversed again. As I said, a long time ago I was given the choice of how I wanted to be, how I wanted to go through life. Now to start doubting it or to fight with fate would be unfair, as I had made my choice with my eyes wide open.

I would learn to live with it!

I could imagine very well, what my friends would say if they knew. Firstly, they would never expect me to do something like this, secondly, they would be shocked, and finally, they would turn away from me in disgust, in their just-unjust hypocrisy. This would be another dark secret of the Hermione Granger that Harry, Ron and everyone else could never know. I had to turn my heart into a killer pit, an even deeper one than before. And my mind would be made into a fortress that couldn't be taken, for even Dumbledore shall never - under any circumstances - get suspicious. I progressed well in Occlumency, but I wasn't a master yet, I would continue to do this with high pressure. After the shock I had just received, these were my first stringent thoughts this morning.

I rubbed my abused throat. Ah, better, much better. The potions had done a good job. Swallowing didn't hurt anymore, the swelling had also reduced, but I knew that even magic couldn't make bruised skin disappear. I had to be patient until I was in the bathroom to see what a sight I offered.

I didn't want to think about Sirius or Snape. I was so grateful to them, and at the same time terribly angry that they now knew what I had done. Once again I worried less about the professor, because I could see in his eyes that he understood and approved of what I had done, somehow! But regarding Sirius, I was once again astonished at my own brilliance, because, thanks to my spell, they couldn't say anything to anyone. It showed once again how beneficial it was that I was always so perfectionistic in my deliberations.

Yes, Sirius was different. I didn't know how he would face me, I just hoped that he would understand the necessity of my action. It was just unfortunate that we had to go back to Hogwarts today. But I already had an idea, which will make me forget this whole vexing subject about being a murderess or not. After all, it couldn't be changed anymore.. ah, how terribly cold that sounded, but here was my pragmatism again. So I cautiously raised myself, because unfortunately no miracle had happened and I wasn't yet completely healed. It wasn't comparable with the pain from yesterday, but it twinged dangerously in my side and I gasped as the pain pressed the air out of my lungs.

Such a knife was nothing to be scoffed at!

I saw the potions on my bedside table and thinking of Snape's instructions, swallowed the necessary potions with a look of self-sufferance at their disgusting taste. Nonetheless I felt a bit stiff and immobile.

When I had made it to the bathroom, I was content with a sponge bath and an intensive cleaning-spell for the day, because I didn't want to remove the bandages. I put on a black Empire summer dress, which was nicely flowing around my body - not too tight, that wouldn't be a good idea - and I snorted like a walrus. In the mirror, I watched myself attentively and what I saw... I still looked the same, my brown, long, curly hair fell softly over my shoulders today, a clean skin, the teint today reminding me of a noble, unhealthy paleness and the big, fawn-colored eyes that almost jumped out of my face. Yes, in their depth one could see that they had seen terrible things, for their expression was infinitely solemn. But only those who looked closely would recognize it!

Today I grabbed for the paint pot to breathe life over my stiff and lifeless face, so I put a light pink glimmer on my eyelids and slightly painted over my lashes. The most important thing, however, was to put a little color onto my cheeks, to not look as deathly pale. Some lipgloss on my dry lips, which now shone brightly, and suddenly my face had very soft, lovely features, which had previously seemed somewhat hard, angular and slightly haggard. After the terrible horrors of last night one couldn't expect anything different, something like this left deep marks.I had heard something fitting. The faces of the people were canvases, and life drew the lines of life on these. Well, that matched my experiences perfectly.

Only now, when a lively face looked back at me, which no longer looked like a rigid mask, I dared to look at my neck.. and what I saw made me swallow hard. It.. how did I deserve that. It looked terrible. The skin, there was no white left, only blue, violet and yellow bloodshot spots that provided truly perfect fingerprints of Boles' broad and large hands. Apparently, I had been closer to death by asphyxiation than I had realized, as it seemed now. It looked terrible. If anyone would see this, unimaginable! They'd freak out, it was a surprise that I was able to swallow at all! Ok, I would love to freak out again. If I hadn't already slashed open that son of a bitch, I would do it right now! I couldn't go out and show myself like this. I summoned a long, black-and-white silk scarf from my suitcase, and wrapped it around my neck several times. Yes, I would leave it like that, it had a certain style.

So I went back to my room and took my daggers, which I fastened to my thighs under my dress. I'd always wear them from now on. Then - as I was alone - I spoke a packing spell and let my suitcase float to the corridor with a 'locomotor'. After all this, I just wanted my coffee, because my head still felt as if it were wrapped in cotton wool.

I heard voices from the drawing-room on the first floor, where a huge tapestry hung over the whole wall. On the carpet, the Black family tree was immortalized with golden, ornate embroidery. The family tree had been recorded over the last 700 years, and here and there dark burnt spots could be seen, members of the family that were undesirable, since according to the family motto 'Toujours Pur' the tree was kept eternally 'pure'. When I walked around the corner, I strained my eyes and could recognize Harry and Sirius. They were hugging each other. I was always happy when I saw the relationship Harry had built with Sirius. It was nice that he finally had something like a family.

Harry turned to leave the room, so I slid into the shadow of a doorway in the unlit dark corridor, hoping that Sirius wouldn't leave the room immediately. Looked like I was lucky. Harry, calling for Ron, rushed down the stairs, and I quickly slid into the room and quietly closed the door. Sirius was standing in front of the embroidered family tree, looking at his burnt out name with a sad look. I didn't want to know his unpleasant thoughts about his past. He had certainly lived a non enjoyable childhood here. I stood next to him, stroking over his arm, thinking that he had felt that I was there because he wasn't surprised. He turned to me, smiling, tenderly took me by my neck and pulled my lips eagerly to his and began to kiss me incredibly gently and affectionately. Our meeting couldn't have gone better after yesterday night.

"I'm so glad you're alive, Hermione. How are you?" He whispered tonelessly at my ear, after he had dragged me into a long hug. "I was so worried, I.. the picture of, how you.. this will haunt me for the rest of my life," he told me in a throaty voice, while he kissed my hair. "Don't do that to me again, I won't live a long life like this," he said sadly.

"Sirius.. I.." I whispered to his chest. "Hush.. don't say anything dear, I wasn't finished yet, how you looked yesterday, just what those bastards had done to you. You. Had. A. Knife. In. You. Damn..." he hissed softly, furiously. "If you hadn't finished them off, I would've hunted them until I had personally killed them, so please, Hermione, don't blame yourself, you had every right to wipe that scum off the earth!" he said truthfully, almost imploringly and looked very deeply into my eyes, so that I could see the earnestness in them. I was speechless, for I hadn't expected such approval from his side.

"Sirius, it means a lot to me that I find mercy before your eyes, for what I have done. Thank you, Sirius and before you want to interrupt me, I'm fine, physically much better than yesterday and mentally... well, I've already forgiven myself because I didn't really want to end up in a coffin yet", I looked intensively at him. "I live and I can live with what I did, too."

"That's good!", he grinned and winked at me before pulling me once again into a tight embrace. "That you can stay so calm is really good. I must say I am very proud of you, that you were able to defend yourself so well, even when you really shocked me...", he winked at me again and showed me that he didn't take anything too seriously. He was a former Marauder, it showed itself in his whole, easy-going attitude, which made him so charming.

"Thank you, I appreciate your approval. Well, yesterday went really bad, Sirius. I had imagined our last night here differently... but I wanted to make you a suggestion anyway..." I grinned at him too, and circled my index finger playfully on his bare chest, which was visible through his not completely closed shirt as usual.

"As always, I am asking for your secrecy, Casanova. I wanted to ask you if you were free on Tuesdays at 9 pm for a lonely young woman who could come to you for a few hours?", I said, licking my lips seductively. He stared intently at my mouth. ".. how, but you.. Don´t you have to be at Hogwarts?" He seemed perplexed.

I smiled mischievously at him. "You, as a Marauder, must know that there are some ways out of the school. And don't give yourself any hopes, because I would sneak out on Tuesday anyways. I don't know yet if I can be here at nine, or a little later, I can only promise you, I'll come. Now, what's your decision? Yes or no, Sirius?" I said stiffly, because I had expected a different response to my offer. After yesterday, I felt an absurd desire to feel alive.

"Hermione, you must know at least since yesterday how dangerous that can be. I beg you, be sensible, don't," he downright begged me, looking at me with disapproving grey eyes.

I released a short, dry laugh. "Oh, Sirius, I already knew that before, yesterday just encouraged me to do it even more... and you know as well as I do, how much you like it when I come to you!" I said almost contemptuously, approached him really closely and took a firm grip at his crotch. Ah, I could already feel the opinion of his body part. Yes, this was good, it did take me away from all the negative thoughts I had, because I lived and I wanted to feel that I was alive.

He closed his eyes obediently and laid his head back as I caressed the big bulge in his pants.

"You're gonna do what you want regardless!" he growled bitterly.

"I am looking forward to Tuesday," I said as I stood up on my tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "Come, let us join the others."

I gripped his hand and pulled him downwards, his expression melancholic all the while. Sirius and I stood in the hallway next to Mrs. Weasley, who tried to bring order into the chaos, a truly unrewarding task. My trunk was right next to me, packed already in the early morning, a feat none of the others had managed. As I was not in the best of states thanks to my injury, irrespective of the potions I had taken today, I wanted to take it easy. Because of that, I sat on my trunk with a cup of coffee - which I regarded as essential for my survival - and tiredly watched everything, shaking my head from time to time.

What utter chaos. For five years we had been attending Hogwarts, but every year the same drama occurred. Every year they packed at the very end, not the evening before, not in the morning, no, one hour before departure.

 _Calm down, Hermione, don't think about it. Take a deep breath, you are above that. Chaos is good, chaos distracts. This way you don't think too much._ The only thing positive was that Sirius was stroking my neck reassuringly as nobody paid us any attention in the hurry.

When everybody had assembled, I stood up carefully. The twins hadn't been the last to arrive and every time they felt that no one was looking they threw me a covert glance, assuming that something had happened. The adults stood together in a cluster and us students had gathered at the bottom of the stairs when I was suddenly faced with an interrogation. And after I had nearly successfully suppressed the thought that this was still waiting for me.

"What was that about yesterday, Hermione?" the demand sounded firmly from three different throats. Their glares were almost as deadly as the knife from yesterday. Only Fred and George bestowed pitiful and worried looks upon me and were nice enough to occupy themselves. They didn't get on my nerves.

"What do you mean?" I asked innocently. "I told you I had an appointment," I defended myself.

"Why did you leave on your own, in times like these?! Are you mad?! Don't you know what could have happened…?" Ron yelled loudly.

Hell, I knew what I did most of the time and unwanted company was the last thing I needed at Gringotts. I hated to justify myself. And for heaven's sake, I had experienced first hand yesterday what could happen! But still I was alive!

"Sorry, I didn't hear you calling!" I brushed him off. I could downright feel my strength ebbing and my fatigue grew by the minute.

"Hermione, where have you been the whole day?" Harry asked calmly. "... You hadn't shown up for dinner. We were worried for you and... and then we go to your room and you are sleeping like a log."

He sounded honestly concerned and looked at me accusingly.

"Oh Harry, I had my final course yesterday and they made a right event out of it. That's why it took longer than usual. And when I got home I only wanted to go to bed. I dropped directly onto it," I explained myself. It was just as well that I can lie without blushing.

"You didn't hear us?" Ginny inquired incredulously and gave me a doubtful look.

"No, I slept like a log!" I said seriously. And it technically was the truth. After Sirius had helped me to bed, he gave me the potion and I had been under its influence immediately, essentially dead to the world.

"I am sorry, but I wanted to go there alone... and as you can see nothing happened," I reassured them, lying through my teeth. The interrogation would have continued if they hadn't loitered that long, because now the group consisting of the adult Weasleys, Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, Remus and Sirius joined us.

"We will leave now. Unfortunately we will have to go by foot this time, as the Ministry is at odds with us and won't provide vehicles for our use, though King's Cross isn't far," Mrs. Weasley explained busily. She seemed to be quite agitated and fretful.

"Look out and constant vigilance!" resounded Moody's deep voice from the background while his eye rotated wildly in its socket. Suddenly Sirius transformed into a big black dog.

"Sirius, what … what are you doing? You can't come with us!" Remus stuttered, taken by surprise. Sirius only bared his teeth and growled.

"Oh, please, pretty please! Nobody will recognize him this way! Please!" Harry begged promptly, unashamed. The others all exchanged unhappy glances and shrugged their shoulders.

"Never mind, but remain discreet. Understood, Sirius?" Moody decided grumpily and received a growl in response from the dog. And so we departed to the train station, totally inconspicuous if you asked me, but mind you we were after all... let me count for a second… six children, five adults and a dog. We appeared more like a bulwark. I asked myself once again what Dumbledore had been thinking when he revised a plan like that. Clearly, he couldn't be doing much of it. I would have chosen otherwise, but I couldn't care less at the moment, as I had to concentrate on the walk. It was unexpectedly strenuous for me and left me short of breath. I wouldn't say I was fit in any way.

Just as well that it was only physically, as my mind was clear and sharp as always. I forbade myself from engaging in self-doubt or criticism and, to my own astonishment, none crossed my mind!

Fortunately we reached the train station unharmed. One had to be grateful for small wonders. Swiftly we passed through the entrance to the Hogwarts Express. Every step to the platform filled me with joy, as if the sight of the beautiful old train with the red engine heralded something special, like a great adventure.

As always the platform was dominated by chaos. It was overcrowded with students, trunks, animals in their cages, fussing parents with younger siblings. In short, it was a massive cacophony of sounds, a surreal scene. On one side was the muggle world with its modern face, which we left behind the wall. On the other was this nostalgic scene, underlined by the wizard's robes and the old steam engine pulling old-fashioned compartments.

The awareness that I would enter a different world was overwhelming and a great experience for me every time. As always, I was filled with suspense and excitement when I made myself aware of it this plainly, and I was thankful to be part of both worlds. I threw a glance at our escort. Molly bid everybody farewell with a familiar abundance of emotions. If I hurried I might be able to escape her without being too obvious about it, for I was sure I couldn't tolerate one of her bone crushing embraces in my condition. I looked down when I felt something cold touching my hand. Oh, yes, Sirius. I laid my hand on his head and started to tickle him behind the ears, bending forward slightly and murmuring quietly.

"You will see us on Tuesday, my dear!" He rewarded me with a wet lick across my hand. Very nice. I straightened quickly, nodded at the round and approached the engine. I swept my gaze over the bustling crowd and tried to get a thorough picture. While I watched the happy, ingenuous, innocent people around me with their friendly laughing faces, I experienced a feeling of utter isolation that hit me hard. I didn't belong, not any longer... I felt isolated and that hurt so much that I physically flinched. I didn't belong any longer!

What I had done had made me cross a border, something that wasn't reversible and separated me from the others for good. I realised with crystal clarity and I became aware with a rush of panic that I had lost something incredibly valuable and would never be able to get it back. There were good people who would never get into a situation where they had to decide between life and death. Those are the majority and that is good and well. Then there are people who are neither good nor evil but had been in a position that required them to act, if they wanted to or not, and had been forced into a decision. Whether they could hope for the understanding of those who never had to choose is a different story. And then there is the last category, the _so called_ evil, who simply did it and the _actual_ evil who did it because they enjoyed it. All this passed through my head while I waited and I felt like I was of a separate race than all these happy and loving people.

I had already placed a foot on the step, ready to board the train, and was looking back, slightly lost, with Ron and Harry fast on my heels, when I noticed the arrival of a platinum blond family, who pulled off an impressive performance as always and captured everybody's attention with ease.

The Malfoys!

Yes, they would fit well in one of those categories I had just mentioned, though it would be the 'evil' one, while the Weasleys would be called 'good'. Okay, minus the two trailing behind Harry and Ron. The Twins, or Red Devils, were hustling close behind us. "Hey, Fred, George, finally, come in!" Lee Jordan's voice called impatiently. Their best friend was seated in a compartment not far away and was waiting for them.

I turned to them. "We will see each other…," I saw them off. "Until later, Hermione, be good and if you need us…," they replied with a mischievous grin. I nodded gratefully as I had noticed the hidden meaning, they suspected something.

So we boarded the train and searched for a compartment, where we stored our trunks. Meanwhile I wished fervently to simply slump into the seat, but couldn't allow myself the weakness. The painful throbbing in my side was increasing with every passing moment, but I grit my teeth.

"Harry, I am sorry. We have to go to the Prefect compartment to get our briefing. Do you mind much?" I asked timidly, as I could see how shocked he looked, but he tried to play it down. He had been hit hard when Ron had gotten the office in his stead and was trying to hide his frustration.

"No, no, go on, I will make myself comfortable, have fun at work!" he stated with pretend happiness. He was pretty good at pretending, apparently he remembered what we had talked about. I gave him a sad smile, turned away and already we were walking through the chaotic, noisy and crowded train. We hat to fight our way to the first wagon. There was an extra compartment for the Prefects and Head students. It was filled already.

There were Ron and I for Gryffindor, Hannah Abbott and Ernie McMillan from Hufflepuff, the Ravenclaws Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil and from Slytherin Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy, all from Fifth Year. Additionally there were the Prefects from Sixth and Seventh Year and the Head Boy and Girl from Seventh. We were just standing in the rear of the noisily chattering crowd in the compartment, when Ron rushed over to Ernie and started talking about Quidditch with him.

I run my left hand over the bandaged wound on my side in an unconscious gesture and grimaced slightly, gnawing at my lower lip with unease. Hmpf, all the scrambling and walking had been more stressful than I had anticipated. I was in severe pain, but tried to breath it away, as I was used to by now. For a short moment I was standing in the middle of the room, lost in thought and was looking around with unseeing eyes, when I felt the skin on my neck prickling all of a sudden. Quickly I looked over my shoulder and directly into a pair of light grey eyes that stared back with piercing intensity. I didn't show timidity either, as I had never been afraid of him, even when I was younger, his disdainfully uttered 'Mudblood' had never hurt me. I had been insulted, yes, but by now I was way above something like that and could use the word myself without caring much.

So I looked at him transfixed, without malice, just open and observant, asking myself why he took the time to examine me this obviously.

Slowly his right, softly curved, blonde eyebrow along with the left corner of his mouth raised questioningly. In this silent duel, in midst of the other Prefects, I imitated his expression, but not mockingly but just as questioningly as he. I could see the flash in his grey eyes. He had noticed that I was in pain, that I could determine when he tilted his head in thought. Damn, who had taught him to be so observant?

Stop, I knew that… the cocked head, the calculating expression… Snape… oh, wasn't that neat… I had to be careful. That man was involved everywhere, I noted annoyed, before I returned my attention to Draco Malfoy and examined him thoroughly as well. He had changed. Outwardly he had grown like Ron, but while the latter was gangly now, Malfoy's appearance was more manly. His close fitted, black jacket over a black shirt didn't hide his muscles and it was clearly visible that his chest could no longer be called a pigeon chest. Did he train as well? Was he trained in combat?

I supposed so, as his father would want Draco to be prepared for everything and I didn't judge Mr. Malfoy as somebody who closed his eyes against reality. He knew that a war was unavoidable. The logical consequence was that he would prepare his son as good as possible for the coming dangers and teach him everything necessary. Looking at Draco's physical changes that was actually what he was doing.

The most notable changes were, firstly, his longer hair, which was no longer slicked back but falling openly. _It makes him prettier_ , I thought and hoped that he was not versed in Legilimency, the thought was just too embarrassing. And secondly the expression on his face. His mouth was set in a stern way, maybe a bit bitter. HIS return had apparently left its mark on Draco, too, had made him grow up faster. I was sure Draco stood on the front lines, because of his father's standing. But what was truly, intensely different were his eyes or rather, the expression and the message they conveyed. Apparently he had had exciting holidays and seen and lived through a lot of new things. When before they had contained a childlike, naive or simply ingenuous expression, it was now gone and had been replaced by one similar to the one I had found in my own eyes just this morning! My eyes widened dramatically after this realisation. Oh goddess, hopefully this didn't mean that he had to .. kill as well, no, watch, … oh, I hope so, for him. Every one of us was too young for this shit.

But my near death experience and the realisation that not everything was as it seems had widened my horizon. Maybe everything Draco had done was done for good reasons and as I knew now first hand how quickly life could be over I wanted to handle things differently than before. The way he looked at me, yes, if I got the chance I wanted to talk to him, give him the chance to explain himself. That wouldn't kill me, or him either. The war created exceptional circumstances. Friends remained friends, friends became enemies and enemies friends, you just had to find some courage. Well, I had already shown that I had courage in abundance.

So my thoughts strayed.

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My answer to Ash's Review: (I think it was a guest review or something because I can't answer you personally).

As I already stated above:

This is a translation of a German FF which has already over 600 Chapters. I am not the author. Which means as a translator our Number 1 rule is:

Don't under any circumstances change the plot - even if it's to spice things up - and keep it as original as possible.

I'm sorry to hear that you find it somewhat boring. I have spoken to several German Fans and the author and we aren't quite sure what exactly is boring, that's why we'd like to know, if you'd like to tell us, what exactly is boring so that we can avoid it. (If it's because the dirty and gory scenes are not here, that's because FF Net doesn't allow it, but I also stated that you can find it somewhere else.)

I also don't quite know what you mean by: Jumping here and there?

Is it because some scenes are cut - mostly sex scenes - and the cut isn't smooth enough? Or some kind of POV? Or.. We don't really know, I had a proper look but we really don't know what you mean by that. Again, we'd appreciate it a lot if you could let us know what exactly is jumpy.

I thank you a lot for your review and your thoughts, it always helps us to get different POV to this story.

Even though you weren't such a big fan of it, we hope we can catch you someday and have you as one of our reader in our boat. ;)

LoLove,

Cate and Co.


	33. A Merry Train Ride

It's Thursday again! Wohoo!

Please enjoy the uncut and original Chapter. Translated by Aivy (My Left hand) She's awesome!

PS: I decided to answer all your reviews below the chapters. xx

Thanks so much for all the reviews, new followers and reads. You're awesome!

Enjoy xx

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A Merry Train Ride

This year's Head Boy was a Ravenclaw named Roger Davies. He was very reminiscent of Percy Weasley, what with the way he carried himself and the way he spoke.

"Chrchrrm, lovely to have you all here!", he spoke up, his voice grave. The sound of his voice snapped me out of my thoughts and brought me back to the present. I eventually found my place between a couple of Sixth years.

The minute I sat down, I already felt multiple eyes on me. After quickly, and subtly, sweeping my gaze around me, I confirmed that most of those stares were coming from my male classmates. It made me wonder why they had decided to fix their gaze on me. Had my physical appearance altered that much in their eyes? Or was it my demeanour? Something _must_ have changed for their attention to gravitate towards me, likewise Malfoy's. The first thing that I thought to evaluate was my attire.

The black summer dress that I was wearing couldn't be called _that_ special. It had short sleeves that covered my shoulders, an Empire style and a skirt that flared wide below the bodice and ended on my thighs. Additionally, I was wearing the silk scarf artfully draped around my neck, so nobody would notice how bruised it was.

Apart from that, I had also applied some make-up today, so as to not appear as dead as I felt. But, somehow, I doubted that my choice of clothing was the reason.

The next thing that came to mind was my physique. It had, naturally, changed over the years but the recent training had done a good job of toning my body. And my choice of clothing did show that off a bit. I felt flattered and slightly proud, but it did not show on my face. Outwardly, I maintained an impassive expression as I listened to Davies' circumlocutory monologue.

This had to be the worst form of torture imaginable. Roger Davies' voice was droning and the words he spouted had zero substance. This lack of captivity could rival even Professor Binns. Even _I_ had difficulty staying awake. I spared a look Ron's way and found him among a group of Hufflepuffs he had recently become amiable with. As I had expected, he was asleep, being the only one to be doing so apart from Ernie. I would have laughed if it hadn't been so sad. In my boredom, I decided to look around the room.

Most of the students had chosen to ignore Roger Davies and were busying themselves with other activities. Parkinson was engaged in a conversation with Carola Graham, a sixth year Slytherin, and Draco Malfoy was focused on me still. I frowned - _what was that about?_ \- and resolved to keep him inconspicuously in my sight as well. What was he seeing or thinking to see, that he bestowed this much attention on me, the Mudblood?

"… these were your tasks in detail!" Davies beamed at the group after finishing his long-winded monologue. The unfurling silence jolted many from their sleep.

"And now I ask you to start your rounds and to aid the first years!" he assigned sententiously and, before he could blink, the lot came to life. Everybody got to their feet swiftly. I had taken a seat right in the back and didn't intend to stand up soon. Sitting did me good, so I tried to blend into the background. In principle, I wanted to have my peace and forget what had happened to me. I observed Ron searching for me, only to give up and follow Padma.

The compartment emptied rapidly. Most of them probably wanted to return quickly to their friends and talk about the holidays. Therefore I had a wonderful excuse why I didn't hurry back to the others. After the last had left, I straightened myself, closed my eyes wearily and breathed a sigh of relief. Alone! How good that felt!

I was happy to be a Prefect, because of the advantages it provided me and as I said I take it as it comes. Suddenly I heard to the door close, a sound that surprised me. I turned around with a jerk and saw a nonverbal Colloportus being cast. Not only the outrage about that made gasp, but the careless movement had torn dangerously at my intestines. Who? Ah...

What could he want from here still? I mean, he had as much right to be here as I, but why _with_ me? And why had he locked us in? Should I feel threatened? I remained silent as I stood up and simply looked at him. He did the same, before he got closer with smooth steps.

Was that meant as a game? Whoever asked a question first loses?

I knew I played well, but I knew he was good too. He always had been. Additionally, I was not in peak condition, as the slight throb in my side reminded me. My retreat was stopped abruptly by the door to the conductor's carriage. I could only watch as he closed in, sneering as if he thought he had won already. He was displaying himself very arrogantly. I looked directly in his light-grey eyes, waiting for a resolution, even as he finally stopped walking. He was near, nearer than he had ever been before. The only other time I could remember where we were this close was in our third year, when I gave him a blow to the jaw. We had been just as close then, but it had been over quickly. Now we were facing each other, watching and eyeing each other carefully, while neither of us moved.

While his eyes flitted to above my face, he tilted his head, smirked and then continued to examine me. Was that a trick he had learned from his father or Snape for when they wanted to intimidate someone? It might work against the insecure. It would scare most down to the marrow. Me though? I have to say, I didn't feel particularly insecure, instead curious of what he wanted from me. And after yesterday, it would take a lot more than this to upset me. To show him that his trick couldn't work with me, I mimicked him once again. _Everything you can do, I can do better, youngster._ Apart from a fleeting flash in his eyes, he didn't twitch a muscle. He was good.

"Mudblood!" he exclaimed, the word resounding with a biting chill as he came closer. With just this one word and his very upright posture, he wanted to establish that he was the undisputed boss.

"Pureblood?" I replied cheekily and raised my chin aggressively. Tit for tat.

"Why that term!?" he spewed at me viciously, the look on his face deriding.

"Why…? I thought, as your first word was aimed at my blood, I would grace you with the same honour. I assumed you were proud of the 'pure ones'?" I stated contemptuously, my great, fawn brown eyes locked resolutely with his. He didn't scare me. I had both my wands and my beloved daggers.

"Don't forget that, mud… blood! Now tell me, why are you looking at me like that?! Are Potter and Weasel so excruciating ugly that you can't take your eyes from me?" His voice was full of venom and his stare was as cold as ice.

"… Uh-huh, not the least bit conceited, are you?" I questioned him ironically, rolling my eyes.

"Granger." My name was pronounced with ill temper, but he showed restraint. We were neither arguing nor shouting at each other. It was a miracle.

"What? What do you want to hear? I am still dazed that you returned, just because I glanced at you for once… one would think you enjoyed it!" The words coming out of my mouth sounded distinctly cynical. I raised my hands, wanting to shove him off me to be able to breath freely again.

"How dare you, you… worthless…" he snapped resentfully and retreated gracefully before my hand could touch him.

"What, why am I this worthless? Am I really that worthless for you? You are talking to me and are backing me against the door. Do you do that simply to irritate me or do you want to harass me?" I spit back in disgust. He need not imply that I was dirty in any way.

"You insolent bitch, don't you know to whom you are talking? What do you think you are? You are nothing…" he hissed in a low, deep voice, while not letting me out of his sight.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, and I am talking to you, Draco…" I stated derogatively, when he interrupted me angrily.

"How dare you address me by my first name, Mudblood?" he screamed furiously and his eyes took on a lush storm grey.

"You are free to call me Hermione, if you want to" I whispered gently, my head bowed when I presented him that offer out of the blue. Me previous thoughts came to my mind, of how I wanted to give Malfoy the chance to explain himself or to show me that not everything was as it seems. That he was a human being with emotions and fears and not just an arrogant, narcissistic Malfoy. That's what I tried to put into practice here. He fell silent immediately.

"Who are you and where is Granger?" His words sounded bland. He had his arms crossed in front of his chest by now, his facial expression blank like a mask. Laughter bubbled out of my throat.

"You can be funny. In front of you, and I am Hermione, as she lives and breathes!" I supplied, amused and grinning openly at him.

"I can't believe that. And why are you laughing like a fool?" He looked at me calculatingly with eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Alas... D… Draco?" The name left my lips warily. I looked up at him carefully, waiting for his reaction.

"I don't laugh like a fool, I am releasing stress!" I explained honestly after receiving no reaction to calling him Draco. "I have thought a lot over the holidays, experienced a lot, and I think you and me, we both, we could maybe help each other, if… if you want - of course, only if you want. And I thought, if we respect each other, then we could call each other by first name… oh, forget it. I wanted, _argh_ , why do you have to stand here like a tin soldier and stare me down?" I asked, agitated, and I didn't know why I was stuttering this much. Now I had my hands raised and was gesticulating wildly, while he observed me distrustfully.

"Oh, forget it. I wanted to offer that we help each other" I admitted resignedly and groaned in frustration because his grey eyes rattled me so much.

"I don't need Potter" he positively spit out, his face distorted in a disgusted grimace.

"Who is talking about Harry?" I was confused and frowned in irritation.

"What do you mean then, that we could help each other…?" he inquired with a furrowed brow, appearing baffled.

"Well, what I said, you and me… nobody else! Do you think Harry would approve of this?" I asked him doubtfully, pointing at him, me and the empty room in an interrogative gesture.

"I don't know, you tell me" he stated, still suspicious. Yes, he could play, definitely!

"Never _ever_ , he… he really doesn't like you!" I let him know decidedly.

"...but you, you like me… don't you, Granger?" His words were tinted with sarcasm in a way that sent cold shivers up my spine, and he released his breath in a contemptuous huff.

"Well, I can't say I hate you!" I said succinctly. A slightly disbelieving look passed over his face, disappearing quickly, but I had noticed that I had surprised him.

"How? You can't be serious!" The disbelief was prominent in his voice.

"What...? Why? I shall hate you, because you call me Mudblood? Please, come off it!" I shrugged. "That would be very superficial of me. I don't know what you hope to achieve by these insults, however, that's not enough to hate you. I merely think it's immature…" I pulled my lower lip between my teeth and looked at him with feigned innocence.

"Why should you want to help me?", he whispered warily and vigilantly. He didn't trust me one bit and probably thought we wanted to trick him to draw him out.

"Why not? When you help me in turn, I am a good confidant, a good ally as well and I believe the holidays left their marks on you" I stated perkily and revealed my observation, suspecting that he would not make concessions otherwise; he was too wary at the time being.

"Uh-huh. The things you believe… first of all, you are a Gryffindor. What exactly do you want, what are you offering? Do I have to remind you, you are the proper, well-behaved teachers' pet! You are Hermione Granger!" His exclamations sounded stern, taunting and derogatory, all at once.

"Haha, you said it!" I cried in triumph and clapped my hands happily.

"Oh... don't flatter yourself!" He sounded resigned and shook his head slightly defensive, having accepted my offer, even if unintentionally.

"Of course not. Draco?" I looked at him seriously and agreed with him, nodding ironically.

I just thought in times like these we live in, it is always good to have friends. You could do with one or two more as well! What.. don't looked at me that way, I didn't miss the expression in your eyes. I don't know what you experienced over the holidays, but I guess they weren't the nicest you ever had," I explained confidently, meanwhile relaxing back into the door. Unfortunately he was bigger than me, as most men are. With my inconsiderable 163 centimeters I had to look up to them, a depressing fact.

"Wow, now I am appalled. Do you train something like that? Potter's and Weasel's Gryffindor princess wants… what? To be my… friend? Am I in the wrong picture? And how dare you assume to know anything? You have no idea!", he spit out nastily and treated me with icy flashes from the depth of his eyes.

"I know that I know nothing. I just wanted to offer you a friendly ear. Think about it, Draco!" I replied bravely, at the same time pushing off the door and making a move to skirt around him. I had realised perfectly he would not believe me, which was in part understandable. But he wouldn't let me pass, blocking the small aisle between the benches.

"Where do you think you are going?", he whispered with a hiss.

"Prefect round, then I will join Harry and Co. Besides, Pansy and Twit and Fatty will miss you about now. And don't tell me you want to waste more of your precious time with me, the Mudblood!" I hissed back, incensed, and tried to find a way past the Slytherin.

"Don't think so much, let that be my concern. And hold still, stop fidgeting," he pestered me and got closer, while sounding as arrogant as ever. The world stopped for me when he touched me. For the first time since we knew each other, Draco Malfoy had touched me and sullied his hands with me. I was gobsmacked and froze. He grabbed me firmly by my shoulders and pushed me back against the door. Not carefully, not gently, simply determinedly and I suppressed a stifled moan.

"Granger, Granger, have I allowed you to leave?", he whispered in my ear in a raspy voice. His breath was hot against it and I nearly trembled, but didn't allow myself the weakness. Everything about his behaviour was vastly provocative.

"Don't you have to wash now?", I asked, eyeing him tauntingly and smoothing over my anxiety.

"Don't be daft!" He rolled his eyes. "I simply don't know what to think of the whole thing here. As you analyzed me so prettily before, I thought you would be interested in my observations!", he stated spitefully. He was looking at me questioningly, but his expression made clear that the question was merely rhetorical.

"I was astonished today too when you entered the compartment with Weasel! I saw a young, grown-up woman, nothing like the childish girls here! I wondered what had happened. She has lost all traces of childhood. And I know there were no immediate dangers, no attacks on this girl, sorry… on this woman. Therefore, what happened? Her physical appearance has changed as well, not solely her demeanour! She looks good, even better. (Don't flatter yourself on that, Mudblood!) I can see in her eyes she has seen things and even experienced things that didn't befall the Weasel, as he still has an idiotically blissful expression in his eyes," he summed up expertly, in doing so bending his head back and grinning at me superiorly, with a mean smile and I had to grant him that, he must have had a brilliant teacher.

He had discerned and guessed much, much more than my friends, which were around me most of the time. How come a Malfoy was this perceptive and attentive? He surprised me immensely.

Oh, he was good, I had always known. As a child, he had been a contentious and snobbish silly boy, but since two years ago he had changed greatly. Apparently his father's education took root and this holiday had done the rest to let him grow up as well. And he had indeed grown-up, I realised now. Where Harry and Ron were children still, Draco had become a man. I would never have expected the arrogant, spoiled, narcissistic rascal to become this observant, this prudent.

"Since when did you notice something? And don't you find it strange that we are having a relatively civilised conversation?", I inquired faintly surprised.

"I have always been civilised." He sounded as arrogant as ever, while he appraised me with an amused twinkle in his eyes.

"I see, and what about me, have I been a Neanderthal?" I wanted to know very cynically and snorted.

"No, but always in the clutches of Potter and Weasel. And that is the big question, why are you here and not clinging to the robe tails of those two stupid asses?" ,he enquired, and I could determine that he was truly interested. Meanwhile, he still held me captive, his hands continuing their grip on my shoulders.

"Stop insulting Harry, he isn't like that and you were not civilised, but instead arrogant, conceited and narcissistic!", I hissed, furious and beat him round the head with my thoughts.

"Tsk tsk … I hope you noticed you didn't contradict me in regards to the redhead. And I was not arrogant. I am a Malfoy!" He sounded like an egomaniac.

"Hmpf," I mumbled to myself. When he spoke the truth, I couldn't disagree with good conscience.

Draco suppressed a loud laugh. "That is too funny, Granger!" He looked at me calculatingly. "What do we do now, with this new concord?" he peered at me with interest, but also with scepticism.

"Is that really what you want, Draco? To have a normal conversation with me? Doesn't a Malfoy stand above all and even more above me, the Mudblood?" I spoke curiously and was astounded myself how easily his name left my lips, but it felt right.

"Uh-huh, you are seeing reason, I notice… nice… and it seems you like my name? Alas, I haven't given you permission to address me like this yet!" The remark was snide, as usual.

"What do you mean by _yet_? Can I discern from that that you will give permission eventually... Draco?" I didn't let him upset me and played him skillfully. He grimaced slightly, pushed off the door and once again towered over me.

"You have truly become too smart for a Mudblood, truly too smart, and I have thought all along that you could be an interesting conversational partner! Do they appreciate it?" He lifted his eyebrow skeptically when he suddenly asked this last question. Whereas the preceding compliment definitely flattered me, I was asking myself already who the young man in front of me was. I shrugged. Did Ron and Harry appreciate my mind? Harry sometimes, certainly, Ron not so much.

"Are _you_ able to exchange thoughts with your entourage?" I answered with a counter question.

"With a few, yes… one… or two!", he pondered. Now he bowed down to me again, this time getting close enough that his scent entered my nose - sandalwood - while he whispered: "Not Fatty, but Twit is excluded and Pansy too, regretfully" he summed up, rather unkind. I was baffled; Draco had just make concessions to me and had discredited his toadies in front of me. I looked at him with wide eyes and tilted my head back slightly.

"Well, my options to exchange interesting information is limited, too, if I don't want them to doze off," I admitted sadly, resigned to the fact. This prompted him to display a slight, shallow smile. We were playing cat-and-mouse here.

"I don't know what you are doing, but I take my appointment as Prefect seriously and will attend to my duty. See you later, Mudblood!" His parting words sounded unusually jovial.

"See you later, Pureblood" I replied with great presence of mind. I believe this might develop into an inside joke.

Draco seemed to have truly changed during the holidays. I never planned it like that, but if I were able to establish a... well… what? A relationship would be aimed too high. To establish a basic understanding, without malice, why not? You could never know what good would come out of it. I had guessed early on, and after today I was convinced, that he only started to call me Mudblood to annoy Ron and Harry because I was absolutely above something like that. But he was right, I should join the others, otherwise they would wonder where I had got to. A conversation with Malfoy I believed to have gone mental. It was unbelievable what could be changed by a Dark Lord's rebirth.

When I entered our compartment, I was able to see Harry had founded a proper fellowship with Ron, Neville, Ginny and Luna. Again, I felt out of place in this dreamy, playful circle. As impossible as it sounded, I felt closer to Draco than to my friends, due to our apparently similar experiences.

"Where have you been? I had to do everything without you" Ron began nagging immediately.

"Sorry, I lost sight of you, but surely you managed your tasks well! Hello Neville, Luna, how did your holidays go?" I asked, deflecting the attention. Neville sat in the seat opposite Ron. He was looking well, had lost a lot of weight. He looked definitely better and held a butt-ugly potted plant in his lap.

"They were lovely, thanks for asking, Hermione. I got this cool Mimbulus Mimbeltonia for my birthday, it's a really brilliant plant!" he said enthusiastically, his excitement obvious. However, in the moment we all looked at the thing up close as Neville was extending it in our direction, the plant decided to feel threatened and peppered us all with a load of an icky smelling, greenish juice.

"Yuck…" it resounded. "Blech, how gross!" And it really was.

"Oh… pardon, I am so sorry!" he stuttered anxiously, meanwhile blushing bright red.

 _Not everything has changed_ , I thought resignedly, as he was acting as mortified and shy as always. I recoiled as everybody in our compartment had instinctively. Oh dear! That had hurt, this abrupt movement had tweaked my stitches dangerously, hopefully it hadn't affected anything. Oh dear! And now I could observe in the edges of my vision how Cho Chang looked into our compartment right then and retreated quickly, embarrassed. That girl had always been strange. I couldn't fathom what Cedric had seen in her back then. And what Harry saw in her, I hadn't totally understood either, but even I had arrived at the conclusion that I was not able to know and understand everything and everybody, or that I should want to, either.

Oh, poor Harry. I felt sorry for him in this regard, as he was simply too shy. If Sirius had lived together with Harry a few years earlier, the latter would probably be the Casanova of the school today. Alas, he was very insecure and Ron definitely was no help in this respect. And I couldn't offer my help to him effectively if I didn't want him to know about my affairs so far, and let's face the facts, he would never approve of my fling with Sirius - don't even mention Snape, who didn't even know it himself. What a mess.

"It doesn't matter, Neville, it's not that bad" I dismissed his mishap nonchalantly and drew out my school wand, casting a strong cleaning charm for the compartment and ourselves and the mess was remedied immediately. For were we not wizards and witches in the end?

I took my leave, referring to my duties, as I had an uneasy feeling, as if the flinch had torn something after all. I had to take a look.

On my way I passed the Twins' compartment and then thought I could kill two birds with one stone, because I needed their help with a specific task. Thus I stepped in front of their compartment door with determination and looked inside. I could see them, Lee, Alicia and Angelina. Everybody seemed to be having great fun, as the Twins were showing off many of their new products. The slightly bitchy look Fred gifted Angelina didn't escape my notice. Well, I would interrupt this cosy round now. I raised a hand and knocked on the glass, presenting a serious, disapproving Prefect face over the so called joke items of the Red Devils.

Immediately all raised their heads in alarm. The Twins sighed in relief as they recognized me, for they knew they had nothing to fear from me, but the others didn't know me as well and were looking worriedly in my direction as a certain reputation of rule-abidance was preceding me. I was still standing in front of the closed door and had my gazed fixed empathically on the Twins, waiting. The moment the penny dropped for them was easily noticeable, as their eyes widened. Then they jumped up at once and said something to their friends, gesticulating wildly. I stepped back and resumed waiting. They stepped up to me with unusually sombre expressions. I jerked my head wordlessly and so they followed me. We cleaved through the students, which was wearisome as most of doors were open and the joy of reunion great, as it seemed. The aisles were backed up and we had to wait.

"What's up, most beautiful, did something happen?", George enquired, worried, whispering quietly.

"I need your help, my Red Devils," I requested in an equally low voice.

"Will we learn about what happened yesterday? What mischief have you been up to, most beautiful?" Only now I noticed that we were having this compromising conversation directly in front of the Slytherins' compartment. Apprehensively I looked inside and met intrigued looking light grey. Bugger, now he had straightout witnessed that I was a lot closer to the Twins than everybody thought. I had to be more careful. I nodded briskly and led them on, targeting the facilities, and beckoned them into the big, and fortunately empty, Prefect restroom compartment.

"Phew, the train gets increasingly closer to a madhouse!", Fred stated priggishly as he swiped a meddlesome strand of red hair out of his freckled face.

"Who might be responsible for that?", I said sardonically, the resignation apparent in my voice, which brought me beaming grins from both of them.

"Our products are brilliant, aren't they?" They sounded smug and exchanged a high five.

"You know yourselves that you are little invention geniuses!", I acknowledged and leant against the restroom wall, exhausted. "I have to ask you a favour that doesn't allow for postponement."

"Most beautiful, always, you don't have to ask, you never! We would do everything for you." Fred exclaimed grandiloquently, but he meant it completely, through and through, and because of that I smiled at him gratefully.

"I need the Marauders' map, ask Harry to borrow it to you this evening," I requested in a tired voice.

"Wha… alright, it is as good as done," George suppressed his curiosity at the last moment.

"I have to make a slight modification to it and I will do the same for you, you will see it this evening. Will you meet me in the common room at one o'clock tonight?", I checked with them.

"As you command, my Lady!" Fred saluted me, always the jester, and earned a small smile from me.

"Are you going to tell us what happened yesterday? The magpie, that was you, wasn't it? Well, you are Sirius' lover and call him Casanova, even if we didn't recognize your voice," George rambled nervously and with an unhappy expression on his face. The question was if I wanted to tell them everything.

"I have always known that you are good at combining clues, yes, you got everything right!", I explained and hoped their interrogation would be over soon, as my wound was twinging alarmingly.

"Wow, awesome! You have mastered a Patronus, wicked, we are going to learn them only this year in class!", George said with enthusiasm and admiration.

"Lovely. Let us go on tonight, otherwise your friends will wonder where you got to and think I am punishing you with detention for the whole term!", I deflected, for an uncomfortable wet feeling was spreading across my skin and I wanted to keep the grace of not telling them everything. Both nodded and retreated with a wave of their hands.

Now I was standing alone in the Prefects bathroom so I breathed deeply, stepped up to the washbasins above which a mirror was hanging, and lifted my dress. I peeled it off so I was wearing only my black undies and the silk scarf. My complete middle section was wrapped in a bright white bandage. I peered closely at myself in the mirror and twisted my body slightly to see my side, and, lo and behold, where the stitches were located the white of the bandages were stained with red. Shit, the wound had been torn open a bit. I had to fix it now; the train ride would take another five hours and the feast was following, too. Until I could get to Snape… I would loose too much blood, especially as I didn't know how severe it was. I snorted angrily. Surely that had to happen to me. In this moment the magically locked door opened with a loud bang.

I gasped. Nobody was allowed to see this. I meant the bandage, the wound and yes, my nakedness as well!

Who?

Unbelievable. I seized my dress from the washbasin, shielding my body with it and turned away from the mirror, looking at the intruder with intense indignation. Now the troublemaker entered smugly, throwing me a calculating look, assessing the situation, my more or less undressed state and reacted swiftly by closing and relocking the door with a spell. Next he stepped up to me with a terribly vicious, arrogant and superior smile.

"Granger, Granger, that you would tear off your dress for me I wouldn't have expected," he teased me with a sneer.

"Malfoy!" I hissed, outraged.

"Hey, what happened to… _Draco_?" he complained less seriously, more cattily, making fun of me.

"Bugger me!" I snarled furiously.

"A Mudblood? No, thanks!", he twanged haughtily and tossed one of his blond strands back arrogantly.

"Did you have something going here with the carrot tops?" he asked, not a bit curious, stressing the indifference, while stepping closer, intrigued.

"Shove off! Can't you endure five minutes without me?" I tried to provoke him.

"Don't even think about it," he replied and showed me his teeth. I bowed my head, dejected. Must all the Slytherins of the world see me nearly naked? First Snape, now Draco, somebody up there had to really hate me. I pressed my dress firmly against my breasts and simply felt sorry for myself.

"If you don't leave voluntarily and _immediately_ _,_ I will strike you with an Obliviate, I am serious!" I threatened viciously, aggressively and raised my ice cold gaze to look at him.

"Oh, as if Gryffindor's princess would break the school rules this way!" He displayed a smug attitude.

"Try me." I stated provocatively and showed him a freezing smile. He froze for a second, seeming to evaluate if he had underestimated me. _Oh yes, my dear, you have. You have no idea what I am capable of. Or maybe you have?_ I found it difficult to judge him reliably today. Then he noticed the mirror behind me and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Shit, Granger, you're bleeding. I was right after all, you were in pain!" he sounded totally different from one second to the next. I looked at him, taken by surprise. Did I hear worry in his voice? Now I was more than gobsmacked. Where did the Slytherin ice prince go? Where the smug arrogance?

"As if you were telling me something new" I said dryly. Now he had seen what I didn't want him to see. He had abandoned all games and quickly bridged the distance between us, showing a level of worry that was simply unbelievable.

"Turn around!" he demanded in a serious, almost caring voice, in a manner I had never heard from Malfoy.

"You can't believe that I would turn my back to you, so you can drive a kni…" I gulped down the lump in my throat. It seemed I hadn't coped with it as much as I thought, for I couldn't vocalise the word knife without vividly picturing the alley before my inner eye.

"Granger, it is below my dignity as a Malfoy, but I promise you I won't try anything to hurt you" he offered me and to my horror, my instincts told me to trust him.

"And if I don't do it?" I didn't surrender easily, for I was unsure nevertheless.

He snorted. "I don't think Potter and Weasel know you have... this here! What do you think they will believe if I pay them a visit now and tell them about it?" he blackmailed me provocatively, while pointing at the mirror in my back derisively. Ice cold blackmail.

"Then you'll shoot yourself in the foot! You, in the bathroom, together with the Mudblood?" I countered. "Actually, what are you doing here?" He grimaced as if something bad smelling was under his noble, delicately chiselled aristocrat's nose.

"What do you think? Looking after you. What I am interested in, is what you were doing alone with Weasel's brothers." he admitted his curiosity, his countenance taking on an impatient expression.

"And, learned anything yet…?" I asked teasingly.

"No, only more curious!" His voice sounded rough and that downright gave me goosebumps.

"Are Malfoys allowed to be that? Curious? That doesn't match the blank mask," I provided very sarcastically. With only my dress covering my chest I felt out of place, inferior, here in front of him, the leader of Slytherin house. That's what he was, unfortunately.

"Not everybody has to find out!" he grinned smugly.

"Really, but I am allowed?" I opened my eyes wide. First he acknowledged that Pansy and Twit were not particularly bright and now he declared that he was indeed curious. What had happened that had apparently changed him significantly, or who? Now _I_ was curious!

"Granger, you may try to blab me to death, but that will not prevent you from turning around!" The words resounded with determination, while he straightened up to his full intimidating height. He puffed himself up. Since when was he this tall? "Trust me…" he requested in another tone, a gentler tone and once again my eyes got wide and unbelieving. Out of Draco's mouth!

What… was that? A concession to my fears? Trust me! A Malfoy!

That couldn't be Malfoy, could it? Maybe he always had been like that? He would be an intriguing enigma, as long as it wouldn't be on my expense. I was standing straight by now. Why was I always compelled to react to a challenge, to respond to an appeal to my courage? Thus I was still armed with my dress and swiftly turned my back on him. That truly cost me quite an effort, especially as he was no friend… but technically the enemy.

"There you go. It was not that difficult, really...", he muttered, astonishingly content. I could see him towering behind me in the mirror. In the midst of this relatively dull environment his white blond hair shone like the sun. "Let's take a look. I will remove the bandage now," he informed me with unfamiliar care. I admitted defeat and put both hands on the washbasin and obediently bend over slightly. Consequently my dress fell to the floor, but I didn't care anymore. I was standing in front of Draco Malfoy in my undies in the Hogwarts Express. What were the odds for that? The next question was, would I be able to use that to my advantage? Or was Draco the only one to benefit from the situation and the resulting knowledge?

Hey, he was a Slytherin! Nonetheless I had admitted defeat, as the pain was enormous and I had to try to fix the damage, so he began to unwrap the bandage - against my expectation he was gentle and showed no hesitance to touch me - until it slid down my body.

"Wow Granger, what did you do, that looks really nasty… If you are interested, the stitches have burst open at a few places," he reported startlingly unaffected by my wound. I didn't react at all, I wouldn't tell _him_ anything, pha! The next moment I tensed, as I had to subdue with massive effort the instinct to grab my weapons and attack him when he took his wand out of his jacket and pointed it at the wound in my back.

He started to recite the same healing spells as Snape; now it was crystal clear to me with whom he apprenticed. I would bet my undies the dear professor was teaching his little darling over the holidays. And Snape seemed to rub off on Draco. He hid it well behind his mask, but the way he helped me now he reminded me strongly of Snape, and the latter might be a Death Eater, but not a whole one. Oh yes, there had to be nuances and they seemed to affect Draco, thanks to the influence of the professor. Whereat I didn't presume to think to know where Malfoy Senior stood in all of this.

After Draco had finished his work dutifully a fine sheen of sweat had formed on his brow as healing was always taxing and even when I was grateful the painful tension had lifted somewhat from my body. So he conjured new bandages and wrapped them around me again wondrously gently. Until now no words were spoken between us. When he had finished tending my wound he retreated a step and looked at my backside with interest. Still I didn't turn back around but viewed him through the mirror.

"Thank you, Draco!", I breathed and licked over my lips which had gotten dry and chapped. It wasn't easy at all.

"Don't you want to turn around, Granger?" He appeared totally indifferent, the way he stood in front of me cross-armed. "...or are you afraid?" He did it again, he challenged me. Bugger, I couldn't ignore that, for I wasn't ashamed of anything. He saw nothing he wasn't acquainted with and I was still sufficiently covered. I would just slip my dress on quickly, then we would be back on equal ground, yes, good plan. I turned around, my dress at the ready, facing him and slipping it over my head under his attentive gaze. When I emerged his face was showing a fat grin and his eyes were twinkling merrily.

"You are really funny, Granger. Do you truly think I would be interested in your body, the body of a Mudblood?", he said with a smirk.

"Yes, certainly, you are a man! Pure-, Half-, Mudblood or Muggle, as long as they can spread their legs you couldn't care less, be realistic!", I exclaimed cruelly, disillusioned, for it was my true opinion. He showed a startled face over my pessimistic attitude.

"That sounds cruel and vulgar!" His reply was contemptuous, meanwhile he was tapping his lip in thought with his index finger. "But I am ready to… yes, to agree with you, the conversation earlier in the compartment has aroused my interest and after the incident just now I am intrigued more than ever! Have you meant your offer seriously?", he inquired with honest interest and gifted me a surprisingly innocent look from his light grey eyes.

"Certainly, the offer stands. And you are arousing my interest as well, more and more each second!", I admitted frankly.

"That's good! Will you tell me what caused that wound?", he asked calculatingly with a skeptically raised eyebrow.

"Uh, no, I rather not, or not yet! I don't know, can I trust you?" Slytherins did nothing for free, it's all about the exchange of favours, following the principle 'give me something and I will give you something in return'.

"Now you know something about me no one else knows and must not know. Now it's your turn, tell me something nobody else knows about you! Something that shows me that you trust me to a certain degree," I offered him. That we were approaching common ground this fast, I wouldn't have anticipated, but maybe he was searching for someone, too, who would understand better and more as the others. As much as the revelation shocked me, even now there was a kind of wordless understanding between us I would have thought impossible before.

Suddenly we looked deep in each other's eyes. Brown met grey as my gaze got caught in his and vice versa! Like a maelstrom, I was sucked deeper and deeper until it felt like I was examining his soul and his most secret feelings. All at once, I became aware of a genuine, sincere understanding. We were alike, we understood each other. He seemed to have seen the same in me. And what made this astonishing was that we hadn't used Legilimency. This was not spying on or searching through a mind. No, it was the recognition of a kindred soul.

Draco jerked his head to turn away his face, abruptly interrupting our eye contact and, consequently, the strong bond between us. He showed an absolutely flabbergasted expression, positively shocked. I must have looked like a proper idiot as well after he had broken the connection between us so rudely. Exhausted, I braced my backside against the washing table. What had happened here? That was Draco bloody Malfoy!

"Well, don't make any sudden movements, Granger. See you, Mudblood," he sneered as he took his leave, sounding somewhat uncertain still, and turned away. Oh, he was good, recovering himself within seconds and presenting his ice-cold, indifferent front.

"Thanks, Pureblood!" I retorted, impulsively. I had to have the last word, had to show that he was not the only one who could play this game!

When I was alone again, I turned back to the mirror and examined my face. Surprisingly, it looked totally normal. No coloured cheeks, nothing that hinted at the unusual and embarrassing situation I had been in.

I recovered my balance and trekked again through the uncomfortably bright and noisy train. The nine hour long train journey dragged on forever. I passed the remaining time reading in our compartment, but finally we were near our destination. Most of students had started to put on their uniforms when our compartment door opened. The yearly visit from Malfoy for Harry was pending. He flashed me a quick smile and got started.

"Ah, it looks like Potter and Weasel made it to Hogwarts. Too bad!"

My jaw nearly dropped in disbelief but, fortunately, I was very self-controlled and disciplined. Draco had actually refrained from including me in the insult.

"Bugger off, Malfoy, you are not welcome here!" Harry hissed angrily.

"Yeah, get lost!" Ron added aggressively, shooting up from his seat.

"Calm down, you hot-blooded Gryffindors, I'm on my way already. But don't think I won't be right on your heels like a dog, Potter," Draco shot back at Harry, resulting in the birth of frozen silence and dumbfounded faces. I raised a brow and looked at him questioningly, whereupon he gave me a curt nod which nobody noticed.

I understood his hint that Lucius had recognised Sirius' dog animagus form. Apparently Harry and Ron had come to the right conclusion as well, as both remained silent, the horror on their pale faces obvious. But they both surely couldn't know the real message behind Draco's words. After all, he didn't _have_ to tell us that his father had recognised Sirius at the station.

He made me a concession. Draco Malfoy showed me, Hermione Granger, his good will and took up the offer I made earlier. He offered me something only he knew and presented me through that an inkling of trust. Someday he might be a pretty good Machiavelli. This wrangling was fun.

It was a mutual give and take. Neat... it seems like we were at play. It was different with Snape. With Draco I felt on an equal footing. We were on par with each other. Where I was standing or whether I was able to stand with Snape I didn't know yet, but he had indisputably a leading role.

Still, I would have to thank Draco in person as soon as possible. We had to forward this information to Sirius. It meant that he was no longer safe in the streets even as dog. The compartment door closed with a thud and Draco was gone.

"What has gotten into that stuck-up ferret?" Ron questioned, hotly.

"Er, I believe… Sirius," Harry mumbled hesitantly, finding it difficult to swallow.

"Yes, quite right," I agreed, before elaborating further. "I think the Malfoys recognised Sirius at the platform. Wormtail must have informed them that Sirius is a dog and, consciously or not, Malfoy just told us that they know! Harry, we have to tell Sirius immediately that he is no longer safe in his animagus form. He has to stay in the house now!"

Ron gaped at me with an open mouth. He had a striking, and unappealing, resemblance to a fish. Harry was pale still, but he nodded affirmatively.

"I will send Hedwig to him before the end of today!" he stated firmly. And at that moment, we had to rise and leave the train, for after nine endless hours on the train we had finally arrived at Hogsmead.

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	34. The Feast and a Rendezvous

It's Thursday! Hope you've had a great week!

Full original Chapter, no cut scenes. We arrived at Hogwarts. x

Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews and new followers! Reviews will be answered below as usual.

Now, Enjoy.

This chapter has been translated by Aivy.

xxx

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The Feast and a Rendezvous

When we stepped off the train, I breathed in the fresh, fragrant air of a mild summer night. Yes, as of late I knew how liberating it could feel to take a deep breath. Illuminated by torches and lanterns the platform of Hogsmeade was bustling like usual with small first years, who were running around like headless chickens. They were heading for Hagrid, who stuck out of the crowd like a beacon and showed them the way with his cry of "First years, to me!"

Taking this all in, I left the train lost in thought and followed the others to the waiting, black carriages that would take us to the castle. I halted, because this year the formerly seemingly horseless carriages were no longer horseless, but pulled by horselike creatures. Black, glossy skin stretched directly above their bones, whereby their whole skeleton was outlined. The stunning, leatherlike wings reminded me of bats. But the most fascinating for me was the bony head, it had resemblance to a lizardlike dragon's head. The white eyes had no pupil and looked void and spooky. It knew exactly what creatures they were, had read all about them in the book "Magical, Dangerous Beasts".

They were thestrals, only visible to those people who had seen death, and because of that these animals were thought to be dangerous and creepy. Their carnivorous diet didn't help their reputation. But for me, they were simply fascinating and seemed pretty docile. I tried to hide my surprise over this unexpected discovery, while observing that Harry was less successful with the same endeavour. He stared at the thestrals as if they were ghosts. My pity for him was somewhat limited at the moment. If he only once in awhile looked into his school book he would have known he wasn't hallucinating, but that those were just thestrals, no more and no less, definitely no figment of his imagination.

Now Luna assured him as well in her own dreamy way that he was not fantasising, that she was able to see them as well, but she looked so spaced out, Harry and Ron were exchanging pitiful looks and one could clearly determine that they were very doubtful about Luna's claims.

I rolled my eyes. I couldn't let on about my ability to see the animals for fear that the question would arise what had happened during the holidays as somebody had to die in front of your eyes before you would be able to notice the creatures. A vicious circle.

Eventually we all had taken a seat in the carriage and we were approaching Hogwarts, which was soaring high above us, its silhouette stood out against the starlit sky. It was a magnificent, ancient, imposing castle. The warm glow of myriads of torches and candles escaped invitingly through the paned windows and conveyed an unreal, romantic atmosphere.

When the carriage stopped with a stutter, we joined the ceaseless stream of students pushing into the Great Hall.

Time and again it was overwhelming to walk through the massive portal, to pass through the stone antechamber and finally to enter the Great Hall through the tall double wing door. The weather outside was mimicked by the enchanted ceiling, causing a very impressive, mystical atmosphere. I let myself be captivated by the comfortable feeling.

Determinedly we headed for the Gryffindor table. There I tried to choose a seat that had a good view of both the Slytherin table and the teacher's table that throned elevated on a pedestal in front of us all. When finally all the Second to Seventh Years had taken their seats and the noise had more or less ceased, the double wing doors opened one more time and permitted McGonagall and the really tiny looking First Years to enter. Those walked nervously along the long aisle before facing the old, talking hat and being sorted with major fuss into one of the four Hogwarts houses. While the procedure dragged along I looked around curiously and noticed Malfoy holding court like a king at the Slytherin table. Once more our gazes crossed and I thought to see an amused expression alighting in his. I responded with a smile. It was too funny, I was holding a silent conversation with Draco in the Great Hall, who would have ever dared to think.

When my bout of observation got to the teacher's table I was able to recognize Dolores Umbridge thanks to Rita's exposé. She was clad in a horrible pink, conservative ensemble with a matching pink hat on the back of her head, resting on her short grey-brown locks. She looked like a small toad, a truly dislikable woman. She had a flabby face with slightly protruding, round, blue eyes and a broad, saggy mouth. Almost without any neck her toadlike head gave way to a peculiarly small, chubby body. This woman was short and fat. Her stubby fingers, which spouted much to many tacky rings, were drumming restlessly on the tabletop. Now however she disrupted professor Dumbledore and started her own speech!

That she presented us in a high, affected little girl's voice. All of what she said so sugary sweet was everything but innocent or even nice. Wow, wasn't it interesting, just what Rita had told me. Fudge and the ministry wanted to intervene at Hogwarts. This revelation passed by unnoticed by Harry and Ron, how typical, so that I had to give them a short summary and ended with a fervent appeal to be on their guard around her. Professor Snape seemed to be rather disgruntled after the speech as well, if the way the corners of his mouth were pulled down was any indication, but for a moment he stared into my eyes demandingly, reminding me of our appointment. I answered his silent inquiry with a shallow nod. After this tiring night and the endless train ride I hurt everywhere, but I couldn't postpone my meeting with Snape!

It was a good thing that after the feast had ended the only task for the Prefects was to pass on the password to the First Years and every other Gryffindor and show them the way. In the common room, which was decorated dominatingly in the house colours red and gold, I managed to initiate a swift exchange with the Twins.

"I have the map! Harry doesn't want it back until in a few days", Fred whispered into my ear.

"I can always rely on you. Very good. Now I have to leave for an appointment", I said in an equally low voice, which prompted a sceptical look from George.

"We are only back at Hogwarts for a few hours and you already have some hanky-panky ongoing?", Fred teased me and grinned cheekily.

"Yes, I have! Could you look out for me, make sure that they don't start a search?" I asked hesitantly.

"Alright. Be good." They snickered like mad. That I couldn't be up to anything good in their eyes, they seemed to take for granted. It looked like they were happy to be back at Hogwarts and to have escaped the tyranny of their mother.

I sneaked out of Gryffindor tower, travelling from the seventh floor down to the gloomy dungeons. It was nearly ten o'clock causing the castle to look eery to some with its grey, stony atmosphere. Not to me, though. I felt at ease while sneaking through the corridors all to myself. The only thing I didn't appreciate was the sheer length of the way.

When I passed the entrance to the dungeons and descended deeper and deeper, the cold increased as it was always crisp down here, so I carried on quickly on my journey to the professor's quarters, while remaining wary as I was on Slytherin territory and not everybody down here would be well-disposed towards me. Eventually I stood in front of a portrait that showed an ill-humoured knight. _Somewhat fitting,_ I thought, while working up my courage, and then knocked harshly. I might have slept with him, but he didn't know that.

The door opened inward and revealed the private office of the professor, which was furnished modestly, if not to say minimalistic. A desk at the back, a bookshelf that took up a whole wall, and a door that most likely led to his private lab. I didn't see him, but he had to have expected me, otherwise the door wouldn't have opened and hence I boldly stepped into the lion's den. No, wrong, into the snake pit, I corrected myself. I approached the desk and examined the meticulous arrangement, before twisting around in shock when a part of the book shelf moved and revealed a door that hadn't been visible before, through which the professor emerged, clad in black as usual.

"Miss Granger, will you come along?" he snarled and retreated into the darkness beyond. I beg your pardon? I would be permitted into Snape's sanctuary, his private rooms? He wouldn't have to ask twice, as I was curious how he lived. And thus I swiftly approached the opening. I was greeted by a cosy looking, spacious living room, which had a large fire place. Next to it I could see a cushy leather couch in green, what else, and two armchairs, and not a single bit of stone, as every single wall was filled with bookshelves from bottom to top. Wow, I could happily spend a lot of time here.

"Professor!" I greeted politely, while he sat down in one of the armchairs. He didn't wear a cloak, which resulted in a downright casual attire for him, here in his home. Without a word he pointed me to the couch. I followed the prompt right away and sank down into it, as the long way had taken its toll on me and my injury and I was a bit out of breath, too. A glass of wine stood in front of him and he had his gaze fixed on me, assessing my appearance. Even if I couldn't fully recall the incident in the Black library, I had the impression that it wasn't concluded for him, but to avoid this conversation I was much too tired. The day had depleted my energy reserves and he might ask every question he wants to ask, I wouldn't have to answer any of them and the shields that protected my mind were in place full force.

"Do you want a glass as well?" Snape's brusque invitation startled me as I hadn't anticipated the gesture.

"Yes, with pleasure!" I tried to downplay any surprise I might have showed, and to come off as cool, though being offered to drink something with my professor took me by surprise. I mean, I owed the man a lot, very much! Something as insignificant as my life.

He swung his wand in an elegant move and suddenly I had a glass in my hand, then he raised his, prompting me to follow his action. I raised my own to him carefully and drank. I have to say, the professor's taste was good, it was a splendid wine, and thus I licked the last drop from my lips and was distinctly aware of his furtively watching eyes. His back was kept ramrod straight, only his dark eyes in his pale face were darting around constantly and were taking notice of my every movement.

"Do you have something left to tell me?" He cocked his head in a manner so characteristic of him and focussed precisely upon me. Hmm… considering that yesterday's events in the library were kind of fuzzy in my mind, in stark contrast to the things that happened in the alley earlier and which stood unfortunately still very lively before my eyes, I only looked at him questioningly as I positively didn't know for sure what he wanted me to tell. And so he groaned in a self suffering way.

"About the incidents you inflicted upon your aggressors?" he demanded, elaborating, but somewhat less patient.

"Ah, well, as I told you Derrick had gotten an Obliviate from me… yes, right…," I said and took another greedy gulp from the wine for my throat had suddenly become very dry.

"That it had been an all encompassing, memory erasing Obliviate and he had been given false memories about a non-existent life, you forget to mention, Miss Granger!" he scoffed all the while glaring at me. But I didn't let that faze me. Should I feel guilty because of that? Pha, a lot had to happen before that, the son of a bitch deserved what he got.

"What are you trying to imply, sir? Yes, if you want the account in detail, that is exactly what happened, and before you ask for the why, firstly I was, or better yet, I am pissed off and viewed it as the perfect punishment. A Death Eater thinking himself a Muggle, truly hilarious! And secondly it was a good exercise, and the exercise material was expendable, a rare occurrence…," My voice was cold. Finally I drank another calming mouthful and afterwards watched the sparkling red of the wine in the glow of the open fire as I didn't want to look at him.

"Chrmm, well, how unexpected. Then there is nothing for it but for me to congratulate you on your successful Obliviate!", he said pointedly and looked at me impassively. It didn't suit him at all, the way he sat rigidly in his own armchair. That he hosted me in his home still astonished me. I didn't have the courage to ask, but I strongly assumed that I was the first student allowed to set a foot into this sanctuary, except for Malfoy Junior of course. Should I feel honored?

"Professor, that's what I had been reduced to. I had to take away his memory of me. What do you think Fudge and the Ministry would have done with me in conjunction with a dead body? I wouldn't have had time to say 'Azkaban' before they would have carted me off to the prison. Just… like Sirius!" I confessed the last part in a low whisper.

"You have a point, Miss Granger. I just express my astonishment, as there is no Fifth Year known to me that would be able to perform an Obliviate to its full extent." he growled, displeased, and his tone was presently very sulky. Had that been a compliment? Oh, I would always be happy about such praise from this source. As it basically never occurred, I received it gladly. But to respond with thanks would be ill-advised regarding Snape - he would only be miffed, so I simply accepted it and threw him a glance, that was all.

"Since when are you able to create illegal port keys?" he demanded to know next. He continued his interrogation! This man was dreadfully pedantic, unbearably so - he had to know absolutely everything.

"Since the holidays. I thought, it doesn't matter anymore, here's a dead body, then the Obliviate, then I can give Fudge a little fright and try to offset his rose-coloured glasses and send them to him the direct way," I explained, snickering nastily in the process, as I still perceived the idea as original. Snape also lifted his glass and raised it to me once again, nodding his head deliberately.

"Indeed, your assessment is correct. Only the fact that _you_ are willing to go this far, escapes my comprehension. Why do you do all this, Miss Granger?" he watched me like a wild cat does its prey.

"Walking through an alley, like any normal person? Practicing spells and learning like I always do, or do you mean something else, sir?" I countered.

"I am not as dumb as the mutt. What truly drives you? And believe me, you don't know what you are getting into, you are much too young for that. Quit while you still can! Believe me, that is no life, not for anybody! You don't want that, you have family, friends, everything!" he tried urgently to make it plain to me and he surprised me. Was he concerned for me? He presented his arguments really convincingly, but I knew what I got into. This side did always have an allure for me and the last incidents had shown me that I was able to handle everything I would have to do. If you wanted to see it that way, yesterday had proven to me that I was prepared to do _anything_. And his other arguments I refuted in my mind as well. In less than a year, I would have no parents any longer, I would be an orphan. If he knew that I was initiating it by myself, he would - yes, what would he do? Get a heart attack right in front of me? And friends I had not many of, simply Harry and the Twins. But the Twins stood by me, and Harry - maybe one day, we would see, I was not sure.

"Don't delude yourself, you don't know everything, professor!" I hissed angrily. "And believe me, I don't cherish an illusion. I truly am no child anymore!" Meanwhile I had straightened into a very rigid posture. "And I hate to justify myself!" However, I tried to regain my indifference, otherwise I would be an easy victim. If one wasn't allowed to have something in Snape's presence, it was emotions, emotions that spilled over. He had weathered my moderate emotional release silently, totally indifferent. He was truly brilliant in suppressing any and all emotions. If I were only able to get him to teach me… But I wouldn't indulge in such naiveté, for he had just told me what he thought of my actions.

"All right. Calmed down?" he asked very tauntingly, while he examined me with the raised eyebrow.

"Will you undress now?" he demanded more than asked. With this abrupt change of topic he probably thought to catch me unprepared, but I had to disappoint him, after all I had come here because he had wanted to check my wound. Though I knew that his blunt demand was meant to humiliate me, which might have worked, if I had seen it as humiliating, which I didn't, for the professor had gotten too close to me already! I stuck out my tongue at him mentally; he wouldn't come to know _that_.

"As you wish, sir!" I replied sweetly. I stood up and started firstly to unwrap my scarf from my throat with deliberate slowness and lasciviousness. After I had discarded it on the couch, I turned my attention to my school cloak, which I let slip gradually from my shoulders, throwing it on the couch as well. Now I looked up with interest. The situation we were in was more than suggestive and that thought didn't evade the professor, judging by the way his hands clung to the armrests of his chair hard enough that his fingers went slightly white. I, his student, performing a first class striptease for my potions professor. What everybody would be thinking, if they entered at this moment, was crystal clear.

I tried to make it extra alluring, wanting to rile him up for his behaviour earlier. So I let my dress slide off my shoulders gently, too, and it finally settled around my hips. Such was the way I stood in the dim light of the dungeon quarter. My half-clad body was illuminated flatteringly by the glow of the fire. The professor still sat very rigidly in his armchair, but maintained his usual indifferent mask. His self-control was something to be admired repeatedly. As he was not twitching a muscle, I slowly stepped up to him.

"Miss Granger, what do you intend to do here?" he hissed dangerously in his oily voice.

"Nothing, sir, I am only approaching you so that you can look at my injury up close," I stated soberly and stopped now in front of his seat, bending forward, and could observe how his obsidian coloured eyes scanned every centimetre of my skin.

This look of his made one's spine tingle. I couldn't hide a languorous shiver under this intense gaze, however I had no intention to do that either. When I was low enough, I craned my neck towards him provocatively, in order that he could examine the bruising. His breath caressed my skin. The atmosphere was loaded with tension. Up until now, no further words had been spoken. He raised his hand alarmingly slow and when his finger tips gently touched my throat, a spark appeared to ignite. His inky black eyes lit up, a glow visible in their depth, and I had to suppress a purr.

He broke this nebulous state, straightening deliberately and calling a jar to his hands with a spell which he catched from the air, then rubbing the salve into the skin of my throat with gentle motions. While he did that, I closed my eyes appreciatively, because I enjoyed it immensely to be cared for this much. It gave me a nice feeling to not be alone, even if he didn't approve of my deeds.

All at once I felt, to my sorrow, how the caress stopped. Nobody would believe me that Snape was able to be this gentle. Thus I woke up from my trance and opened my eyes abruptly to stare at him. I was rewarded with a derisive, scornful expression, but I could live with that. Just to irritate him, I answered with a seductive smile. Then I stood upright again and turned my back to him. Still not a single word had been uttered between us. Again he worked his way through meticulously and I endured everything, until he stuck a plaster on me. I was sure I wouldn't forget the feeling of his hands on my skin anytime soon.

"Until tomorrow evening, everything should be healed, then you can take it off," he stated quietly and I could hear how he reclined in his armchair. I straightened fully. That was good - how wonderful, the Muggle way I would have nursed this injury for weeks.

Close to him still, I turned back to face him, allowing him to have a good look at me, before pulling up my dress again and stepping back, reclaiming my seat and picking up my glass to take a gulp.

"Thank you, professor. Without your active help I wouldn't have survived this relatively unscathed, as I have. Should you ever… mhmh… have a wish, don't be afraid to tell me!" I offered righteously, flashing him a grateful smile. He raised his brow in his typical Snape way.

"Miss Granger, what do you want to offer?" The suggestion was clear in his voice and to my astonishment I felt an unexpected tingle between my thighs when I heard his deep baritone.

"Whatever you wish for, sir?" I purred sensually, fully aware of how suggestive that sounded.

"Where do you believe that you are? Don't forget, you are back at Hogwarts, in my domain! And Black is not here to protect you from me!" he said, incensed over my provocative offer, growling deeply and yet at the same time remaining seated with crossed legs. Oh, how cute, did he think he could frighten me with that?

"Of course, sir, I would never dare to proposition you … in your … domain. And don't fear, no matter where we are, I would never let Sirius protect me. I don't need him," I snapped at him, shooting down the very idea.

"Ah, our tough Miss Granger, isn't it?" He regarded me with a cynical expression before smiling maliciously. That was when I stood up again and picked up my scarf, which I wrapped around my throat, and the cloak, which I put on. I turned towards the hidden door in the book shelf.

"I think I will leave now. I hope we can do this again, as I think we could help each other in many areas! And since curfew is already in action, I'll hurry before you punish me for breaking it, sir!" I tempted him and earned a skeptically raised eyebrow.

"Do you want to be punished by me?" he seized my suggestion immediately and his eyes lit up with a vicious glow. I replied with a shrug of my shoulder. When I reached the door, I turned around and saw him still sitting, relaxed.

"Professor, one last question. What should one think of Draco Malfoy?" I couldn't even blink as he shot towards me like a bat out of hell and crashed me into the books behind my back, efficiently wedging me between himself and the shelf. I gasped in surprise, grimacing when the pain from my injury flared up immediately.

His hands clutched my shoulders roughly and his face was threateningly near to my own. His eyes pierced mine ominously. I was insecure, because in this moment I felt something like fear, or concern.

Well... a bit.

"Keep your hands off of the boy! Don't involve him in your games!" he hissed, almost snakelike, as he glared at me.

"Oh, fearing for your favourite student? Why do you think I would or could involve him in my games?" I replied cheekily, my expression totally unimpressed as well, which prompted him to grind his jaw at my insolence. For sure, I would never show him that his actions bothered me in any way.

"Alas, Miss Granger, why I would think that? Please, if you ask for him like that, you show your interest plainly!" he breathed, his tone cold.

"And that bothers you, professor?" I asked boldly, which may not have been wise in the precarious situation I was in at the moment. As if to validate my thoughts, he gave off a thunderous growl before grabbing my hair brutally, which tilted my head back, and crushing his mouth violently against mine.

I returned the kiss as well, consequently stoking the flames between us. I would never have guessed that Snape could kiss like this. He overshadowed Sirius easily as he kissed me with an all-consuming passion, not gently, oh no, but fervently. And once again I regretted that he had refrained from kissing Minna!

After a long time we disentangled, breathing heavily, and he stared at me with gleaming eyes.

"Go to bed, and don't do anything foolish, Miss Granger. And don't forget, I will keep an eye on you!" he reminded me, his voice hoarse and low. I would have liked to go further, however I knew it would do me no good to try. Either he initiated it, or not, and so I simply nodded. It was better this way, so I left. His inner battle was plainly obvious, how he fought with himself to not grab me and drag me to his bed, as he stepped back and released me, swallowing repeatedly. He opened the door with a wave of his hand and let me pass.

His morals had prevailed, for now.

After I had exited through the private office door, I first breathed in deeply multiple times. That the inquiry after Draco would make him explode like this, I hadn't anticipated.

The dungeons of Hogwarts were truly a dark, damp and cold affair. The fact that it was Slytherin territory certainly didn't help suppress the feeling of danger in the air.

I was still propped against the wooden door and gathering my bearings, wrestling with my arousal while caressing my kiss-bruised lips, when I was startled by the sound of someone clearing his throat.

"Why, Mudblood, I had started to believe you would stay the night," Draco's mocking voice reached me, who I could now spot in the dim light of the dungeon's torches, leaning casually against the stone wall.

"And, shocked, Pureblood?" I had overcome my surprise quickly.

"You truly have the gift of the gab. But your lips seemed to have had a collision," he smiled with a laugh. "Follow me!"

After making the demand, he pushed himself off the wall and waved his hand commandingly, motioning me to accompany him.

Which I promptly did. Being the obedient girl I was.

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	35. Slytherin

Here we are again!

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Full-Original Chapter today. Translated by myself.

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Slytherin

He led me deeper and deeper into the catacombs, which he seemed to know inside out. I looked at his tall, straight back, and his radiant blond hair, which seemed like a beacon in this darkness. I wondered what he wanted and where he wanted to go. This all went through my mind. I also knew that it was almost midnight and I actually had a date with the Twins at one o'clock. But as I followed him, my thoughts flew back to Snape. He had never been so close to me - Hermione, his student - since he always behaved very properly! I really must have aggravated him beyond reason and I refer to the whole evening, since I didn't think that only the mention of Draco had produced such a reaction.

Oh Goddess, I remembered as well that I had to thank Draco for the tip on the train. Oh man, everything just happened at once - one could only get a headache in this situation, but luckily my skull was very thick and stubborn. Finally, he stopped in front of a random stone wall, turned his head to me, smirking, and whispered so that I could hear it still, "Snake pit," and he ordered me to enter. If I hadn't been training for ages to suppress my emotions, it would've been a time for me to look astonished.

The Slytherin Prince itself brought me into the sanctuary of the snakes, to the common room of Slytherin. I was speechless, but I followed him. I would've liked to ask him if this was such a brilliant idea, but since he was the boss here, I thought he knew what he was doing. After all, I got to see the common room which I had only heard about from Harry and Ron in our second year, as they had gained access at that time with the help of the polyjuice potion and had had to leave me behind, to my great annoyance. My impression was that Harry and Ron had been blinded by their prejudices towards the snakes, as they had told me about the ugliness and coldness of the room.

Now I must say that the high room with the stone pillars, perforated by several glass panes through which one could gaze into the shimmering green lake, and the large circular spheres hanging from the high ceiling, the large fireplace with the voluminous, inviting resting area and the many armchairs - everything in matching colors of green and silver - had a certain chic, which met my taste very well.

Thus I was more than positively surprised to find such a beautiful environment. This was also much more spacious than the Gryffindor area, which was perhaps more homely in itself, but this room here had something majestic and impressive. Draco immediately walked to the seating island in front of the fireplace. The room was empty, as I had ascertained with a searching glance.

"Take a seat!" he pointed to the couch. So I sat down once again on the assigned place on the couch while he chose the armchair opposite me.

"What is going on between you and my godfather?" he came straight to the point.

"Your what? Godfather… ?" That caught me unawares. Snape was Malfoy's godfather, that just made _total sense_ now, yet I briefly shook my head to sort out the idea in my head. Was that the reason for Snape's violent reaction? Did he want to protect his godson? Or something else? Yes, but what? _Jealousy_? I wondered. Nonsense! Fear I might spoil his beloved godson? Wasn't Draco already spoiled to some extent?

"Did the cat catch your tongue, Granger?" Draco teased in good spirits and leaned back casually.

"Mh-hm... that you two are so close wasn't clear to me," I agreed honestly.

"You didn't answer my question," he reminded me. "But wait. Twinks!" he shouted, authoritatively into the room and immediately there was a pop and a knee-high house elf appeared, which stared devotedly at Draco with flapping ears. "Master Draco. What wishes Master Draco?" the little thing squeaked submissively.

"Bring us two hot chocolates, with a shot of whiskey!" he demanded, waving his hand. Whereupon the elf served the desired beverages just seconds later, setting the hot, steaming, giant, dark brown cups in front of us. The sweet, sweet scent of the chocolate drifted towards me and made my mouth water.

"Thank you!" I said, taking the cup to warm my hands. Draco leaned back with his cup, gently blowing into it, not letting me out of his sight.

"I wanted to thank you for the tip with the dog, that was very kind of you. Thank you!" I thanked him graciously, actually sincere.

"That was what you wanted to achieve with your offer! Or did I misunderstand something?" he asked slyly and raised one of his white-blond brows and now I had an explanation why his manners were so similar to Snape's. His godfather! There were some things that were just superb.

"No, no, I... this is absolutely correct. I was just surprised and very pleased that you had apparently decided in my favour and so unexpectedly fast, too!" I smiled at him now and raised my cup to him. If Snape, after the argument earlier and his resulting threat, knew that I was now sitting in the Slytherin common room and drinking delicious hot chocolate with Draco, he would rip me to shreds. The thought made me giggle. I loved playing, as dangerous as it could be, and that Snape was dangerous was out of the question.

"Did that sound suggestive to only me, or did your tongue just slip, Granger?" he asked, intrigued. I shrugged again after such a direct question. What should I answer to something like this? So I kept quiet.

"A question: isn't it too dangerous for us to sit here and have a nice drink if some other Slytherin might come in?" I curiously looked around in the big room.

"Granger, I'm the boss of this house, I've ordered everyone to be in the dormitories by eleven o'clock and they aren't allowed to come out again. They won't break the order!" he said very arrogantly and condescendingly.

"Wow!" I felt impressed. What could be said without blowing up his ego even more. Haha, it didn't seem to please him that I had nothing more to say.

"But don't think I'd forget your answer to my question over your babble, I'm waiting!" he demanded impatiently.

"You mean about Snape?"

"Yes, exactly, what's going on? I mean, you were for almost two hours in his rooms. He never lets students in, even I can only come in when I'm about to die and then you come out and one can clearly see that you two have kissed!" His eyes now captured me. They speared me like silvery steel, outright forcing me to give an answer.

"You offered to build a, eh relationship. I think I've shown a lot of goodwill today, but you haven't shown much from your side, Hermione!" he said very intimately, and oh, this manipulative bastard called me Hermione now. I had already said, Draco was good, but with teachers like Snape and his father, the politician, it wasn't surprising. He had skillfully pushed me into a corner from which I could no longer manoeuvre myself out. Sheesh! So I resigned myself to it, closing my eyes, sighing, and knew if I opened them, that I would look towards a triumphant grin and oh, how correct I was. I have seldom seen anything nastier than his grin, but it him look devilishly good.

"Ok, Draco, you win, but before I even say a word, you have to allow me to put some spells on this room, because no one is allowed to know what I'm going to tell you, and that's not me doubting your authority in Slytherin, but a pure precaution," I explained in detail and quickly because he wanted to interrupt me, but ultimately he nodded, accepting, something I wouldn't have expected. So I secured the room with an 'Imperturbatio' and the 'Muffliato' so no one could hear us.

"Satisfied?" Draco asked. I shook my head no.

"Now comes the difficult part to be honest with you. I will have to cast a spell on you that prevents you from talking about my secrets and disclosing my identity, and before you say 'no', it won't harm you, honestly! And the professor has also consented and he's fine," I said quickly again, trying to prevent him from interrupting me. He looked at me as if I was absolutely crazy, his mask had slightly slipped, I'd say.

"What.. Se.. Severus has allowed you to lay a spell on him?" he stuttered not very Malfoy-like, but I shouldn't point that out to him.

"Yes, he did and he didn't regret it!" I smiled gently.

"I don't know... you ask a lot," he said appraisingly, slowly, rubbing his face. "And you aren't lying to me?", he probed, gazing deeply into my eyes, searching for the truth. I looked back at him calmly. "I swear, I'm not lying to you, Draco," it came seriously over my dishonest lips. He continued to search the depth of my eyes again, doe-brown meeting light grey, and once again I felt this deep, serene connection, just like on the train today, and apparently, he felt it too, as he nodded slowly. I quickly pulled out my hidden white wand and said, "Credere Tacientiae, 'Hermione'!"

"So that's it, thank you for your cooperation, Draco," I thanked him kindly and then, as I began to feel really at home, pulled my feet under my legs and cuddled myself into the couch. It was really late by now.

"Now, I expect answers! What is going on?" he asked promptly, beholding my way of getting comfortable with a cynical smile. "And nice that you feel so at home in Slytherin."

"Where do I start? You've seen my wound, and you wanted proof of how much I trusted you, sot I'll tell you where I got it. I had the eerie luck to meet two Death Eaters in a muggle area -" Here he interrupted me rudely.

"What.. What.. how could that happen, I thought they would take care of you!" he said indignantly and all at once looked really furious. Wow, I really wouldn't have expected this reaction, Draco too would have to explain a few things to me.

"Well, I had really bad luck," I shrugged my shoulders.

"Bad luck? You could've died! I mean, look at the injury, it wasn't a small one. What was it anyway?" he asked now, starting to calm down after he had noticed my coolness.

"Mh-hm.. wasn't nice.. a knife," I said abruptly, because I still didn't like to talk about it.

"What... What..?" A speechless Malfoy, one didn't see this happen that often and the sight cheered me up.

"So Draco, really, slowly but surely, you sound like a broken record," I joked, and got rewarded with an hilarious, venomous look.

"Don't be angry, it's not easy for me, because.. the two were Derrick and Bole. You know the two of them," I said stupidly, since they had been here last year, how could he not know these snakes, but as I said, the subject wasn't easy for me. Now he stared at me with huge eyes, which almost popped out of his head, since he had completely lost his mask. Apparently he knew what had happened to the two.

"Severus saved you?" he gasped out quickly. I shook my head.

"No, I helped myself!" I corrected softly, causing him to stare at me with his mouth open, dropping his mask a little bit more.

"Yes, oh man, this will probably be a long night and I have another date," I murmured.

"Don't think I'm going to let you go now!" Draco threatened and rose slightly from his seat.

"That's what I thought, I haven't planned to run off now and because of your reaction I assume that you know what happened to Bole and yes, I'm the reason for both of their fates. I've slaughtered him, and Derrick got an Obliviate!" I said very coldly, because I was already upset again. I grabbed my cup like a weapon and was more than happy about the whiskey in the cocoa.

"You.. you mean that.. was you?" he stammered, agitated. "Father said he'd almost been beheaded.." and tousled his hair, very unusual for a Malfoy.

"Wow, really? I.. I didn't know, I just slit his throat and he rammed a knife into me," I explained, having difficulties to remain calm and pointed to the center of my body, which he had taken care of today in the afternoon. This info was new. I thought about it. Had I put so much force in the slash? Man, I was strong!

"Wow." The exclamation escaped from his lips in amazement, but I didn't let him talk, just unwrapped my scarf from my neck, an action which he followed with disbelieving astonishment, for I presented him with my bruised throat. He rose smoothly, slid down next to me, and closed the distance between us. He peered at the visible fingerprints, then raised his hand as if in a trance, and looked questioningly into my eyes. I gave him the permission for his unspoken request and could feel his cold, smooth fingers on my slightly heated skin as they gently traced along the prints. He began to caress my neck. It was a very nice feeling.

"How barbaric, but nothing else can be expected from Bole," he said contemptuously.

"They wanted to kill me. I had to defend myself, so I'm not sorry for it," I said resolutely, but amazed at how easy it was for me to be honest with Draco. He still stared at me, but nodded and drank from his cup as if it were pure alcohol.

"Snape patched me up, so I put the spell on him. I really didn't want to take any risk, you understand. And what had happened just now with him... he tended my wound and in the end I asked him how I should view you! This question caused him to jump at me and kiss me hard against the wall! Well, and then he warned me to keep my fingers off and not play any games with you.-. maybe you could explain this to me?" Draco was still staring, then leant back a moment later, his bright eyes closing, and thought.

"This is awesome Granger, now I can understand all the spells. I would never have ever trusted you to do something like that, because Potter and Weasel would kill you if they were to know about it," he mused and suddenly began to explode with laughter, but instead of being insulted or angry, he infected me and so we were splayed out on the couch, rather than sitting, holding our bellies in laughter

I, the Mudblood Granger, and the pure-blooded Malfoy joined together in friendly laughter. It was so good, so liberating. We were wiping the tears from the corners of our eyes.

"Do you know what I find most shocking? You already have a human life on your conscience. How can you be so relaxed, it must be terrible.." I interrupted him abruptly with a gesture and immediately stopped laughing, putting my hand over his mouth..

"Draco, it was the most disgusting and terrible thing I've ever done, but it was him or me, as you can see on my body. It was just cruel, the way my knife slit open his throat. If you ask me, I think an Avada is only half as bad, because it isn't so... personal. Yes, personal meets it quite well! All that blood, a lot of blood on me, that makes the whole thing even more real... I don't take it easy, but I also know I would always do it again," I explained and nodded reassuringly, for when I thought back to the situation, I was sure I would make the same decision and save my life, again and again.

"Wow, that sounds harsh, though realistic! Then I was right that you've experienced a lot in your holidays, but that you finished off the two thugs Bole and Derrick all on your own... It sounds incredible! I really can't believe it!" Draco seemed positively thrilled.

"Well, you shouldn't underestimate me, right? I'm really good!" I grinned.

"But the most amazing thing ever is that the always correct Gryffindor has already done what, as I know, no Slytherin living here has done so far, although everybody assumes it. What does that tell us?" he exclaimed cynically.

"That not everything is as it seems!" I told him with a cryptic smile.

"Quite true! In my opinion, there is no black or white, but at most a grey with a lot of shading! I think Dumbledore sees the whole thing too narrow-mindedly with good and evil, it's not that simple," Draco explained what I always thought. It was really amazing, we completed each other's thoughts. This was so unexpected, but also nice.

"Exactly, what I think, Draco. Now tell me, what do you think of me now, the murderess, Hermione?" I dared to ask and squinted up at him questioningly.

"What should I think of you? I am astonished that you had the guts and ability to do it! But otherwise you have my respect. These two were assholes, who deserved nothing else. I don't feel sorry for them and it might sound unbelievable, but rather I'm sorry that you have come out of the whole affair so badly," he told me very seriously and had raised my chin with his finger, so I ended up looking directly at him and saw that what was said was meant sincerely. "Thank you," I breathed tonelessly, which made him smile softly.

"And what did you mean about Snape now?" I asked next, inquisitively, after I had risen up a bit.

"Well, I haven't seen my uncle like that. I'm not surprised he helped you, even though he is a Death Eater, he can't help it. But that he would freak out just because of my name and kiss you, that's weird." He visibly thought about it while he continued.

"Severus protects me very much, since I was born and now, since the Dark Lord is back, even more. He thinks I'm still a child, but I haven't been a child for a long time! Maybe he thinks you're bad for me, since he knows about your experiences, and you're a Gryffindor and muggle-born!" he explained musingly, but he didn't seem to really know.

"Why since your birth?" I asked curiously, because that had made me wonder.

"You're good at listening between the lines. Now, Narcissa was never a real mother to me. She did her duty and gave birth to the heir, since then I haven't seen her very often. Afterwards, she gave me into the hands of tutors and nurses, only father and Severus took care of me and because father was always very involved in his business, Severus is very close to me," he explained very controlled the cold and impersonal family life of the Malfoys.

"Oh man, I'm sorry. Unfortunately, you can't choose your parents, right? But now back to Snape again. I understand, you mean that the caring Snape wants to protect you, poor snake, from the evil Hermione. Mh-hm, but that doesn't explain the kiss or..", I summarized, because that still interested me.

"Right you are, but I have no idea. He is always very controlled! That he kissed you, a student, is really strange. You've had to irritate him very much, let's see what he's going to do next. However, it looks like we don't care about his threat, do we? I won't let anyone dictate me with whom I'm spending my time with," he chuckled mischievously.

"We're terrible! But right you are, I am also reluctant to let anyone dictate what I do. And now tell me, what terrible thing has happened to you? I think I know that you haven't.. chrm murdered anyone.. chrm.. but could it be that you saw someone being murdered?" I asked curiously.

"Yes, you're right, unfortunately. I had to watch, or I was allowed to watch, whatever! The Dark Lord likes great spectacles and I had to be there, too, with father and Severus. I've seen a few wizards, who hadn't been loyal to him, getting tortured and killed as a punishment. Very disgusting, very slow and long death... Shit, I still have nightmares from it. These buggers are very inventive!" he explained, and showed his mask again. I nodded in understanding. Well, we all had our baggage to carry, and so I put a comforting hand on his shoulder, and gently squeezed it, which gave me a distorted smile in return, though he seemed pleased that I didn't overwhelm him with pity. But before we could pour out our hearts, we heard a sudden flap of wings.

"What ...?" I asked irritated.

"Post, owl's coming," Draco informed me, and a black eagle owl shot out of a pipe and flew towards me with a letter, landing beside me on the couch.

"Are you bringing me post?" I inquired gently, taking the letter from the dear damned creature. It remained seated and tried to drink from my cup, a really naughty bird.

I opened the letter and almost started to have a new laughing fit. Here was written, no, Professor Snape ordered me to appear at 10 o'clock on Tuesday night at the Beheaded Hangman in Knockturn Alley. The letter was addressed to Minna Cale, wasn't that too funny? I must have irritated the poor man so much, he was forced to make an appointment with Minna for the day after tomorrow. Oh my goddess, he could never ever know. A wicked grin graced my face. Of course, I would appear as desired. Why? First, he had saved my life. He could ask a lot of me and I would give it to him. Secondly, I had already liked the first time, why forgo the fun? Now that I knew as well how well he could kiss, although he would never kiss me as Minna, which was a pity, however the sex hadn't been half bad, too.

Draco watched me, frowning, as I rose and gave the letter to the fire, before I quickly conjured quill and paper. I swiftly wrote two letters. The first was for Rita, with the request to meet me at Trafalgar Square on Tuesday at 9 pm and to bring me a quick-quotes quill. I signed the letter with 'from a good friend', which would make her mad. The second letter was for Sirius, that it might well be midnight until I would come to him, here I signed with 'the magpie'. And the thought of Sirius made me hesitate, but then I pushed it from me, because just now Snape seemed like a job to me, I could justify this, right? I mean, I didn't have a real relationship with Sirius, right? I quickly pushed the pesky thought away from me.

"Would you do me the favor and bring these two letters to London? The one here is for Rita Skeeter and the second here for Sirius Black and only give the letter to them!" I requested and tied the letters to the eagle owl and threw it into the air.

"What was that..?" Draco asked, who had been waiting quietly until now.

"Nothing, I've only seized the moment and sent a few important letters," I said succinctly.

"Yes, but what kind of message did you get? You should know I've recognized the bird," he said suggestively. That was probably Draco's nice way of telling me that he knew I had received a message from Snape.

"It would take too much time now, but I promise faithfully, we will talk about this. But for today I call it quits. It's three o'clock after all. Or do you disagree?"

"You know, you won't escape me! Though you're right, it's late, but I won't forget the questions about Skeeter and Black, so I expect a lot of answers next time," he stated, not really ready to compromise, as he rose. When I bent down, he was quicker to retrieve my scarf, picked it up from the table, letting the black-and-white gleaming silk glide through his hands. I looked at him attentively, as he slowly approached me and lifted it up to wrap it around my neck, very gently, very accurately. My breath caught in my throat. It was a very intimate situation that left me motionless. Draco's scent reached my nostrils again. Sandalwood.

It was kind of special, how he tugged my hair out of my scarf and made Bole's act invisible to the outside world. When I looked up, I gazed in a pair of light grey, intensely bright eyes. "Sleep well, my Mudblood!" Draco whispered to me and kissed my forehead tenderly. It was so incredible, but also incredibly beautiful and unexpected, these gentle gestures and then a kiss on my forehead. That I was perplexed would be an understatement.

"Thank you. Sleep well, my Pureblood," I whispered hoarsely and gently raked my fingers through his loosely falling, blond strands. I had wanted to feel them for a long time, wondered if they were really as soft as they seemed. Oh yes, they were. Like silk, running my hands through them felt wonderful.

"I never thought you could be like that," I whispered.

"I would never have thought you could be like you are, but I'm all the more pleased that I was wrong," he whispered to me, giving me a bewitching smile as he guided me to the door.

"Take care!" he whispered in parting, apparently wanting to have the last word. And so I started the long track back, wondering if the twins had waited up for me.

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	36. The First School Day

Heyy My Luvies!

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The first school day

Thanks to several secret passages I made it relatively quickly, but above all, unobserved to the portrait and whispered the password to the loudly snoring fat lady. She slid to the side, giving me access to the round entrance and let me slip into our common room, which looked the same as all the years before. The room was circular and had many windows, which gave a good view of the castle grounds all around. Unlike the snakes, we had many different, non-matching armchairs and tables. Everything felt used and the colors of red and gold dominated. The carpet in front of the open fire had some fire holes, too. Under Draco's watchful eye it would've been taken care of immediately, I thought, amused. At other times, this room was always filled to bursting with loudly chattering - or rather roaring - lions, but at this hour the room was empty, well almost.

As expected, the twins had been waiting for me and apparently knew how to use their waiting time very pleasantly. I found them on the carpet I described earlier, which they had made into their very own playground. Thus I could once again be a witness to their display of affection. So I accepted my fate and scurried over to my favorite chair by the fire, subsequently having a phenomenal view of the enthusiastically joined bodies of the two.

~~ Mature Explicit Content ~~~

"And, did you like the show, most beautiful?" he laughed, at ease. I nibbled my lower lip.

"Not bad, but certainly with potential of improving! But I'm glad you're using the first night at school so well," I guffawed.

"Pah, don't listen to her Fred, it was fantastic," George said, breathlessly, from below, while attempting to get up. They both cleaned themselves with spells and dressed into their horribly colourful pajamas.

"You didn't even blush. We won't be able to shock you with anything at all, will we?" Fred said a bit sadly and slumped into the couch.

"Well, why should I blush. I found it rather stimulating. You're a beautiful couple," I smiled slightly. "You haven't really waited that long for me, have you?"

"Yes, we have, and thanks to the map, we know exactly who stopped you! And frankly, the why is a different question and almost lets us die of curiosity! Since when do you fancy snakes?" George asked with disbelief, but cuddled himself calmly into Fred. Neither of them seemed too shocked about their finding.

"Just wait a second. First, give me the map, I want to get us out of it," I said firmly, putting out my hand. George stretched and fished for the piece of parchment, which lay on a side table, and handed it over to Fred, who handed it to me. It was activated and showed the nocturnal people of Hogwarts. I now focused on the spells for myself, George and Fred, and, upon a touch of delusion, for Draco as well. It worked like this: if we were to speak Geminio, the map would only show the exact copy of us and where it was, but we, the real people, could walk around unrecognized, invisible to the map and without being discovered. It was relatively easy and quickly done. Then I turned off the map with a "Mischief managed."

"What kind of spells were you mumbling?" Fred asked curiously.

"In the future, all you have to do is create a Geminio and then you'll be invisible to the map because it shows your copy only. Awesome isn't it?" I beamed at them.

"Wow! Awesome idea. But you're the best in things like that anyway. And you included us in the spell, thank you!" George piped sweetly.

"You're welcome. Should I blush now?" I giggled, amused. In the company of the Twins, I always felt oddly at ease.

"Yes please, we love it when you blush, you look so girly then," they teased me and I grimaced. "Yuck! Me and girly," I waved the notion aside, disgusted by the very thought.

"And now, what do you think where I have been?"

"Well, first you were with the dungeon bat, but since Sirius had summoned him so nicely after the appearance of your magpie, we roughly assume that it had something to do with it still, right? But directly into his private rooms, that was surprising. Hats off, the places you manage to get into. Did he want to shag you?" they inquired provocatively. How right they were, were the two channeling Trelawney?

"Correct, I was lightly injured and therefore Sirius had fetched him and today he did a re-examination and afterwards had a nice chat and some red wine with me… Shag!? Why would you think that?" I asked curiously.

"Unbelievable, our most beautiful can even crack the hard shell of the bat! Well, he's a man and you're attractive," this compliment came easily over their lips.

"Red wine, I thought he was drinking blood," Fred said spitefully.

"Haha exactly. No, the wine was very good and it was nice. He kissed me!" I whispered in the end.

"Whaa.. Wha.. Whaaaat.. he has what, he is a professor!" George yelled indignantly and opened his eyes wide.

"I wouldn't have expected him to have the balls to do so! Wicked!", it came very drily from Fred, though also very enlightening. He clearly was the more evil twin.

"Yeah, right, and Fred is your brother and you're doing quite different things with him. As I was allowed to witness personally only five minutes ago," I reminded them discreetly.

"But, but still, and you haven't cursed him?", George seemed a little shocked, while Fred was just grinning dreamily.

"And.. and how is he? I mean, I can imagine that under all that layers is a very handsome chest," said the latter, he also wagged around with his hands in the air and licked over his rosy lips. So curious? Fred then got a hard jab in the side. "Ouch, it was only a question, man!", he defended himself, whining and lamenting wimpishly as he rubbed his aching side.

"Mh-mh.. he kisses really good. Why should I have cursed him? I owe this man my life, the injury wasn't small, and he is a very good kisser!" I grinned at Fred sardonically, who answered the smile understandingly.

"Oh, well, then you go on kissing the dungeon bat, it's your business! But something else, what about Sirius? I think he wouldn't be pleased to learn that he is being swapped for a snake, especially the professor," George remarked thoughtfully and hit a sore spot, piercing me with his big, round eyes. Fred and I rolled our eyes at the same time. Fred groaned.

"George, sometimes I'm ashamed of you! What he doesn't know, won't hurt him!" he said contemptuously, slapping his thighs, laughing when George glared at him in shock. I, too, had to stifle my laughter, because George tried to act moral. "Really?" George echoed, shocked.

"Yes really! This thing with Sirius and me was always just temporary! It came with an expiration date," I said unimpressed and giggled, because I really saw it that way. I liked Sirius very much, but I didn't love him.

"Okay, ahaha, then on to the next topic! What the hell were you doing in the snakes' common room? We almost had a heart attack when we saw your change of place and then in this company as well! I had to keep hold of Fred so he wouldn't go to your rescue!" George snapped, waiting anxiously for my reply.

"Right and with all that shock you had to start banging?" I asked sarcastically and looked at both of them, amused.

"Yeah, stress and shock, one has to work it off somehow..." Fred grinned like the little devil he was.

"Draco had..", here I got rudely interrupted by both of them, as they loudly exclaimed animal sounds, these chaos-twins.

"Draco.. Draco.. Draco.. you don't call that ferret Draco, do you?" They looked nauseated and were choking disgustingly.

"Draco and I have created a, a base on which we want to build, and for that reason he ambushed me at Snape's and then took me to the common room. It was a very interesting and nice conversation," I said solemnly, both of them goggling at me, while they were unusually quiet and attentive. "Are you serious?" George responded breathlessly.

"But.. Hermione, he calls you Mudblood," Fred said cautiously with a question behind his statement, as if he were doubting my mind.

"So what? I call him Pureblood, it's become our inside joke," I shrugged nonchalantly.

"You and your callousness. Can you really trust him, Hermione?" they enquired carefully, proceeding very cautiously.

"Believe it or not, but yes, I trust him to a certain extent!", I declared with surprising conviction and so I told them of the warning about the dog, which surprised the Twins very much. But I didn't tell them that I always felt a deep understanding and sense of belonging when I looked into his eyes.

"Wow, I would've never expected that from Malfoy, maybe you're right. That you're getting on so well the snakes though, incredible! Say, how was their pit?", and he hissed, flickering with his tongue, such a slob.

"I'll give you something to hiss about, silly! However, I must say, it's really beautiful. The room is big and grand, I like it. And besides, I'm always right, and now I say, off to bed, two, three hours of sleep are little enough," I said, exhausted, and cautiously stretched my back. I was already looking forward to the new batch of potions, which I would be able to take soon.

"What, it's so late? Oh man, I'm gonna be so dead tomorrow," they moaned and joked as they moved to their dormitories. "Or our eyes will be so red ...", I rolled my eyes over this nonsense. As I went to bed, I collapsed into it. Gosh, I was exhausted and I wouldn't even be able to run tomorrow morning, that made me grumpy once again. However, I just emptied my mind and fell asleep like a stone. It seemed like merely seconds had passed by when I opened my eyes again. I was awake at seven o'clock sharp. I would've given myself one more hour, one should be generous with oneself, but my mind saw it differently. So I would still be one of the - or rather _the -_ first, who would be sitting at our table in the Great Hall half an hour later, because even at Hogwarts, a full timetable would welcome me and I wasn't just talking about the school's timetable. Here, too, my own timetable continued stringently. Although I had a full schedule again - with eleven subjects it was really crammed full - like every year it wasn't enough for me.

And so I sat prim and proper at half past eight in front of my vital cup of coffee and ate my little piece of toast. I hated eating much in the morning. The hall was still almost empty, but a blond head of hair and light-grey eyes stood out at the Slytherin table. It seemed like he hadn't slept much, too, or he just got by with little sleep. We gave each other a hidden smile and covertly wished each other a good morning. Oh, that was too funny. Gradually, more and more pupils, arrived in the hall, some of them looking more like corpses as they had stayed up too late, and the noise level continued to increase. The Daily Prophet arrived, and so did my copy. I grumbled angrily into my third cup, because again there was such a slanderous article, just not from Rita, and I knew I had to live with my annoyance about that fact. I could hear some other students whispering about Harry, bitching about the 'pigheaded nonsense', which he had been 'sprouting' since the end of the tournament. It seemed this year wouldn't be easy for him either.

Draco gave me a penetrating look, which told me what he thought about it; that they were blind ignorant morons to close their eyes against the facts that the Dark Lord was back. I just shrugged, showing my depreciatory opinion that one couldn't help the blind. An action that made him snort mildly into his cup. Such a nonverbal conversation was really fun. His eyes gleamed mischievously. I probably looked similar, but it was too exciting. Just before eight, McGonagall handed me my timetable. First of all Binns, oh goddess, did they do this on purpose? They would send Ron and Harry into a coma, but well, I had to go to the library to do some research, I would still have another hour. The moment I got up, my classmates stormed into the Great Hall, all more or less approachable.

"Hermione, you're already here. We didn't know where you were. Where are you going?" Ginny cackled like a agitated chicken. Her red hair clashed terribly with the blue eyeshadow she had applied. After escaping from her mother's clutches, she seemed to be experimenting.

"Uh, I couldn't sleep that well, I thought I'd get up already," I said sweetly and felt sorry for myself that I had to justify myself again.

"Morning, Hermione!" Harry whispered tiredly, as he approached me and breathed a chaste kiss on my cheek, which irritated Draco enough to watch us with slightly widened eyes, from what I could observe. What, he didn't like that? Interesting! That Harry was allowed to touch me like that, hey, he was my best friend and since our conversation in the Black Library, our relationship had strengthened. Harry often touched me and often sought out physical closeness, something that seemed very important to me, and I hoped it would drive away his trauma from these damned Dursleys!

"Harry, dear, we have to talk, the Prophet is lying again, that's why so many people look at us weirdly!" I whispered to him intimately and informatively, but Harry astonished me, he only raised his cup gruffly to drink with a cynical snort.

"I know. We had a quarrel with Seamus yesterday in the dormitory. His mother and he believe what the newspaper says," he said, miserably, and put his arm around my waist in the middle of the Great Hall, looking for closeness on his own for the first time. It was as if he needed support and I gave him this gladly, for that I was strong enough. However, that made the hall buzz again like an excited beehive. Even Ron frowned at us, while he was already starting - not very flatteringly - to slaughter his breakfast at a dizzying speed.

"No, it is bad! I'm so sorry Harry, but they're all idiots. They'll see it when it's too late," I summed up pragmatically and hugged him tightly, causing many whispers in the hall. Ginny glared at us murderously. I didn't give a shit at that moment. Harry needed support _now_.

"Harry, enjoy your breakfast. I'm already finished and will go to the library! See you at Binns," turning around slowly. He gave me a sincere, sweet smile as his hands slid of me. "But Hermione, learning isn't everything," Ron muttered, munching, and my lips moved into a disapproving line.

"You have a wonderful morning as well, and please don't talk whilst chewing on your food, Ron, it's unattractive," I told him whilst passing him. The Twins laughed at my sermon, and even Malfoy seemed amused. It was nice when you could make so many people happy.

The day passed relatively quickly. The hours came blow by blow and brought some work with them. I tried to work on quite some homework assignments during each individual class so that I could use the free time for something more important and meaningful.

Potions was the last class of the day and I looked forward to it with excitement because I was sure he wouldn't let anyone see that he had kissed me and so crossed a line as a teacher. Not that I would blame him, because our relationship had changed exorbitantly, and his 'misdemeanor' was safe with me. But I didn't know what I had to expect from him after he had let himself go, so I was very interested in how he would act. I hadn't seen him all day. He hadn't appeared at any meal, I had only heard from other classes that his mood was extremely bad, abysmal even. After last night I wouldn't be surprised. He certainly had to go to bed with a small or perhaps a very big problem. That's a sure way to ruin a man's mood. And Minna would be at his disposal earliest tomorrow. The poor students, at the mercy of an unsatisfied man.

When, as one of the last, I entered the rather dark classroom, he looked at me attentively but stoically. Then I realized, that he had the same questions about my reaction when we first saw each other again and that he couldn't be sure of how I would behave. I didn't let myself get worked up, looked calmly around the room, and slowly took my seat near the door, remaining on my own. Harry and Ron had entrenched themselves in the far back, together with Neville, trying to hide from our professor. The walls were furnished with shelves, which housed pickled creatures and objects, some of which looked creepy, but were nothing in comparison to the pharmacy in the Knockturn Alley.

These dark eyes managed to captivate me anew in their absolute, calm serenity. The way he stood there at the front and dominated everything was impressive, which was enhanced by the big blackboard behind him! I looked to the other students as we were together with the Slytherins and could see Draco sitting on the other side, just opposite me, and not letting Snape and me out of his sight. I knew he was trying to figure out what was going on with Snape, because I didn't know. Very well, maybe Draco would notice more than me. And seconds later the lesson began and Snape excelled in being his usual self. He was, as always, unbearable towards us Gryffindors. At the end, he gave us a much too long treatise on Moonstone.

When it was over and most of the students left the dungeons directly in their usual fast speed, I deliberately took my time and gave the professor a cheeky smile, which he couldn't resist to reply to. The corners of his mouth twitched a little as I turned to the door and was amazed that this was all of it. Although I realized that this was perhaps more than I could ever have expected. Suddenly a light-skinned hand shot out of nowhere in the dark, now very deserted corridor and pulled me quickly into a niche. I felt a body pressing close to mine. I felt no fear, for the scent I knew, sandalwood.

"You really can't stay away from me for long," I whispered amused.

"What the hell are you doing to him, he smiled!" he enquired insistently.

"You saw that?" I asked perplexed, but I could hardly make him out in the dim light.

"Yes, I was the last one and stood hidden from the door. He never smiles, never, damn!" he growled agitatedly.

"What do your observations tell you?" I wanted to know, now interested about his unusual behaviour.

"Nothing, that's what scares me, I don't know him like that. Be careful! He's hard to judge when he's like this, and he's like my father, not a nice man!" Draco warned me, unfamiliarly empathetic, but also very serious.

"I know that! Of course, thanks for the warning! But you're a nice man?" I asked, with a good dose of skepticism in my voice.

"Don't be fooled, I was raised by those two. I don't think I'm nice," he whispered close to my ear, causing me goosebumps.

"Oh, that's good, nice men aren't my type! I'll have to tell you the whole story, but I have no time today and tomorrow," I said, both flirtatiously and apologetically.

"Bugger! Wednesday and Thursday looks bad for me," he declared, annoyed. "I'm never free on Friday," I added, because that's when I had my appointments with the Sensei.

"I'd say, we meet every Saturday after dinner in the dungeons, and talk as long as it takes, what do you think?" he decided, but still asking.

"Mh-mh, of course, it's a good idea", I agreed. "I have only good ideas!" he breathed smugly.

"Sorry, I forgot, I'm talking to a Malfoy!" I said sarcastically, but my sarcasm bounced off of him.

"As I said, you're capable of learning, Mudblood," he stated arrogantly.

"And I have to go now before Harry and Ron come looking for me. The dungeons are so dangerous for helpless, little girls, like me!" I giggled snidely and he joined in.

"Exactly, you and helpless, I should be more afraid of you! But this morning with Weasley was glorious... what about Potter, though? You haven't let him snog and touch you like that before. Are you two a thing?" he asked quickly and seemed affected.

"Jealous? No, stop, Malfoys are never jealous, I know sorry!" I mocked cheerfully.

"Exactly, I knew you're able to learn, so?" he demanded and didn't sound like he'd give in if I didn't answer.

"No, there's nothing going on between me and Harry and will never be, it was only affection between siblings," I told him seriously.

"Oh, that's what you call it. Then don't forget that!", he warned me astonishingly seriously.

"We're absolutely not possessive, are we?" I scoffed.

"I just don't like Potter," he replied placatingly.

"Yes, yes, as if, I must go now...", I wanted to have the last word and leave him standing.

"Yes, yes, take care of yourself, my Mudblood!" And he kissed my forehead again. This was a gesture, so unfamiliar and yet so beautiful, though quite different from Harry's kiss this morning.

"That reminds me, I'm gonna sneak out of Hogwarts tomorrow night! For that I'll come down here, we can talk briefly. Let's meet at quarter to eight, same niche. Until then, my Pureblood," I said, and wanted to disengage myself from him for good, but he didn't release me and he seemed to have really trained a lot during the holidays because he was very strong.

"Not so fast, you think you command and I'm running, Mudblood? Think again! I'm the Malfoy here not you, 19:30!" he demanded arrogantly. I was just about to start laughing aloud, but bit my tongue hard, because I didn't want to offend Draco or his Malfoy-Pride.

"As you wish, Draco!" Now I twisted myself free from his arms, amused, as he had the last word as he had wished, and left to finally appear for dinner.

* * *

 **pgoodrichboggs:** Thanks so much for your small but very clear review. I loved it. :P Yes, the plot thickens and it does so for quite a while, you'll see.

Loads of Hugs and Love,

Cate and Co. xxx


	37. Goodbye and the Beginning of a Long Nigh

It's Thursday again! Whoohoo!

My Betas are effin awesome! Here we are, enjoy this weeks chapter!

Thanks so much for all the reviews, followers and reads. xx

* * *

 **Goodbye and the Beginning of a Long Night**

The night was long again, just as usual. I had to work through some books, so I didn't go to bed until one. The next day, after my five hours of sleep, I opened my eyes as alert as always, and an expectant smile lay on my lips, because today was going to be a very exciting day for me. And ultimately it would be an even longer night. I was really excited while I prepared myself for my morning run.

While at Hogwarts I wanted to do my rounds at the Quidditch field. Luckily, after the potions and healing spells, as well as the ointments, almost nothing was left of my injury except a red scar that would remain for ever. I would continue to run, no matter what weather, I was uncompromising. My condition had to be improved, because let's be honest, that I had defeated Bole in the alley, that hadn't been ability, strength or power, no, I was far away from that. There had been a large portion of luck involved and I couldn't always count on that. So, it meant for me to train and work hard in order to not have to rely on luck even in such difficult situations.

When, after an hour of exhausting running for the first time after the fateful evening, I conquered the tower in a brisk trot and entered a still empty common room, I was glad that everyone was a late riser, just like lions. And so I was again one of the first who sat ready in the hall, but at just before eight Harry and Co arrived, too. This time I stayed, as we would have the honour of having class with Umbridge for the first time, and I wasn't really looking forward to it, for the book she had chosen for the lesson said it all. Defensive spells, please, I expected that we wouldn't learn anything with that woman, my expectations were minimal. Consequently the lesson was catastrophic, because Harry couldn't hold his mouth shut, and argued with the old boot, claiming the Dark Lord was back. I just shook my head. He never knew when it was better to be silent, he wouldn't win anything with the old toadish witch if he was like that, but well, everyone had to make their own mistakes, to learn from it, and to grow from them, I reasoned with myself!

The rest of the day I did all my tasks and then it was already evening and I rushed into the Great Hall for dinner. I had only ten minutes, before I had to go take a quick shower and make myself ready with a bit of magic, so that I would no longer look like myself!

"Hermione, you seem a little rushed today," Harry said very empathetic, while I devoured my food, sighing annoyed at his words. If he knew what would expect me tonight, he would probably be less considerate. I myself was trying to push it out of my mind.

"Mh-hm. I'm terribly tired today. I'll be going to bed just after," it came evasively from me. I had just taken the last spoon and jumped up again.

"Are you ill?" The question sounded from several mouths.

"Oh no, just tired." I waved my hand and hurried off.

I rushed up the stairs. Ha... I always said, the training paid off. I managed the stairs at an incredibly fast pace. I quickly climbed into the shower and a short time later quickly out again, magically dried myself and jumped into the dark green, tightly laced dress I had laid out before. I left my hair down, falling over my back. It went to my shoulder blades. Just then I remembered I had forgotten the ointment, so I rushed back into the dormitory and took a jar and a small wooden box out of my suitcase. Now I sat down on my bed and breathed in deeply, first opened the ointment, then the box and took the valuable vial out carefully. I'd known it'd serve me well.

I gently took a drop of the unicorn blood with the pipette and added it into the ointment, which I then carefully mixed with a spatula. Next I quickly cleared everything away, rushed back into the bath, pulled off my dress again and covered the long red characteristic knife scar on my left side with the spatula in front of the mirror. And tada - I was really a genius. Well I know self-praise is no recommendation! But I was good, because the scar faded more and more until it had disappeared. Hopefully this effect would last a couple of hours. It wouldn't last forever, but well, I'd see it soon enough. I also lotioned my neck even though there weren't any prints anymore, but better safe than sorry. I turned my black cloak, which I needed for Knockturn Alley, into a green cotton cloth, which I wrapped around my shoulders, because I wouldn't openly walk around the school like that.

A look through our dormitory, which was as round as all the rooms in the tower and furnished sparsely with five canopy beds, of course in red and gold, bedside tables and a fireplace in the middle and our chests in front of our beds, and I decided I was done. Naturally, everything was in meticulous order on my side, but Lav's and Pav's side looked like a pigsty. I was surprised that one could put so many things on the small tables, ah.. let's leave it at that. Even Quirella Mayer's and Sally Smith's side, both fellow students, didn't look much better though at least better than Lav's and Pav's, but Quirella and Sally usually tried to be invisible, as they both were really inconspicuous.

I had put on all my wands and daggers, and now I aimed my school wand firmly towards my bed, then I spoke my 'Geminio' and tucked my twin in nicely. Everything should be perfect for the deception of a sleeping Hermione. Lastly, I wrote two small pieces of paper and apologized to Lav and Pav and the other two that I went to bed so early and I offered them all Muggle sweets as an excuse, which I draped on their pillows just like in a muggle hotel. The four would be so stupid and take the sleep-inducing drug, I didn't need to worry about that. Finally I was finished and damn, I suddenly remembered that Draco was expecting me, in two minutes. I couldn't fly yet, even though I didn't need to worry that someone would discover me in the hallways and stairs.

Since everyone was still happily eating their dinner and the dessert was always served on the half hour, I really didn't need to worry about Harry and Ron, but I still had to be careful.

And so I flew down the stairs toward the dungeon in my dark green, fluttering garment, and was stopped by two impatient, strong arms and dragged into the niche as I struggled for breath.

"You're late," he said haughtily.

"Thanks, oh maybe two minutes..." I gasped loudly, sweeping my hair out of my face, because they were quite long by now.

"You're breathing like a hippo," he told me very charmingly, stepped back and looked at my appearance. I could see how he raised an eyebrow appraisingly.

"Wow, didn't think you could look so good, but I always knew green would suit you, you should always wear it!" he decided condescendingly and added contemptuously. "These uniforms really hide everything. For whom did you dress up like that?" I hadn't interrupted him as his monologue flattered me, thus my breathing had stabilized again. I hated to rush it, but today's time was really limited.

"I'm glad that you like it, Draco, and for whom..." I nibbled agitatedly on my lower lip. How should I tell him this now, but something always prevented me from lying to him, for I wanted to be honest with him, wanted to be more or less the real, true Hermione, with everything that entailed.

"Where are you going today? Does anyone know where you will be?" he asked urgently. I shook my head negatively.

"This is stupid, Granger, you should always have a safety net!" he reprimanded me with such unfamiliar concern, he took the wind out of my sails and I just had to tell him the truth.

"Alright," I once again swung my wand and erected the wards that should protect our privacy. "First I'll meet Rita Skeeter at half past eight at Trafalgar Square..."

"What, how do you plan to get out of here and what do you want from her?" He looked at me with wide eyes.

"I can show you the way, it's not witchcraft. And it takes too long to explain 'why' today, I'll tell you in detail on Saturday!" I said briefly, as time pushed me.

"How will it continue, I'm sure you aren't wearing this dress for that meeting?" he said contemptuously as he slid his fingertips over my decollete. "I don't know how I should view you right now!", he added appraisingly, standing in front of me in his Hogwarts uniform, which looked incredibly good. The black flattered his bright hair immensely.

"Just do it Granger, tell me who you're going to meet," he demanded now more urgently, though the tips of his fingers were still resting gently on the delicate skin of my decollete.

"Snape!" I said with difficulty through my clenched teeth.

"What.. are you crazy, where, how?" he said angrily, grabbing me by the shoulders and once again my back met a stone wall. Great, really great, why couldn't I keep my mouth shut?

"Well, that would actually belong to the detailed topics. He ordered me to him with the letter I got in the common room, at ten o'clock on Tuesday in the Beheaded Hangman!", I explained quickly as Draco's hands dug into my shoulders.

"Why would he do that?" he frowned. "And why should you go?" He looked more than confused.

"He doesn't know that I'm the one who he summoned! Do we have to talk about that right now Draco?" He looked at me relentlessly, his eyes looking like steel, with a pinch of distrust in them. "..he thinks.. I'm a.. whore!" I squeezed out, and actually started to blush a bit. This was very humiliating and unpleasant. To say it out loud was terrible and made it very real.

"What.. why does he think that?" It sounded disbelieving, quiet from him, while he looked at me shocked.

"He has already picked me up in the Hogshead once and since then he thinks I'm a prostitute," I said, pulling my head in, embarrassed. His hands were tensing dangerously on in my shoulders. If I weren't so practiced, I would've groaned with pain because he was hurting me.

"You've already slept with him ..." he whispered in horror.

"Well, not as Hermione, but as Minna.. yes!" I nodded, ashamed, and couldn't look him in the eyes.

"I can't believe it, you, he and he didn't realise it?" To my absolute disbelief, he actually began to laugh. How nice that Draco was so predictable, I thought ironically, because I hadn't expected a laughing fit.

"I mean, this is hilarious! Mister-I-always-know-everything-and-no-one-can-deceive-me and then you come and fuck him and he has no idea! You, you're awesome!" He released my shoulders from his hard grip and clapped his thighs. His laughter became increasingly uncontrolled. "Show me!" he suddenly panted and at first I was confused, but then I understood. I did what he asked me and swung my wand, and then Minna stood before him, blond with chin-length, smooth hair, heavy make-up, today with smoky eyes around the blue eyes and a dark red lipstick. Draco stopped abruptly and stared at me with awestruck eyes.

"Wow, if you hadn't been in front of me just before... You look good, but quite different and yet similar!? One doesn't really recognize you, a good disguise, congratulation. Though you're always perfect in these things, as it seems, in transformation! I understand now why he likes your Minna so much! She looks hot." He showed me a leer and winked at me arrogantly.

"I want to know everything in detail on Saturday. And he has ordered you to him? Why are you going?" he asked, interested, but considerately cold again.

"Because he might just look for me if I don't, and I think he would look for Minna and so it's the easiest solution. It'll be over quickly," I said in hope, giving a quick explanation. Draco cocked his head in thought.

"You aren't wrong with what you said, if Severus doesn't get what he wants and he thinks he needs it, he'd even go looking for a whore, he's always been different... But are you sure that he won't recognize Hermione in you? That would be fatal!" he told me.

"Yes, I am, firstly because I'm good at acting, and secondly, because I can do occlumency," I explained proudly.

"You can do that too? Well, why not, you're really good! But do you really think you can jump into bed with him, just like that?" he asked with a hint of concern in his voice, and I tilted my head skeptically, but didn't think long.

"Yes," I stated with conviction and I nodded to him very confidently.

"Then do it!" he said coldly, but definitely.

"You don't mind?", I showed my astonishment openly.

"You may not understand that, but that's family, no I don't mind, but you should try to keep it small.. and I wouldn't approve of others, so don't get stupid thoughts!" He threatened and looked into my eyes and I seriously wondered where all this would lead us. Why did I talk to Draco about my love life? But it seemed right and necessary to me and so I confessed it.

"Then we have a problem," I said softly. One of his eyelids began to twitch bewildered.

"I have to go to Sirius afterwards..." I bit my lip nervously, again.

"What, you fuck him too..?" he exclaimed in surprise and less than flattering.

"Well, actually, I fucked him first, but it was just for fun, a bit of sex, and what do you mean with 'too'?" I explained and defended myself, while he was silent for a moment.

"Well, no one can forbid you that, but break up with him now!", he suddenly ordered harshly. He behaved like the big boss.

"And I should do that because you commanded, Draco? Hardly." I was stubborn and please, after all, he had no right, we weren't a couple or something. The next moment I roughly met the wall behind me and he nailed me to it.

"Yes, exactly, because I'm telling you! As Severus said, don't play any games with me! You break up with him, I don't care if you fuck him for the last time today, but if you will share his bed after that one more time, you'll make me very angry! Do you understand that, Mudblood? You don't want that, believe me! As I told you, I'm not nice, and we decided to get involved with each other and I don't want Black to get between us, understood!?" he threatened me, whilst rubbing his whole body longingly against mine. Oh man, I hadn't imagine Draco to be like that, to openly admit that there might be more between us than we thought and it surprised me, to feel his body on mine, because that felt good.

Was I really such a slut?

"Isn't Sirius family too? He's your mother's cousin!" I asked sharply, tearing myself out off my thoughts.

"Why do you think I'm so generous?", it came snarling and calculating from him. "After you put this marathon behind you, you come to me, into the common room! Did you hear the password?" he demanded intensively. I just nodded.

"Put on your coat and the hood over your head. Nobody shall see you. We will annoy some Slytherins. This will be fun. However, you have to come to me, I want to know how it went, and that you have come back well, understood Mudblood?" he showed his concern, although his voice sounded neutral.

"Yes, at your command, oh great Malfoy," I made fun of him venomously. Now he patted my head. I wanted to scream out loud. Malfoys weren't supposed to be jealous, but as it seemed to very possessive, otherwise they'd never have gotten so rich. On the other hand I liked that he cared, in a way.

"Now show me how you leave Hogwarts behind you, you'll be too late," he pointed out. Apparently, Malfoys always had to take the lead, it made me crazy. Only for a brief moment did I dare to ask myself what Draco saw in me, or what he really wanted from me.

A collaboration? A relationship? An affair? Many open questions and many answers I wanted! But he was right, and so I beckoned him to follow me. I really had ran out of time. I had discovered the path thanks to the map. The Marauders hadn't made it as far as I had gone. Why? I had no idea. Maybe because it was the dungeons? I stopped near the potions classroom, in a sideway, in front of the statue of an ugly witch which was holding several snakes in her hands. Draco looked at me questioningly, and I pointed my wand at the witch and said, "Dissendium," and the stone block moved slowly to the side and a gloomy passageway became visible.

"Unexpected! Where does it go?" Draco asked casually.

"To the Forbidden Forest. I already tried this path a few times in the last year. It's really well kept," with a wipe of my wand and a nonverbal Incendio I lit the torches on the walls. I had begun to intensively learn non-verbal magic.

"Well, then go. Take care of yourself, my Mudblood. I'll be waiting for you. Please come back in one piece!" He kissed me tenderly as usual on my forehead and I pushed out the breath I had held.

"Thank you, Draco.. for everything," I went on my tiptoes and kissed him on his smooth cheek before turning away. And thus I walked into the tunnel, without turning around, while the access closed again automatically, then I rushed to my destination.

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 **pgoodrichboggs:** Oooh so you're team Draco. That's very interesting to hear. Then I hope you'll love our Dramione parts. ;)

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 **Thanks so much for your reviews guys!**

LoLove and Many hugs,

Cate and Co. xx


	38. Rita

It's Thursday again!

Thanks so much for all the new followers and your reviews!

Please enjoy our new chapter.

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Rita

I hurried along the narrow and dirty tunnel, careful to stay in the middle of the passageway. Then it occurred to me that I would have to become Hermione again, because Rita didn't need to know me as Minna. Thought - done. And thanks to my rapid pace, I soon reached the end of the winding path, making the huge boulder float away with a Wingardium Leviosa, as it blocked the tunnel exit.

After I had managed to move it, I stepped out of the tunnel into the dawning Forbidden Forest. Once outside, I diligently closed the secret passage with the boulder again. I turned and stood in the dense forest. Around me were the sounds of the forest, indefinable, from the howling of maybe a wolf, to the humming sound of fairy wings. The surroundings were filled with life. The fragrances were almost beguiling. Was I frightened? Was I scared? No, I wasn't, but I was vigilant in this unreal landscape, because not only the animals were dangerous, but also many plants weren't well-disposed towards human beings, and they regarded them as a snack. And so I memorised everything, to later be able to find my way back to Hogwarts in the darkest of night.

So I focused myself and appeared with a very quiet plop near Trafalgar Square. As it would be half past nine in two minutes, I immediately set myself in motion and wasn't mistaken, Rita was standing at our usual meeting place as planned. She was waiting, wearing an individual, dark blue costume. It looked like Vivienne Westwood, but it wasn't. The people around her were giving her funny looks, but she didn't seem to care.  
The hustle and bustle, as always, was very great in this rather mild late summer night. Some of the young men couldn't resist sending me a whistle. I didn't pay attention to it, nor them. She noticed me already, the corners of her mouth twitching in disgust, but then it changed into a fake smile.

"Miss Granger, I'm pleased that you at least always appear punctually," she snapped, her tone unfriendly.

"Miss Skeeter, I know my manners. It would be absolutely rude to let you wait," I smiled amiably with my mockingly spoken words.

"I suppose! Were you satisfied with the lady from last time?" She blinked at me sweetly behind her terribly large spectacles and bared her teeth contemptuously.

"I still have to thank you for it, Alice was perfect!" I said, praising and showing no shame or shyness on this subject. My lack of reaction made her press her red lips together and in order to save herself an answer, she heaved her heavy crocodile handbag in front of her, and began to dig around until she pulled out a long, narrow box and gave me an unwilling smile.

"What you wished for, Miss Granger, I hope you know how rare they are!"

"Oh, thank you for remembering it. I need it so urgently and of course I know how rare the quick quotes quills are, so I'm very happy that it worked out so fast," I said sweetly, taking the box with respect, something that made her snort furiously.

"If that would be all..." She wanted to turn around abruptly and leave.

"Steady, Rita! We still have something important to talk about. Be patient, as one says, patience is a virtue!" I told her arrogantly, and she turned back with a deep sigh. It looked as if she were praying for patience. Sweet.

"What do you know about Bole and Derrick?" I asked directly. I could watch her eyes flashing eagerly behind her spectacles.

"What do I know? These two lay suddenly in the entrance hall of the ministry. On this day I was a member of the jury in court and so a direct witness. Unfortunately, so far no detailed article appeared, since the ministry says nothing and they have acted quickly! So, where was I.. ah yes, suddenly there was a big pile on the ground near the fountain and as one looked more closely, one realised that it was two people. At first, one of them wasn't recognizable as a person, since his body.. yes a corpse it was, it was terribly mutilated... there was blood everywhere! He must have been as good as bloodless, and his throat was slit open, but when he was dragged away, the most terrible thing happened, his head, he was almost... beheaded! It only hung on a few tendons and skin, a terrible picture, and it seemed that he had buried a second man under him, but he lived! I don't know anymore, as I was pushed away, since screams and shrieks started and the Aurors started to clear the square. There was a lot of chaos and a huge mess, because panic ensued. I try to find out as much as possible all the time, but until now I haven't succeeded in doing this myself even as beetle. The only thing they released is that a certain Bole is dead, which was somehow clear and that a certain Derrick is not approachable, due to the shock," Rita talked herself into a rage. Her cheeks became red and she waved her hands around the air excitedly, all in all she seemed to be wound up to a high pitch. I began to giggle, because not only Rita but also her story was a bit amusing.

"Oh, fantastic! I can see it all in front of me. Hilarious. But let's be serious, if I give you insider info, would the article get published or not?" I asked covetously, and she fell silent abruptly.

"How... yes, the article would be published, my boss wants this story, no matter what Fudge says, but unfortunately the ministry is incredibly secretive!" she said in a suffering, whiny tone, stretching her fingers in the air desperately and accusingly.

"Then be happy that you have me, Rita, I hope you like my info," I grinned. "Bole's throat was cut with a single cut. He also has a shallow stab wound at the liver! He wore the Dark Mark, which was visible as his sleeve was cut from his shirt. Derrick lives without many injuries, but was tied with ropes and became a full obliviate. He has no memories of his previous life. He got new memories, that he is a muggle. He also wears the Dark Mark and his sleeve was also cut off. Both appeared through an unregistered portkey, a coke can! So this should be a wonderful article," I beamed deviously at her, and had my arms crossed in front of my chest. Rita's hand had gone to her mouth to stop herself from crying out loud, her eyes moved nervously back and forth.

"You.. you.. no.. or.. you?" Rita stuttered nervously, I said nothing, but just looked at her. "You, you did this, or..?" she breathed fearfully.

"If I were to say yes? What then, Rita?" I looked intensely into her eyes. I, the murderess Hermione! I could see how the frightening realization seeped deeper and deeper into her consciousness.

"You.. that was so cruel! That.. this picture.. that couldn't have been you! You couldn't have murdered Bole?" she echoed, horrified, and I rolled my eyes about her reaction. Honestly, why did she always have to tell me that this couldn't have been me?

"You're acting like I purposely went hunting for the two, but what I'm going to tell you right now will not be released in the article, understood? You could have the other information I gave you from any other person from the ministry, but the other thing now, had better not be in the newspaper, understood? I was lucky enough to encounter these two Death Eaters in a pure Muggle area. They recognized me and followed me into an alley! Now you know the result.. you shouldn't underestimate me," I bared my teeth, showing her a nasty shark like grin, which made her tremble with fear.

"You're so cold-blooded, that isn't good, you murdered a young man," she whispered hoarsely, her eyes full with fear darting back and forth behind her big glasses.

"In self-defense!" I replied coldly.

"But you're not sorry!" she breathed, horrified. Her eyes were huge behind her glasses. She just had an amazing, but not flattering, resemblance to Trelawney.

"Oh Rita, don't play the upholder of moral standards here, please! That role doesn't fit you," I told her contemptuously.

"But.. I never thought you'd be able to do that," she replied hoarsely.

"Particular situations, particular actions. And you too are ready to go over corpses, look at the facts," I told her coldly. She shook her head incredulously and took off her glasses to rub her eyes.

"You're scary, Miss Granger," she summed up hoarsely, putting her glasses back on again.

"Shall I take that as a compliment now, Miss Skeeter?" I asked ironically.

"I think I know you don't care what I think of you! Isn't that right, Miss Granger?"

"Oh, it's not like you being so negative," I mocked her, but of course I didn't care what the beetle thought, but one had to always motivate one's team members.

"Just think of the article that you can write with the one-hundred-percent correct information, then the positive feelings will come all by themselves. Where does the Dark Mark come from? With people just having graduated from school? Did the Dark Lord return? Why does the ministry do nothing but keep silent? And, of course, you must make assumptions about the perpetrator, be inventive, though nothing can lead to me." I saw that I had her! Her greed, in this respect, was so easy to see.

"Mmmhhhh, yes, yes! I see the article in front of me, Miss Granger, but I'm still allowed to be horrified," she almost snapped.

"You may, as long as it doesn't hinder your work and view. Then you may be as horrified as you want. And I hope I don't have to point out that you can't hurt me. My spells protect me, so don't forget that, Rita. But you aren't that stupid, right?" I asked with a smirk, cocking my head expectantly.

"No, Miss Granger," she replied instantly, and pursed her lips unwillingly.

"That's good, because now you know what I'm capable of, don't you?" I threatened gently and looked at her angrily. She could no longer conceal her sudden trembling, which was too funny.

"No Miss Granger, everything will be as you wish. I will write the article today, it will be in the newspaper tomorrow. Also, I will state that it was the same informant as the one I use when I am a beetle. Are you satisfied then, Miss Granger?" she asked astonishingly obedient. It seemed as if she was really afraid of me.

"Wonderful, I love to work with you, Miss Skeeter." I think she thought I was mad in moments like this. However, she was too afraid to do anything against me and it was impossible for her as well. Good that I always acted deliberately. Was I evil for enjoying it so much, and loving to bask in her fear of me? Yes I think so, but who'd blame me?

"Then go to work, I look forward to tomorrow's edition and take care of you, Miss Skeeter," I said quickly, because time was running out.

"Miss Granger," she replied, and I saw her walk away from me with trembling knees and unsteady feet. She didn't look particularly self-assured at that moment, but I was sure that tomorrow, when she, the great revelatory journalist, received applause for her article, she would cope much better with her new knowledge. Since the good lady was a very good actress and an ice cold bitch herself, who would go over corpses and already had, her scruples would vanish.

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	39. From Sleazy Joints and Biting Dogs

A Boom Chapter Today. Please forgive us. :P

Also: Cut scenes (Sexual Content). Go to AO3 or Wattpad if you want to be naughty. :P Or send me a message. xx  
Plus Warning: Domestic Violence. (I kept that one in).

Both will be marked.

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Translated by Aivy.

Enjoy. xx

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 **From Sleazy Joints and Biting Dogs**

I retreated into the alley. After the very successful conversation, the high Rita had given me was abating quickly. For the first time today I allowed myself something like heart-throbbing. I mean, what was I doing here or more precisely about to do? The last time had been a totally different affair. He had taken me by surprise with his desire to see a whore in me, but today I would be one for real, as I was going to him with my eyes wide open, after he had… well, yes… after he had summoned me. The uneasy feeling in my stomach surged after this realisation. Could I really do this, like I said earlier to Draco? Could I simply do a thing like that? Could I share the professors bed without emotional attachment? I took a couple deep breaths.

 _Yes, you can do anything, Hermione!_

I still didn't feel comfortable with doing it, however it was nearly time, just on ten. In the meantime it had become dark, but I had become acquainted with the dark in a way that I welcomed it outright, always finding cover in its shadows. I tried to distract myself from my own nervousness. _Swallow it, you have enough courage to do it, in and out, you can do it,_ _and then taking the gold_. That already left a nasty taste in my mouth, but I was determined to see it through.

I looked around, not a soul to be seen, and performed my identity spells. Afterwards I removed my scarf and transformed it back into my long, black frock coat. I pulled the hood low into my face, next appearing in Knockturn Alley with a silent plop.

 _Always again a cosy experience to be here, very encouraging_ , I thought sardonically. I was not the only hooded figure hurrying this night through the alley that felt familiar to me by now, striding quickly over the well-trodden and dirty cobbled stones, when I was able to spot the sign for the Beheaded Hangman in the moonlight. From the outside it reminded me of the Leaky Cauldron, with its run-down and shabby exterior.

Smoothly, I glided out of the shadows and towards the entrance. _Don't think too much, Hermione, this can only go awry, just act, and yes, always think about a strong, stable wall!_ It would be fatal, if my mental defences would collapse, though I had everything under control, just a bit of a fluttering heart.

I knocked open the heavy wooden door and entered into the smoke filled room, which was illuminated by the shine of many lights. A pub with dining area was revealed to me, furnished with dark wood. A lot of shady figures were seated here, one more ugly and disfigured than the next. Some women were running around between the rows, their robes slightly ripped, serving drinks and food. It was pretty crowded, the noise level was not to be scoffed at. It seemed as if the return of _him_ was good for business. I strode towards the bald and toothless innkeeper behind the counter and signed him that I had a question.

"A gentleman is waiting for me. Which room? And a firewhiskey," I demanded frankly. He tried to peek under my hood, unsuccessfully, and floated me the desired drink, grumpy about his failure.

"Yes, I know. Room 13, madam," he mumbled derisively through his missing teeth and motioned behind him. I nodded my thanks, put down some Sickles on the counter. I picked up the glass and gulped down a large amount of liquid courage before walking up the stairs, still nervous.

The dimly lit first floor was pretty dusty. Unbelievable if you considered what a simple Scourgify could accomplish, but it was what it was. Soon I would be faced with Snape and his demands. Sometimes my ideas were really not the best. When I stopped in front of the door with the brass plate stating '13,' I breathed in deeply multiple times, to dissipate my insecurity. Let me tell you, I did not succeed at all, but as the saying goes, go in and win. So I straightened my whole body and raised my hand to knock.

"Come in," resounded the familiar, authoritative voice and I tore open the door and entered the low-lit room with confident strides. It didn't contain much, only a table with two chairs and a bed. Apparently the professor had waved his wand, as my quick assessment yielded no dust could be found in here. And there he was, sitting casually in his chair in front of the table, and looking at me with gleaming eyes. His chin length, smooth black hair draped around his face. He was clad as always, just without his coat. Up until now he had not moved a muscle.

"Mr. Snape, you have summoned me," I said bravely. Sometimes I had no idea what came over me, truly no idea! Wherever I got the courage, damn Gryffindor, for my voice sounded firm and controlled.

"Miss Cale, pleasant that you are on time," he hummed oilily. He motioned to the second chair and poured me a glass of firewhiskey. Yes, very good, I could use another sip. "Don't you want to disrobe?" he asked.

Now that he was a tangible presence, I was fairly nervous after all, _don't let him notice,_ is the name of the game. Err, well, I was still standing kind of lost in the middle of the room. _Right, put your butt into motion, come on_ , I commanded myself and approached him slowly, loosening the clasp of my cloak in the process, taking it of carefully and laying it down on the second chair. I could feel how his gaze burned into my dress, evidently he liked it as much as Draco had.

With that I took the glass and gulped down the content. The burn in my throat felt incredibly good. Now would we bargain again? Shit, I didn't have the faintest idea. Or was the price from last time still valid? I was torn out of my thoughts when I suddenly felt his fingers on my hips. My eyes opened wide. Oh. Oh! Did it start already?

He took me by surprise with the start of it all, like the first time in the alley, when I had collided with the wall. First with one hand, then with both, he gripped my hips firmly and pressed down, meanwhile beginning to pull me towards him, until he placed me between himself and the table.

I stood before him, his hands on my hips, my butt propped against the table, and looked down upon him. We hadn't really talked. Right, two words… that's the way it goes, I guessed. He was not looking at my face, instead examining my body in the dress at length. It felt like the fabric was etching itself into my skin, so intense was his evaluation, and then he breathed in deeply and began to caress me, his hands moving upwards on both sides of my body and in doing so he set me alight.

I couldn't suppress a slight shiver. Something regarding his manner was just so exciting and it was never predictable what he would do next. With a brash motion he pulled me close and buried his face in my belly, embracing me demandingly and breathed in again. I thought he was trying to capture my smell. Typical for potion masters, they did many things by way of smell. I was so surprised by the unexpected motion, that a short gasp escaped me.

I didn't know what to do with my hands and because of that I dared to rest them on his head tentatively, and started to ran my fingers through his hair, and wonder of wonders, it was soft, thin and light. It was a nice feeling. It nearly felt like silk, this deep, bluish black, gliding through my light, pale fingers. It was a stark contrast, fascinating, captivating me as well as calming me.

 **~~~ Explicit Cut Sexual Content ~~~**

"Miss Cale, a pleasure as always. Unfortunately, I have to move on. Please expect my owl," he stated sparingly, while rising smoothly and sated, stepping behind me and letting a small, well-filled pouch fall into my lap, and next I heard the door close with a soft click. Thereupon I let my head fall into my hands, humiliated, and slumped slightly.

The tension fell off me at the next second. _Phew_ , he hadn't recognized me. I fetched my wand to repair the decanter of whiskey and after conjuring fresh alcohol I poured myself a new drink. I felt that I needed that right now. Afterwards I cleaned myself of our mixed juices. Today I truly could call myself a whore. I had done it knowingly... I was a whore... great, really great! Hermione Granger, the whore! I toasted to myself mockingly, and shook my head over my antics. We had talked so much, it could have been a silent picture. But well, I had gotten through it successfully.

The man could fuck, though. That fact made becoming a whore nearly worthwhile. As Hermione he would never take me, which was a pity. A wistful smile appeared on my face and for a short while I doubted my own sanity. It wasn't that the professor was now a beautiful man in my eyes, but he was interesting and alluring in a forbidden way. He had distinctive features, entirely different from Sirius, who was charming and beautiful, or Draco, who was attractive and handsome. Snape was simply charismatic and by no means had an unsightly appearance.

It was done, as embarrassing as it seemed to me now. The professor would no doubt agree that I had done a good job. _I would have definitely gotten an Outstanding for it,_ I thought nastily. I looked at the bare wooden table, the fresh memories of what had just occurred brought on a picturesque red on my cheeks. It was just as well that nobody else was present. I drank another glass empty right after as I had not only fucked him, I had given him a blow job as well, oh… _Stop it,_ I ordered myself resolutely, turning to my last problem in this long night.

Sirius! I sat up, petrified, in my chair. Gulp!

How would I face him now? Should I still sleep with him? After all this? As I said to Draco, will I share his bed for the last time today? Could I really do this now? After the experience with Snape here? Wouldn't it be completely dirty, wrong and dishonest? Didn't Sirius deserve someone better than a slut like me? Argh, this was…

I pulled at my hair, taken aback by how short it was. Oops, I had forgotten that Minna's hair was short, and that I didn't have my long mane of hair. I laughed hoarsely. It wasn't funny, but I laughed madly nonetheless. It was no wonder after this mental stress. I couldn't forget who I was. Sirius would get a stroke if he had to look into Minna's face instead of my own.

I performed another extra intensive cleaning spell and tried to fix my knickers with a Reparo, however the tiny piece of fabric wouldn't mend, so I would have to say farewell to Sirius going commando.

I stood up with laboured movements and donned my cloak. I didn't really want to face reality again! No, truly not, but how did the saying go? Nothing is free in life. The thought of confronting Sirius left an uneasy feeling in my stomach, but I couldn't escape it. It was his due to get informed about my decision face to face. It was the decent thing to do, at least that was the way I saw it, so I braced myself when I reentered the public parlour and looked around.

What was that? It couldn't, or could it? Was I hallucinating? No, I was right! Sitting in the back was really Lucius Malfoy!

Wow, who was that next to him? A woman and two men. He looked good, so grand yet so very out of place as well in this sleazy joint, with his well-groomed, long, ash-blonde hair and the velvet cloak. Suddenly he raised his eyes in irritation and looked at me straight in the eyes which were, goddess be blessed, not visible under my hood, pinning me down with his dark grey gaze. And with that I realized that he combined Draco's good looks with Snape's imposing, distinctive features. He was very impressive and appealing in his appearance. Fascinating. It wasn't easy for me, but I had to hurry up. It was nearly midnight and Draco would kill me if I attracted his father's attention, or I would kill myself from the additional stress. Or maybe Draco wouldn't mind so much, as it was family… to cite his own words!

So I hurried out of the pub with the Malfoy patriarch's grey eyes on my back, blending once again skilfully with the environment. I darted into a quiet corner and apparated. In my backstreet, near the Black House, I reappeared. I did it! Now I only had to don my true appearance again.

A second later I already was scurrying towards the main door, still hidden under my robes. Opening the door quietly, I slipped into the house, which hadn't changed at all in the last few days. I glided to the astoundingly quiet kitchen, my movements not breaking the silence at all. There I found Sirius, as I had hoped for, who raised his head at the sound of the creaking door and frowned at me upon my entry. Ah, I remembered, he couldn't recognize me under my hood. I brushed it back quickly and shed the cloak. An instant, honest smile spread over his features as soon as he saw my face.

"Hermione, you managed to come, brilliant," he said, honestly delighted and grinning at me merrily.

"Hello Sirius, as always... I did say I would come," I replied nicely and settled into a chair carefully, somewhat out of breath. I was still feeling sore thanks to Snape, but forbade myself from thinking of it further in Sirius' presence.

"How are you?" I asked him with interest and he gauged me with his head cocked, clearly surprised by my rather reserved greeting.

"Quite well, if not bored. It is lonely here, since everybody left! I hate this house," he declared fervently. I took his hand that was resting on the table and squeezed it firmly.

"I feel sorry for you, but at Christmas everybody will beat a path to your door," I tried to cheer him up, so the pain of the next blow I would deal him in a moment would be dulled. I already had a guilty conscience...

"What do I smell here?" he enquired suddenly, alert and suspicious. He fixed on me an expression that was calculating and wild at the same time. I flinched back, startled, when I was struck by the agitation in his unique, grey eyes.

"What… what do you mean, Sirius?" I asked carefully. Did he mean me? Could he smell Snape explicitly or just the sex? This question shot through my head. A deep growl resounded from his chest, which expanded immensely and stretched his rough, white, cotton shirt nearly beyond capacity. The cup in his hand flew in a wide arc against the back wall and shattered with a loud clamour into a thousand pieces.

"What I mean?! You had sex… do you think I can't smell that?!" he yelled, angrily, at an incredible volume. He glared at me, his face distorted into an ugly grimace by his fury, and stood up abruptly, smacking both hands onto the table so hard that it trembled below him. He stood bent over it, breathing heavily, shivering from head to toe. His whole posture screamed aggressiveness.

 **~~~Start of Domestic Violence~~~**

"I-I... I… that's what I wanted..." I was slightly unsettled and on edge, remembering our meeting in the library some time prior, when he had shown me his possessiveness in an all-consuming way and I didn't deny his claim. I couldn't reminisce further, as he suddenly pushed himself off the table and rushed towards me, gripping my upper arm roughly, yanking me from my seat and slapping me across the face with enough force that my head was flung sidewards.

Tangles of hair flew around my face. It felt like a gong rang loudly in my ears, but thanks to my training this slap was more like a caress for me. Regardless, I was left speechless and deeply infuriated by his assault. Did Sirius beat me just now? Really? When I looked again into his face, distorted by anger and hate, he raised his hand to give me another slap, but this time I flinched back. Not with me, my dear... Did the idiot forget what I had done to Bole?

"Sirius, have you lost your marbles?!" I yelled, angered by his treatment of me. He struck me again and this hit left me tasting blood. My lip must have split. Okay... if he wanted to have it that way, he would get it. My hands balled into fists and I shoved him away from me, crouched into a fighting position and punched him straight in the face, hitting his eye. His head was flung back with the brutal force of the punch. He growled furiously, shaking his head through the pain and went right back to attacking me. Shit, I didn't want to hurt him, didn't want to knock him out! not Sirius!

"Sirius, wake up from this madness. What is this about?" I cried desperately. Of course, I knew that he had the right to be mad at me, but I had told him again and again that this was just a short fling and not an actual relationship. So why was he acting this way?

" _What is this is about_?! You're cheating on me!" he roared rampantly and raised his arm, wanting to beat me again, but I ducked out of the way quickly. Spinning quickly, I struck cleanly at him again and this time I hit his chin.

Now he was bleeding from his mouth as well, the blood dripping down over his chin. He spat out a glob on the floor.

"You are not wearing any knickers. Yes, I can smell that, you slut!" he shouted very nastily, grabbing my wrist as I was reeling from the insult. He used the momentum to smack me into the wall face first.

"Oh yes, you are smelling like that one time in the library, only it's much stronger. It's obvious... you have had sex. It was the same back then, too... You lying whore!" he roared through the kitchen, positively losing it. I gasped in pain when colliding with the stone wall and the word whore cut into my heart.

Okay, that was enough. Sirius or not, if he continued this way, I would show him what I had learned! He was widely inferior to me in real combat, but I didn't want to injure him! It was enough that I was hurting him emotionally, after all I was a slut and had had sex with Snape, two times as Sirius had discerned correctly. Ow, the wall was really hard. I had caught myself with my other hand and braced myself against it, before I was grabbed violently and yanked around roughly. He ripped one sleeve in the process, which was now hanging from my shoulder. My head banged backwards into the hard, unyielding stone and he once again hit me in the face.

 _Shit, I hate this_ , I thought when my cheek began to throb painfully, though now I was truly pissed and I replied in kind by throwing an equally forceful punch, holding nothing back. I could feel my fist strike his cheek-bone, swinging his head around and leaving a cut across his cheek when the skin split under my blow. His long hair was whipped through the air as he yowled in pain, but he didn't let me go, instead turning his battered, bloodied face to glare at me aggressively.

That did it.

I drew my right dagger before he could notice, positive that he wouldn't come to his senses on his own, and aimed at a region of high importance to him.

"Sirius, if you do not calm down this instant and cease beating me, I will castrate you! And I mean every word of it!" I warned insistently, my voice freezing cold as I looked firmly into his eyes. This seemed to finally pierce through the haze of fury that had encompassed his mind.

"W… what… what?" he enquired bewildered. He had grabbed my throat with one hand, reminiscent of Bole, and I couldn't stand it and I began to develop tunnel vision. He should be glad I didn't kill him outright. Blood was rushing in my ears, and I took deep breaths to get air into my lungs in fear of suffocation. Very slowly he shifted his gaze from my face down to my hand, almost like he was moving in slow motion, until he noticed the Horus dagger pointed at his manhood. As soon as the sight registered he twitched, his eyes shooting back up. He stared at me in shock, a look I countered with determination.

"Ah, I see we have an understanding, Sirius. Release me… step back and sit down again, or you will be lucky to get away with just castration! If you want to end up like Bole, by all means, try me!" I threatened coldly, my tone vicious yet controlled. My cheek was burning like it was on fire, my split lip was throbbing, and my whole body sore through the collision with the wall. Thanks a lot, Sirius.

Abruptly, he broke away from me for good and stalked stiffly to his knocked over chair, setting it up straight before flopping onto it. Our fight had left us both pretty battered. I breathed a sigh of relief when he finally let me go and swept my hair out of my face with my left hand with emphasized nonchalance. I lifted my damaged dress slightly and sheathed my dagger with a practiced motion before I went over to the table as well.

"That didn't go how I had imagined, Sirius," I stated sorrowfully after a while.

"Hmpf, I could say the same! How dare you?! Who are you shagging?!" he spat aggressively. He had crossed his arms in front of his chest and jutted out his chin irreconcilably, making it obvious how mortally offended he was. Blood was dripping slowly down from his chin still. Goddess, sometimes he could be such a child. Did I deserve that? No! I mean, we didn't swear that we were in love, nor did we pledge fidelity! Why was he acting like this?

"I don't understand you. You knew that our fling was temporary... Why are you this upset now?" I asked at a loss, as I truly didn't understand it.

"How can you ask that? Who gives you the right to decide when it is over?" he spluttered.

"I... I have every right!" I asserted firmly.

 **~~~ Domestic Violence quite Finished ~~~**

"I disagree!" he retorted petulantly.

"I wanted to visit you and keep you company and what do you do? You attack me! You beat me! Have you gone mad? You grabbed my throat like you wanted to choke me!" I wanted to know what was going on in his mind, once again furious.

"Oh please! Had you planned to tell me that you are cheating on me or did you want to shag me as usual, pretending not to have tumbled out of another's bed just a few minutes earlier?" he hissed venomously and glared at me unforgivingly.

"You are thinking only the best of me, aren't you? Why, no, I wanted to say goodbye in a civilized manner. Believe it or not, I hadn't planned to sleep with you, sorry! Not today, and after your behaviour just now, I won't ever again!" I spat at him contemptuously.

"I had and have every right to act like that!" he rebuted, disdain contorting his features.

"Well, good for you, but I think we have nothing left to say. Farewell, Sirius!" I stated with finality and waved my hand in an disappointed gesture while standing up determinedly and throwing on my robe. He didn't try to stop me and I didn't look back either.

I rushed out of the front door and apparated quickly into the Forbidden Forest. I wanted to get to Draco, feeling too overwhelmed.

I had been beaten by my boyfriend- make that ex-boyfriend. Not that I was not used to getting beaten, but I hadn't expected that he could do that to me.

I sobbed, the words ' _Such an ass…'_ echoing through my head.

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	40. Common Room

A Thursday - Goodie for Dramione Fans. :*

Thanks so much for your Reviews and Favs and Reads.

Enjoy the full original Chapter. xxx

* * *

 **Common Room**

The forest was pitch-black. I had to utter a Lumos to find the stone, so I could get rid of it with a Dissendium and a Wingardium Leviosa. Standing in the tunnel, I put it back in it's place, moving as if I was under a trance. I still couldn't believe what had happened in the past few hours. I had wild, harsh sex with Professor Snape as his paid hooker and had been beaten by Sirius, my as of now ex-boyfriend! Well, if that wasn't an eventful night, I didn't know what was. There was also the matter of Rita, who I had once again scared to death after I had told her that what had happened to the Death Eaters was on my account.

I needed a strengthening potion. I was so fed up with the world! I never would've thought that a day would come where I would fight against my friends and not my enemies. But one never did stop learning...

Was that a comfort for me? Not likely! I pulled my cap further over my throbbing and swollen face. I didn't know what I was looking like, but I guessed I wasn't looking pretty, so I huddled myself deeper into my coat. It was twenty minutes to one o'clock and I felt absolutely exhausted. I ran along the secret passage until I reached the stone witch and went behind it. Once I made it into Hogwarts, I quickly scurried to the entrance of the Slytherin common room. I needed Draco, that was the only thing I could think of.

"Snake pit," I whispered breathlessly at the stone wall, and it gave me access. I confidently entered the room, and could see from under my hood that the room was occupied by the higher classes despite the late hour. All in all, nine to ten students were present! Was I mad to face all these snakes? Most likely, but I just didn't care at the moment and Draco had said I should come, though I'm sure he wouldn't have expected me to come so early. On the island by the fireplace Draco's classmates Nott, Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle were seated, and about five other students were standing around the rest of the room. I think it was three seventh-graders and two from the sixth. Only Draco wasn't there, to my chagrin. Had I ever mentioned how unreasonably lucky I always was? Unbearably so.

"Who are you?" came unfriendly voices from several corners.

"What are you doing here?" someone else said, particularly aggressive.

"Show your face! Strangers aren't allowed here!" another hissed suspiciously. The air had become tense. Some were nervous, some suspicious, others openly hostile. A few of the snakes were already pulling out their wands. I quickly used a nonverbal Protego Horribilis, a long-lasting protection spell that was also helpful against dark-magical attacks. One never knew when it would be required and I was in enemy land here.

I was a few seconds too slow, because I already felt a spell impact. I hadn't said a word so far, standing quietly in the middle of the common room, when I recognized a white-blond head from the corner of my eye. It was Draco, coming into the room with the dark-skinned Zabini in tow.

At that moment a painful stab made me turn around. A Diffindo had hit my thigh and not only cut through the fabric of my coat, but also my skin. This is what happens if one isn't always careful enough. Damn, wasn't my face enough already? The cut stung as it bled freely.

"Oww, Draco.." I exclaimed indignantly, reaching for my bleeding leg. Hadn't I bled enough already? Why always me? Oh yes, I had forgotten... I loved the danger!

"What is going on here?" Draco snapped, impressing with his aristocratic demeanour when he stepped confidently into the room, registering me surrounded by belligerent Slytherins.

"She doesn't want to show us her face!" said a stupid goose in a squeaky voice. I'll show you something else in a second. Goddess, I was in a bad temper! I bared my teeth, only no one saw it from under my hood. I held my thigh and pulled away my bleeding hand. Now I could see something very vicious reflected in the liquid silver the colour of his eyes transformed into when he noticed my injury.

"Who. Was. That?" he hissed coldly. When he was like this, he was really frightening. So economical in his movements... He looked around, his gaze ice cold, and only raised an eyebrow threateningly.

"Higgs!" backstabbed the black-haired Pansy from the couch .

"Terence Higgs, step forward," Draco ordered, his tone cold yet velvety at the same time. That was something that gave you goosebumps all over. A tall, red-haired seventh-grader stepped forward before he flew backwards ungracefully, no doubt a nonverbal charm courtesy of Draco. He hit the stone floor hard and remained there, groaning. Draco walked slowly and elegantly toward him, enjoying the horrified looks of the other snakes. Once he had approached Higgs, he used his right foot and kicked him hard and ruthlessly in the side, where I would say his kidneys were. His shoe slammed brutally into Higgs as he lay hunched over on the ground. He looked down at him scornfully, as if Higgs were garbage. Then Draco turned to face the room at large and smiled a cold, calculating smile, wiping an imaginary strand from his beautiful, cold face.

"So... I want to clarify: whoever is stupid enough to attack my dear guest here also volunteers to be admitted to the hospital wing. Is that clear?"

He sounded so amiable and sweet but it sent shivers down my spine. I was really baffled by his demonstrated power over this group. I could see their frightened faces, as they nodded to him meekly, keeping their heads down. Their whole attitude towards him was absolutely subservient and submissive.

"Now leave. I don't want to see you anymore tonight," he breathed silkily to the group of older students who immediately started to leave. A few of them grabbed the unconscious Higgs, not at all gentle as they began pulling him with them. They had barely left the room when Draco lost his indifferent attitude and hurried towards me with his arms open.

"Mu... darling, you're early. Did something happen?" he exclaimed, unusually anxious. The snakes' eyes threatened to fall out as they gaped at us, as they hadn't fully left the room yet.

But even _I_ was confused. Darling? Since when did he call me that? Well, it would've been suspicious if he'd call me Mudblood. After all, he always addressed Hermione Granger so deprecatingly, but how I had earned 'darling' wasn't quite clear to me. I hadn't the muse to figure that out right now, for I was in too much pain. I couldn't even answer that quickly, as he tugged me to his chest.

"What's going on? Say something."

I couldn't say a word and he didn't wait for me to. He pulled my robes back curiously and caught sight of the cut from Higgs. The cut was quite deep and still bleeding freely, but I barely felt it. I was startled when, before I could blink, he lifted me up in his arms, as if I weighed nothing and carried me carefully to the couch. He pressed me against his strong chest and I gratefully accepted the solace it gave me. Like hell I would protest.

"Draco, what are you doing...?" Pansy asked shocked, still standing on the stairs. When he didn't answer at once, another spoke.

"Yes, I mean, you never make your hands dirty! Who's that?" Zabini asked, terrifyingly brave.

The surreality of the situation before me made me falter, not the pain, as the latter was not as bad anymore. I looked between Draco, who was nearly too close for comfort, and the students of his class back and forth, confused. He carried me skillfully and didn't pay attention to the questions of the others, arrogant as he was, still slowly walking to the fireplace. Then he attempted to lower me on the couch, waving his hand to scare away Pansy, which proved to be effective as she disappeared with a reluctant squeal. The courage seemed to have left her because she was not worth an answer.

After he had put me down carefully, he exposed the wound again and pointed his wand at it, uttering an Episkey. The wound closed before my eyes while prickling and twinging uncomfortably, a side effect of the healing. But I didn't allow myself to let out any sound and remained silent, and a cleaning spell later the cut had disappeared entirely. Draco was really a powerful wizard. Behind his spells was genuine power, but then he had a white hawthorn wand. As I said before, we were very much alike.

"Thank you Draco!" I breathed hoarsely. Then I immediately reeled from surprise when Pansy dashed back from the dormitories and grabbed Draco's arm out of the blue.

"Draco, who is that? Who is she? What's going on here?" she asked inquisitively. Apparently, she couldn't curb her curiosity. She was just as bad as Lav and Pav.

"Leave," Draco ordered coldly.

"But... but Draco," she whined unhappily, looking at him pleadingly. It seemed as if she was dying of curiosity.

"I said leave and don't touch me! You know I hate that!" he snarled at her impatiently. She restrained herself after that but didn't leave the room.

"Do you need something, Mu.. darling?"

If we were alone, I would probably be called Mudblood, I thought ironically.

"A whiskey!" I asked gently, ignoring the obnoxious girl, and sat up carefully, which he was observing with eagle eyes.

"Blaise, the drink! Who hurt you?" he demanded from Zabini, who was standing behind the petulant girl as if to prevent a dispute, before speaking to me. Why did Draco always see so damn much?! Was that normal for a Malfoy, I thought sarcastically. I put my hand over my face in despair, a subconscious movement, before letting my hand drop again. I had a little blood on my fingers, nothing severe, but I had forgotten I was in the presence of Dramaqueen Draco.

"What? You're bleeding on your face too, what happened, was it Se..?" he growled angrily, looking wild with his expressive eyes as I quickly reached for his arm.

"No.. no Draco, it was the last meeting! It ran out of control," I whispered quietly, embarrassed. All the noises had stopped, no one in this room even breathed anymore, they all watched us curiously.

"How dare he lay a hand on you!" His tone was heated and angry, but his expression remained impassive. As expected of a Malfoy.

"You didn't sleep with the mutt, did you?" he asked immediately, and I heard our spectators drawing in sharp breaths. Draco wasn't willing to acknowledge it. Such willful ignorance was not easy to obtain - but I forgot, he was a Malfoy.

"What do you take me for? Today I wanted to tell him that it's over and not because you told me to stop sleeping with him! But unfortunately his nose is too good and he smelled meeting number two, which went really well, and freaked out! He started to... to beat me..."

The confession wasn't easy for me, so I gratefully accepted the drink from the hands of a horrified Zabini.

"Are you seriously hurt?" Draco said, his tone worried as he swept his hand over my body in an intimate gesture. His classmates followed the movement with a hawk-like gaze, but he didn't seem to care.

"No, hell, I beat the shit out of him," I said, leaning my head back as began to laugh despite my exhaustion. "Oh man, it was so funny. I could've ended this all so much earlier, but I didn't want to hurt him. He really freaked out today."

"And then you let him hit you and didn't stop him immediately?" he sounded disbelieving.

"He hits like a girl. He slapped me, I punched him a few times, and when it was enough, I threatened to castrate or kill him," I said icily, giggling again. "You should've seen his face, it was hilarious!"

"You know you're crazy right? You got beaten up and you're laughing" He explained, somewhat bewildered, but then asked urgently: "But now tell me, how badly hurt are you?" I waved it away, casually.

"Oh Draco, all is well, as long as I can still laugh! In the last months I've been beaten more severely nearly every day. Believe me, a lot has to happen to make me scream," I explained resignedly I took another sip of the burning amber-colored liquid, letting it trickle slowly down my throat, and enjoyed the tart and peated flavour on my tongue.

"You horrify and amaze me again and again. And _I'm_ the one to decide how badly you're injured," he determined regally, raising his chin commandingly.

"All of you, immediately go to your dormitories, and if you should have the insolence to break my order, the Cruciatus is an appropriate punishment for sure. Take care of the other Slytherins, I don't want to see them down here," he ordered. And oh wonder, or maybe not such a great wonder, they obeyed now without any resistance and slunked off like whipped dogs. They left me and Draco on the couch in front of the cozy fireplace.

"Draco, why do they all listen to you, even the older ones?" I asked uncomprehendingly.

"Well, why not? We Malfoys are powerful, really powerful, have always been and very influential and rich, immeasurably rich, too! And now, since the Dark Lord is back, Father is again the right hand of the Dark Lord and Uncle Severus is the left, so we are the first league!" he explained their power emotionlessly and surprisingly openly, which left me with my mouth open because I hadn't been aware of it.

"Take off your coat," he demanded, his lips pressed together firmly. Because of his stubborn expression, I obediently did what he wanted. I had really no more strength to argue with a pissed off Malfoy. But I quickly directed my wand to the room and spoke a protective spell. And so I opened the clasp, let it slip off my shoulders and pulled of my hood, while I was able to experience how he breathed in air, hissing.

"This fucking mutt, the cruciatus is still too nice for him. Who'd beat a woman?" he yelled, mad as hell and almost appalled when he saw my battered face, which he held incredibly tender in his hands.

"Hermione, you look horrible!" He drew his crushing résumé. Haha.. where is a calendar when one needs it. He had called me by my first name. I had to look really terrible when he deigned to use it.

"That bad? I don't really feel much pain," I whispered to him uncertainly.

"Yes, that bad! You have a cracked lip, a cut on the right cheek, and a bruised eye. The blood in your face is dry and your dress looks... torn to shreds," he counted down with suppressed rage in his trembling voice. "If you couldn't fight back like you can, what else might he have done to you?" he hissed angrily, his eyes flashing aggressively. Then suddenly he held his wand towards my face and began to heal, which he did very well. It was taxing work even for him and his forehead shone with sweat, but he was very good at it. A little cleaning spell later, he held a mirror to my face, and I took it, smiling gratefully, and looked into my swollen, quite colorful face. Mh-hm. I breathed in with a sigh. He had really confused me with a punch bag. Resignedly I had reached into the pocket of my robes and fished out three potions, when an elegant, pale hand quickly closed itself around the potions and took them off me.

"What kind of potions are these?" He looked at the vials with interest.

"An anti-pain; a healing; and an anti-swell-potion," I informed him.

"You're well equipped. Here, drink," he said, and I got already poured the evil-tasting stuff inside me, could feel how they did their work and began to take effect from the inside.

"Well, if you get injured as often as I do, you will quickly get used to it, otherwise it can hurt quite horribly," I revealed a wisdom of my own.

"What do we do with him? He can't get away with it like that," Draco said vengefully, slamming his fist into his hand, making a loud slapping noise. Wow, he was really angry, because Sirius had done that to me.

"Draco, I've hit back and believe me, compared to him I look good, I've got a hard punch," I played it down resolutely as I couldn't do anything about my guilty conscience towards Sirius. Draco rubbed his chin in thought and suddenly laughed loudly and deeply.

"I know, I can remember and at that time you weren't trained, or were you?" He gave me a devious smile. I knew what he was remembering and laughed as well like he did, when I thought about our third year when I had hit him with a punch to the jaw.

"Yeah, you're right, but that wasn't a hard punch, you wimp!" I said embarrassed, which only made him laugh louder. He now mockingly raised his glass and we chinked glasses. At this late hour, he only wore black, perfectly-fitting cloth pants and a green shirt, which he had pulled out of his pants casually. Now he leaned back in the couch relaxed and looked at me almost tenderly, not to say affectionately, something that confused me, because I just found nothing in me that deserved this.

"Well, but if he should cross my path, I'll give him my 'regards' and you won't stop me! Nobody raises his hand against... against anyone... against you," and as he said it, goose bumps formed on my skin, as I was absolutely sure that he wouldn't let it rest. His look so determined, so unyielding, so dark and serious, I worried about Sirius. I believed Draco wouldn't listen to my request and forget it, but what should I do now? At first nothing, he seemed to be too angry in this respect.

"What did you really want to say? What am I for you?" I continued to ask and began a new topic which was on my mind, as he had just stammered in his explanation.

"That doesn't matter now. Are you really feeling okay again? How will you get the bruises out of your face, you'll begin to shimmer in all colors until classes tomorrow. Even magic can't change that," he said, worried, avoiding my question.

"You're right, but you haven't seen my resourcefulness yet," I gave him a very mischievous and penetrating look.

"Tell me?" he showed himself very curious and leaned closer to me.

"I've mixed dittany with a drop of unicorn blood, if you put it on, everything will disappear, even scars, for at least five hours, if not longer! This is still the trial period, though," I told him conspiratorially.

"Where did you get the idea from, that's awesome," it came impressed from him and I squirmed around under the admiring glances he gave me.

"Thank you for the compliment, I don't know, that's how my brain works, it was just there out of the blue," I stopped his enthusiasm.

"You're good, but I just can't calm down right now. What else would the madman have done to you?" he asked anxiously and ran his hand over his eyes.

"Where are your thoughts going? You mean, he might have raped me?" I shrugged. "No clue, but I wasn't afraid, because I never felt really threatened at any time! If you understand. I think he just wanted to beat me," it came very sparingly from me, and I surprised myself of how calmly I took all of this.

"You have no idea how bad that would've been for you," it came quietly from him and seemed very moved.

"But Draco, don't think about it so negatively. How do you want to know that.. oh my goddess?" I exclaimed understandingly, while I slammed my hand in front of my mouth, that wasn't true, was it? No, that couldn't be true, that would be too terrible, for him! He had lowered his head and looked keenly interested at his hands, so completely unmalfoylike.

"Unfortunately," he confessed, whispering.

"Oh Draco, was it very bad... for you?" I showed myself very worried and carefully put my hand around his arm.

"Well, not really for me, but the poor women", he said softly, looking away ashamed, his bright-blonde fringe covered his eyes.

"How... can you tell me?" I asked him confidentially, stroking his back gently.

"The revels! Lucius, Severus and I, we don't like them! But to celebrate the return of the Dark Lord, the Death Eaters have captured some pretty Muggle girls... they have to serve at the revels, for the amusement of the crowd, and we three had to do them too! The two were able to cop out after doing it once, but I, as the youngest of the crowd, had to prove myself and was 'allowed' to rape a second girl..." he breathed, his voice full of horror, biting his perfect lips until I stopped him from harming them, put my fingers on his lips, and gently stroked them.

"Don't! What happens to the girls after that?" I inquired softly.

"What do you think? They'll be brought back to their prison, it's alright there. They're cared for there! What do you think, he orders his people to get some fresh meat every time? They're really pretty, appealing girls, so you can't find them so easily," he said coldly, suddenly very uninvolved.

"And how was it for you?" My voice sounded worried.

"That's the same if I'd ask you how it was for you to kill Bole," he spat out harshly.

"Sorry, didn't want to offend you," I lifted my hands apologetically and defensively.

"No, it's alright, I.. I find it disgusting. I don't have to rape a woman if I want one! If, then she will come to my bed voluntarily," he said quietly and calmly again. "Their eyes, the look in their eyes, it's the worst, and because of my high rank I have the honor of being the first, they aren't already broken then.. it haunts me, but just like you, I have learned to live with what I do and what I have to do!" he breathed out with a groan, then shrugged. I put my head exhausted in his lap and he started playing with my hair and stroking my head.

"We've got a shit life, right?" I asked him, disillusioned, in a melancholic voice.

"Well, it could be worse, but you're right, it's far from perfect.." he agreed almost sadly.

"I always say, we're too young for this shit," I said, discouraged. "You have to rape and watch others do the same, and I murder and whore around the world. We're such an awesome pair!" I said resignedly and with malicious mockery, that didn't sound nice at all. Draco began to laugh.

"Are you always so optimistic?" he chuckled slightly.

"Arrgh, I just think I'm having a personal low, sorry! That much alcohol probably makes me depressed," and slapped my hands over my face.

"How much did you have and how did the rest of the meetings go?" he wanted to know now.

"The one with Rita went great, the article will be in the Prophet tomorrow. I'm curious as to what you'll say," I grinned up to him, my head still in his lap.

"How did she react?" he asked.

"In the end she was scared to death of me. Can you imagine a Rita leaving with wobbly knees? It was hilarious," I now giggled spitefully.

"I'm glad your depravity amuses you that much," he chuckled no less devilishly and gave me a loving smile while he stroked my hair relentlessly.

"Haha, you must know I hate that beetle," I confessed, venomously.

"Beetle?!" he frowned, but I thought I read in his eyes that he knew more about beetles than he wanted to admit, but we weren't ready yet to tell each other everything.

"We'll talk about it on Saturday, it would take too long now," I explained and he nodded, but I saw how he stored it in his mind, reminding himself not to forget it.

"Good, then tell me about Severus," he demanded, and I wriggled around, trying to avoid answering until he held me by my shoulders.

"What is it?" he stopped me, looking at me insistently.

"Do I have to tell you, isn't it enough if I say the mission was completed successfully?", I wriggled uncomfortably next to him.

"Not all the details, but a little more, yes..." he didn't give in.

"You can be pretty relentless," I whinged, incensed.

"What do you expect, I'm a Malfoy!" he declared snobbishly. I groaned in frustration, one didn't encounter that much narcissism every day.

"Draco, you're killing me... I just went into the room, he was already there and then he did.." I paused. I licked my dry lips. I had never talked about anything like this and I wasn't sure I wanted to do that. "He.. oh, Draco do I really need to?" I whispered slightly annoyed but also exhausted.

"Yes, tell me!" he remained adamant, showing a unyielding expression and handed me my glass, which I instantly drank in one go.

"He took me from behind, it was fast, we were finished soon and he paid me with this..." I rummaged for the leather pouch and threw it into Draco's hand with a scornful snort, "... and then he said goodbye until the next time," I let myself fall into his lap again, embarrassed, I didn't need to tell everything too detailed.

"And he really didn't realize you are Hermione..?" he asked incredulously, weighing the pouch in his hand.

"Would I sit here if he did?" I asked cynically.

"No, but it's unbelievable that you're so good at Occlumency. It's hard even for me to keep him out of my head and I've been learning for years," he said openly, showing that I impressed him.

"I've been learning since this summer, apparently I'm a natural," I began to laugh and he joined with me. Man, it felt good to be able to laugh with someone.

"Oh, I remember, I saw your father in the 'Hangman', with a woman and two other men," I announced, when I remembered today's encounter. He frowned.

"He hates this place! I'm sure it had something to do with the Death Eaters. What time is it? What, already after three o'clock, you must go to bed. Come, I'll bring you and what shall I do with that?" He asked appraisingly, while he smoothly arose. I stood up as well, though much more awkwardly than him, However, he was right, it was already late. I again wrapped myself into my coat, as my dress looked terribly shredded. I could throw it into the garbage.

"That isn't necessary Draco, the way 's too far. Thank you for your offer; and keep it, I don't want it", I refused the pouch, which he held out to me again. He only tilted his head questioningly, while he seemed to think. I could see a flash of sudden inspiration in his eyes, and he put the money in his pocket, but the nice thing was that he accepted my decision and didn't force the gold on me.

"No buts, Mudblood, if you can survive this night, I can take you up these few stairs, and I'll show you a Slytherin in-house secret passageway. Do you really think we always run up all these stairs from the dungeons to the astronomy tower, or to Divination?" He winked at me mischievously and slyly. Thus we left the common room together. Draco stopped again after only one corridor in front of a wall carpet that showed a battle scene between magical creatures in the Forbidden Forest, pulling the carpet away from the wall.

"Come," he said invitingly, taking my hand. And so we walked along holding hands, walking up around ten steps and already standing in front of a next wall carpet, which he once again held up gallantly.

"Tada, just like magic, the seventh floor!" he said with heavy irony, and I was really impressed and wondered how the Marauders had missed this path. But perhaps the Slytherins kept their secret passageway close to their hearts just like their wands? There were probably several secret passages in the dungeons the Marauders hadn't discovered as these passages were on Slytherin territory.

"That's handy, thank you Draco! Come on. Should something happen, it's better if you know our accessway," I dragged him with me. At last I stopped with him in front of the sleeping, fat lady. I was about to turn to her when I was pulled to his broad, amazingly strong chest. Why did it still surprise me that he was no longer the little boy he used to be? Perhaps because Harry and Ron were still childish? Or, even if it was hard to believe, our arrangement, or whatever that was, was fairly new, and was still at the beginning. Yes, that were the reasons. He was as grown up as I was. Oh, I enjoyed that! I inhaled this delicious scent of sandalwood, which I could do all the time.

"Thanks for patching me up, that was very nice of you. Sleep well, my Pureblood," I said goodbye.

"For you always, go to sleep now, my Mudblood!" he whispered, and as I was still leaning on his chest, he just lowered his mouth and kissed me, as he always did, since this had begun with us, on my forehead. Oh, it was so beautiful, much nicer than a plain kiss!

I groaned. "I don't want to go in there now, I don't belong there anymore," I whispered desperately, while I buried my face in his chest and refused to let go of him.

"Finally, I thought I was talking to an ice block," he said relieved, and began to stroke my hair soothingly, after my little emotional outburst.

"You know, Mudblood, we will never really belong anywhere, we have already experienced and seen too much and it will get more, but you know that well enough. Though the beauty of it is, that we aren't alone," he whispered in my ear, comforting me.

"You know, it's shocking that you're so close to my heart and that you understand me so well, but it's so nice not to have to explain everything down to the smallest detail. You just understand, thank you, Draco!" it came fervently from me and I leaned back in his arms so that I could see his face, then I rose and kissed him lightly and tenderly on his cheek.

"Anytime. And don't forget Saturday, I want all the details!" he now utter a laugh more relaxed and freely than before. I escaped his embrace playfully and lightly hit him on the shoulder.

"Banana Ice Cream! Don't ask.." I put it off, as I noticed his disbelieving look at this embarrassing password, whereupon he burst into a loud, mocking laughter.

"Are you guys serious?" he asked disdainfully.

"Yes, unfortunately. She always picks it herself!" I made a suffering grimace and pointed to the opening portrait of the fat lady clad in pink, who, luckily, slept deeply. He still shook his head in disbelief. "No one would guess that word... You'd have to be a Gryffindor." I climbed through the round opening and waved him goodbye and he soon blended in with the shadows, became a part of the darkness and disappeared quietly into the night.

* * *

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	41. The Game Continues

OMG Guys, you are amazing! So many reads this past week. We love you! ^^

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 **The game continues**

It was no wonder when I woke up the next morning at seven o'clock feeling beaten. I wouldn't run today because, thanks to Sirius, I felt like I was surrounded by cotton balls. Thank God, Lav, Pav and the other two were still in a comatose sleep, triggered by the sweets of the Twins, very handy. So I dragged myself like a walking corpse into the bathroom and put myself under an invigorating shower. After my shower, I stepped almost daringly in front of the mirror and looked at my face. I was on the brink of ejecting a shout of rage. What did the stupid mutt think about beating me like that?

I looked coloured like a rainbow, absolutely great. After brushing my teeth, I rubbed the new ointment all over my face and tada! I was a genius! I looked just like new again. I would carry that new ointment with me for the immediate future, so I could quickly apply it again in case the effect would fade. Really wonderful, as if I didn't have to think about anything else. So I stepped back into the dormitory, shining in my natural beauty and dressed in my school uniform and a cloak. Hopefully, the sleeping beauties would soon wake up from their sleep, I thought, and then - with an indifferent shrug - I went to our common room to browse a bit in the books while the first few people slowly began to stir awake. While I sat in my chair, the thought of yesterday came unstoppably along with questions about the why. But seriously, I brutally pushed my whining to the side, 'learn to live with it', because it can't be changed anymore anyway. But there was a sad, empty, and hollow feeling, leaving an acid taste in my mouth. My thoughts went to Draco. Should something change for me because of what Draco had told me?

That he had raped... No, that wasn't true, that he had been forced to rape! What did I think about it? Nothing, I didn't care. Draco didn't change in my eyes, that was something he had to do! And I had noticed that he was sorry, but also that he was resigned to the fact that he had had to do it. I had also learned that my professor had done similar atrocities during his time as a spy, but he didn't like it either, but here too, it didn't change my attitude towards him. It touched me no further, except that I felt compassion for him, for them, as I knew Draco hadn't explicitly liked what he had to do to these women and I respected him even more, felt even closer to him. As I said, we lived in a shitty time, ugly things happened to all of us, so one had to learn to live with it and accept what one did. What really interested me was, had all been watching? Was this a kind of orgy? Or, how would I need to imagine this? The thoughts that went through my head were strange, and the questions were even more unusual, but they came to me quite naturally. What kind of life were we living, that I was asking questions like this? I hope I found the courage to ask him on Saturday!

And for the first time in weeks, I was really glad to see Harry and Ron stepping into the room. I positively beamed at them, but I instantly lost it when I saw Harry's expression, which immediately worried me. What had happened?

"Harry, what happened?" I exclaimed worried and quickly changed seats, sitting down on the couch next to him. "What's wrong?" I asked urgently.

"Oh.. Hermione, if I tell you, you'll just be angry with me again!" he said sadly, his eyes unhappy.

"I promise faithfully, I won't be angry with you, please trust me, what happened?" I thought that it could only be something important, since his tone was so tense.

"I... I've had a lot of headaches and my scar hurt too in the last few weeks, it's almost unbearable sometimes... especially at night!" he whined, pressing his fist to his reddish bolt-shaped scar.

"Do you think it's coming from him?" I asked, whispering, somewhat insecure and slightly frightened. Apparently, the connection between the two went deeper than previously assumed, but was it good or bad for us? Harry nodded sadly, but was clearly relieved that I took him seriously and that I could say the terrible assumptions out loud, that he wouldn't even dare to speak.

"Oh ... that's not good, not good at all!" I groaned anxiously.

"I know that," he hissed furiously, which I forgave him, I'd react like him if I had such a close connection to a madman.

"What am I supposed to do?" he whined a second later almost sobbing.

"Maybe you should tell Sirius?" Ron said cautiously. The name alone made me stiffen, even if I realized that Ron just meant well.

"I don't know…" I let myself be heard dismissively but I had a distressed grimace on my face.

"No, this is an excellent idea, Ron! I'll owl him right now and ask him how we can talk to each other," Harry looked much happier and was hooked already. I didn't look forward to that meeting which would probably await me, but I could save myself the stress of trying to get Harry out of that idea, because his eyes shone with feverish anticipation.

So I admitted defeat. "Well then! Come on, I want to read the Prophet and I need my coffee," I said ill-humoured, but surrendering to my fate. Shortly after we had sat down, the owls entered the hall, as if on command, and brought us the newspapers. What I read made it difficult to suppress a devious grin. Draco's smug behaviour, as he sat at his table acting like a king, didn't really help me maintain my indifferent facade, because I was extremely pleased with myself and the effect the article would have. The article I had discussed with Rita was the title story! As one shouldn't laugh about murder, but be indignant, I should stop my almost dopey grin, damn! And the big hall was buzzing like a beehive. Everyone cast a covert glance at Harry, which he didn't understand at first until I gave him the article.

"Oh god! What happened, who could've done that?" He echoed in horror. Well, I wanted to see his horror when he learned that it was me.

"Yes, horrifying, sounds quite brutal.. almost beheaded," said Ron, munching and shaking in disgust, but continued to eat as cool as a cucumber and still hungry. I rolled my eyes, how could one just eat like that with such news? He had to have a really strong stomach, but he also didn't have the pictures of those scenes in his mind. If I would say: "Hey guys, that was me"... no, no one would believe me.

"Do you think, they finally believe that Voldemort is back?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I mean the Dark Mark can't just fall from the sky, right," Ron said attention-seeking. And actually they were quite right, but nothing could be done against idiots like those in the ministry.

"It won't do much, but maybe one of them will change his mind and face reality?" I said hopefully, looking into the excited crowd of students who looked around anxiously and uneasily, sometimes looking skeptically to our trio. Since everyone had known Bole and Derrick, and they thus were shocked, the Slytherin table seemed to be in a state of turmoil after these news, as there were some heated but quiet discussions. Draco directed them like a king and tried to calm them down.

"You know, I find it really crass. The two had finished school just last year and are now dead, just like Cedric," Harry considered, sounding very sad.

"Well, they were only two stupid Slytherins, it's not a pity," Ron exclaimed indifferently, and it was nice to see how pragmatic this boy could be.

"Yes horrible, but unlike Cedric they had a choice and have clearly chosen the wrong path!", it came hard from me, because Cedric's fate was still painful and therefore I didn't go into it.

"Do you think it was someone from the Order?" Harry inquired fearfully. Oh, if you knew, my dear.

"Really, do you think so, Harry?" Ron asked hyper, looking around covertly. "That would be so cool!"

"Ronald, nothing is cool about murder!" I exclaimed. In what world was this boy living? "... and Harry, no, I don't think it was anyone from the Order, Dumbledore isn't like that..." I had to admit to my dismay.

"I think you're right, Hermione! But who else would work so rigorously against Death Eaters?" he mused.

"Well, that's the big question.." I exclaimed, suppressing an superior smirk. What was that? Draco looked at me very intensely and caught my attention this way. He subtly pointed to something else, further back in the newspaper. I reacted quickly and nodded inconspicuously that I had understood and reached again for the newspaper to look through it, then I found what he meant. In an article farther back, we were informed about what Draco had already told us on the train: 'Sirius Black sighted in London'!

But what caught my attention, too, was the fact that Sturgis Podmore - a member of the Order, as I knew - had been caught during the night of the 31st of August to the 1st of September in the ministry in an attempt to break through a high security door and got sentenced to six months in Azkaban. All in all, very interesting news. I looked thankfully into those silvery eyes and nodded to him secretly, then I pouted and now told the other two as well about those extraordinary contents. Shortly after, the bell rang for the first class and we had to hurry. The rest of the day went on quietly until we went outside to the afternoon classes with the new Professor Grubbly-Plank, as she filled in for Hagrid, who was no longer present.

"Do you think Hagrid will be back soon? I don't understand why he disappeared immediately after the feast... I'm worried!" Harry said, looking suspiciously through his glasses.

"No idea... He'll be alright," Ron replied, uninterested. Suddenly Draco bumped into Harry from behind.

"Can't you be careful Potter? When I come, you have to get out of the way," he said arrogantly and smugly, while he wrinkled his beautiful nose and grinned at me. I could only roll my eyes. He would never change in this respect, would he?

"Are you missing this giant, unkempt idiot? Perhaps he got himself into something that is too big for him?", it came very ambiguous of him, while he laughed maliciously, but he had reached the point where we three pointed our ears. But especially me, as his eyes so intensely gleamed at me. He seemed to have received a letter this morning with new information from Lucius and now shared it with me.

"And I guess if this giant idiot comes back, he's certainly not going to stay a teacher, as my father has assured me that from now on, the minister is going to get tough with Hogwarts!" He snarled at us. At that moment, he constantly looked at me, which caused me to give him a covert smile. "It's ridiculous here, everything goes to the dogs, doesn't it?" He looked at us arrogantly as he sighed dramatically, acting compassionate. He was a perfect actor.

"Take that back, immediately, you little, vicious ferret. Who do you think you are?" Ron bleated as expected. "You're no better than us!" he hissed.

"Calm down, Ron," I said deliberately and scoldingly. After all, Draco had just told us more than the entire Order together had done, one should appreciate that. After all, we had the news that Hagrid was with the giants, and the confirmation from Lucius Malfoy personally, that Umbridge, as announced in her own speech, would do much more in Hogwarts, than just be a professor in 'Defense Against the Dark Arts'. Draco turned his back on us with an arrogant grin, and went on with his laughing entourage, which was celebrating him, and left us behind. Harry surprised me positively by remaining silent and talking only when we were alone. He seemed to be thinking about what Draco had said, perhaps not all hope had been lost, and he was still developing.

"Harry, why didn't you say something to Malfoy, instead letting him go through with it! I mean, you can't let him treat you like that?" Ron ranted aggressively and indignantly at the same time.

"Didn't you listen, I think he just answered our question of where Hagrid is! Didn't you hear how he used the words 'giant' and 'too big'? I think Hagrid's with the giants, but why exactly would Malfoy tell us this?" Harry said very considerately. He was right, and now it meant for me to distract, clearly, not that he would question me even more.

"Exactly, I ask myself the same question, but now we know it at least. I hope Hagrid is alright... what do you mean think is Dumbledore's intend?" I said trying to distract and was delighted that Draco was so skillful when he wanted to. And so we continued to discuss, endlessly! I was very relieved when the classes began.

At the time just before dinner started, I had been in the library and had pursued my own interests, and now I walked alone in the direction of the Great Hall until a white blond head appeared next to me. That sneaking he had probably learned it from a black-cloaked, grumpy teacher, for he moved as silently and smoothly as him. Not quite, but he was on the way to perfection.

"Thanks, Pureblood. Did your father write to you today?" I said cheerfully. We were alone in the hallways.

"Correct, did you understand it?" One of his nobly curved, pale eyebrows moved up.

"Am I red-haired?" I said very cynically and received an amused snort.

"Good one, Mudblood. How are you today?" He nodded at my vicious statement and gave me a scrutinizing look that contained concern and I could see him scanning my face. "The ointment works wonderfully. I wouldn't have thought that it would work like this, but you look refreshed, without the smallest bruise. Congratulations on your invention! But now tell, how are you feeling in there?", and while walking he put his hand over my chest, it took me a little by surprise.

"Since when are you so caring, so worried?" I summed up my astonishment.

"Let that be my concern! Answer," he showed himself impatient, rolling his eyes.

"Good, I think? I haven't thought about it until now... just...", and nibbled at my lower lip, feeling uncomfortable.

"Don't do that! 'Just..' what?" He ordered harshly.

"Mhm, Harry, wants to talk to him and I have to be there... I don't know how..." I made a gesture with my hand and underlined my inner turmoil.

"You can do that, Mudblood, put on the mask, don't let the fucking mutt see anything, I'll take care of him when the time comes!" His icy voice rattled through the deserted corridors, like a dangerous threat.

"Draco, we spoke about that. Let him be, he's history!" I immediately tried to calm him down and touched, as if by coincidence his hand, pleading.

"But, of course. Whatever you say, my Mudblood and enjoy your two mindless idiots!" He bid goodbye chivalrously as usual, breathing a kiss on my cheek and walking away majestically.

Wow, he'd really learned a lot from the bat, just as I could see his cloak floating with his movements impressively. Thank goddess, I was spared from the bat today, thank you, thank you, thank you, for I would see him soon enough!

In the evening, almost at midnight, Harry and Ron played chess and as always Harry was losing spectacularly. The Twins set their business in motion by bringing their Skiving Snackboxes to the public together with Lee and holding a sales event. Many students were bleeding and/or succumbing to a collapse, lying on the floor. I was a prefect, but I played blind, I didn't care, because there was more important things for me! I myself worked through some dark books, which I had disguised as harmless reading material, so the time went on until we three were the last ones in the common room.

As soon as we were really alone, the fireplace gave obvious, odd signs and suddenly Sirius' head emerged in the flames and gave me a deep blow. As soon as I could see his cheeky grin in the fire, I swallowed uncomfortably, but I made myself see reason and kept my mask on, even though his face looked swollen and very bloodshot! The cracks and cuts seemed to have been treated with a healing spell. But I must say, I was very pleased looking at my colorful work and a certain, inner calm came over me, because I had defended myself and that very successfully. He looked at us one after the other, only with me, his eyes stopped for a second and he saw my impeccable appearance, which caused him to raise his brow in surprise. A reaction that made me smile derisively.

As Draco had said, don't show him anything, not the least bit of what's going on in myself, and I just followed that advice. And already, Harry had thrown himself with a big cheer in front of the fireplace and greeted Sirius loudly and with delight and told him now all events at a furious speed and he answered the questions in the letters and so it resulted:

Dumbledore already assumed that Harry's scar would often hurt if Voldemort had strong emotions at the same time and Umbridge probably wasn't a Death Eater! I wondered about the connection between Harry's scar and the Dark Lord's feelings and about Dumbledore thinking about it. It was really odd, that he discussed this with the Order, but not with the boy who was in pain because of it. I was, to say the least, confused and disgruntled, because what was going on? In my humble opinion, Harry had the right to learn about these things, but he was left in the dark by the wise, old professor, because pain, unknown pain was so pleasant to bear! Nevertheless, Umbridge was absolutely nasty and disgusting, and as an example, decided two years ago to make life even harder for werewolves. Consequently, it was impossible for werewolves, such as Remus was one, to find a job, which I already knew thanks to Rita's exposé, but had thought it to be unimportant. I knew that the woman was evil. That's why Umbridge didn't teach any combat charms and only defensive spells at Hogwarts, because Fudge and his followers feared that Dumbledore wanted to build an army in Hogwarts to take over the ministry, which was the most stupid thing I had ever heard, but had I ever said that Fudge had a brain?

The Order itself knew nothing specific about Hagrid. He had been on the road with Madame Maxime and they had lost each other on the journey to return. But Hagrid was tough, he would come back for sure. We shouldn't ask too much about him so that his absence wouldn't be so conspicuous, which was, in my opinion, a futile try, but didn't matter. And so we were allowed to listen to these insights of the Order through the fireplace.

"You know what, I have a great idea, we could meet again in the cave in Hogsmeade," he said conspiratorially and grinned absolutely moronic, and looked around like a moronic idiot. I let my face drop into my hands, feeling terribly sorry for myself, and dared to ask if he wanted to get close to me again like this.

"No Sirius, that's way too dangerous. If you read the article today, you've been sighted and unmasked in London," I opened my mouth for the first time since the start of the conversation and said it firmly but exasperated. I couldn't allow it, it was far too dangerous. Which earned me a bitter, reproachful look in more than one respect.

"Stay out of this!" He sounded cold.

"I agree with Hermione, Sirius, it's way too dangerous. The way Malfoy has told it to us... I take it very seriously. How do you look like anyway... like you got beaten?" Harry took my side rigorously but tried to change the mood with the worst possible topic.

"What? Another snake? That's why... maybe...", he muttered slightly mad into his non-existing beard, which made me look at him gloomily. How dare he, though he wasn't even wrong.

"What do you mean, Sirius?" Harry asked, interested.

"Oh, nothing, and if you agree with her so much, ask her!" It came harshly from Sirius, then he withdrew abruptly from the flames, visibly insulted.

"Wow, what was that?" Ron scratched his red head.

"I.. I.." Harry said, slightly overwhelmed. I felt sorry for him, that once again Sirius had himself not under control and let his bitterness and hatred towards me out on Harry. What a child!

"Oh Harry, don't worry so much. I think the house arrest makes him depressed. Don't mind him," I actually defended Sirius.

"If you're sure Hermione, but that behaviour is odd even for him. I don't know like that," Harry gave me a sad smile.

"Oh, he'll be alright again. Now I say, we should go to bed, tomorrow will be a long day... shoo, goodnight you two," and shooed them to the boys' dormitories. I withdrew as well and was still annoyed by Sirius' completely inappropriate behaviour while lying in bed, trying to calm myself down, to empty my mind. I shouldn't get so angry about it, it wasn't worth it.

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	42. A Long Way to Saturday

Booyah!

Here we're again. This time translated by: Aivy.

A day to celebrate! Because; I first uploaded first chapter of WHF English last year on 5th of November. So here we are: This week's first annual WHF Birthday.

Plus: We got over 100 Followers on FF Net. Thanks so much guys. We feel so loved. ^^

Uncut Version.

Enjoy xx

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A Long Way to Saturday

Already the next day had caught up with me, it was Thursday and once again the Daily Prophet was a source of enlightenment. A newspaper article on the title page informed about professor Umbridge's intentions to undertake long overdue reforms in Hogwarts on behalf of the ministry. A decree made her Hogwarts' 'High Inquisitor'.

This croaking toad! Unbelievable. I couldn't even shake my head about that. Did the wizarding world get its ideas from the Muggle world?

Hello? High Inquisitor? Would they introduce the inquisition like in the Muggle Dark Ages? Did the Ministry go mad? Would they burn everybody at the stake that didn't agree with Fudge? Now I did shake my head over the luridness of the article. And so her surveys in the other teachers' classes began, which I found very exhilarating with my inclination towards deadpan humour, but unfortunately nobody asked me about my opinion. The surveys were glorious. Harry and Ron told me about divination, as I had dropped out in Third Year, finding the subject too ambiguous. I needed clear, structured guidelines, not this… I see something in a foggy crystal ball, but unfortunately it can only be described vaguely and imprecisely! Yes, that was not my forte and I knew when I met my limits and in this case they had been met and more.

"That's just unreal, the way the old toad snubbed the crazy insect" Ron recounted without sympathy and I could see Trelawney before my inner eye, with her greatly magnified eyes behind her too large glasses and the dozens of veils and shawls and several bead chains she had wrapped herself in to seem more mysterious. No, she was no match to Umbridge's deviousness.

"Yes, she unsettled her with her ignorant manner, following her from table to table and Trelawney acting all entranced and mysterious didn't go down well. Not that it works on us, either!" Harry grinned maliciously.

"Right you are! And what did happen next?" I enquired curiously, cutting of a bit of the roast, and chewed thoroughly.

"Damn, that was really bloody vile! Umbitch wanted to hear a prophecy and the dragonfly talked the same rubbish as always! It was unbearable!" Ron continued, chuckling nastily.

"I felt embarrassed for her! No kidding, the dragonfly trembled all over, at that moment I felt really sorry for her. And I can't stand Umbitch with her self-righteous manner!" Harry got worked up. Understandably, who didn't dislike the toad?

When lunch was over we hurried to Professor McGonagall's transfiguration class and had the honour to meet Umbridge there as well. Admittedly, I approved of Harry's and Ron's modification of her name. She was a bitch, but good, rule-abiding Hermione would never utter such a word. The balancing act to appear as this Hermione got larger and more difficult everyday. It was thoroughly exhausting.

McGonagall didn't disappoint me and wasn't fazed by the wicked witch. After one disruption too many she barked at the 'High Inquisitor' to let her teach in peace. If she didn't agree with the older witches way of teaching, she would be welcome to take over the lesson. The 'Dolores' that McGonagall burred expertly, was balm for the annoyed students' peace of mind and it resulted in Umbridge retreating to a corner, miffed, and scribbling on her file, however from then on she remained silent.

When we went outside to Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins, suddenly a hand touched mine and gave it a quick squeeze. I looked up, baffled, and saw only Draco's back vanishing from view. Ah, that was sweet of him, as we hadn't yet found time today to talk. I missed him, though it seemed it wasn't the only one feeling that way. It was a nice feeling to know that he felt similar! When we all had gathered together, Professor Grubbly-Plank had to stand up to Umbridge, which she managed pretty well. She didn't lower herself to discredit Hagrid nor Dumbledore, whom I regarded with some mistrust by now.

In the last lesson of the long day, Umbridge's own class, once again she and Harry got into an argument about the Dark Lord's return or lack thereof. It was a never-ending story, but this time he got detention for the whole week, every night of it. Harry, Harry, you will never learn! Sometimes talking was silver, but most of the time silence was golden!

At dinner Snape put in an unexpected appearance and I could feel his gaze on my back, however I tried to ignore it and refused to react! Draco observed everything eagle-eyed, especially me, whereas I myself watched my surroundings attentively as well. _Hey, we could make a game of it,_ I thought sarcastically, _who twitches first will lose_. And thus I dined in the limelight. _Very relaxing,_ my cynicism ran riot.

Later I laid in my bed, for a change dutifully at one o'clock as I would sneak out once again tomorrow, on Friday, to meet with my Sensei for the first time in a week, and as a consequence my jogging routine in the early morning was back on the schedule, so I prefered to go to sleep quickly.

Today, on Friday, I had classes only until four o'clock, which meant that I bored Harry and Ron with talk about the library, homework, and tests until they happily rejoiced when I disappeared at half past four. It was just too easy to deceive them. However, I didn't rely on my irritating streak, no, I brought in help from my allies!

"Fred, George, even better that I meet you. You are on your way to the common room?" I asked the two walking towards me.

"Yeah, beautiful. Where are you going? We have a big sales event today. We have every intention to drive Umbitch mad," the vicious Red Devils grinned demonically.

"Too bad, I will miss out on it, I have to go to my training," I shrugged apologetically.

"You are going to leave Hogwarts?" Fred asked surprised, though his eyes were twinkling with a wicked glimmer.

"Yes, can you cover up for me, so that Harry, Ron and Ginny won't get suspicious?" I looked at them pleadingly, fluttering my eyelashes charmingly.

"Sure. When can we expect you back? So that we don't worry something has happened to you," George wanted to know.

"I hope to be back around ten p.m., or half an hour later," I provided the information gladly. I found their concern very sweet and just then I remembered Draco's words, that at least someone should know where I went.

"All right. If something happens, write on your galleon and take care of yourself," George asked me seriously and patted my cheek with one hand.

"You leaving on your own… Just be careful!" Fred said, too, shaking his head. They wouldn't stop me, though, and that was something I very much appreciated in them.

"Always, I promise! Don't worry so much, I can take care of myself. See you later, or I will be late," I bid them goodbye and raced down to the dungeons. I had everything in my school bag: my shrunken down sports bag and my daggers. The school supplies I left behind in the secret passage and apparated to the gym from the Forbidden Forest. There I faced my Sensei and once again received an impressive beating. Against this Sirius' assault had been a true caress, even if it had hurt me all the more. But well, what had happened, happened and couldn't be changed.

Eventually, at half past nine, I was on my way to Hogwarts, hobbling slightly as I had landed improperly after a spin and twisted my right ankle. I would have to search my books about healing for the right spell, as I hadn't studied sprains and strains much before. After all, I couldn't study everything at the same time. Incredible, but true - even I had my limits! That didn't help much to lift my mood about my lapse.

When I entered the dark, fateful alley to apparate back to the nocturnal forest, I was able to suppress the rising anxiety quite well. Hey, I got really good at it! I applauded myself generously for this feat.

And so I hobbled through the secret passage a short time later and entered the dungeons, only to be faced with the darkly clad chest of my favourite professor five steps in, who was staring down at me as if I were prey that he had found and caught, a thoroughly unnerving feeling!

"Professor Snape!" I uttered courageously and looked up into his pale face that showed his disapproval openly.

"Miss Granger, what are you doing in the dungeons just before curfew?" I was confronted with an icy snarl.

"I, er… I, well, I am a prefect, am I not? And because of that…" Ha, a save or not?

"Do you take me for a fool? What are you doing down here? Didn't I tell you to keep your hands off the dungeons and its inhabitants?" he breathed at me, his words crisp and cold, while his deep-black eyes gleamed deadly.

"What makes you think that, sir? It's nothing like you assume. I will leave now," I wanted to placate him, all the while trying to appear pain-free and play down my hobbling, an attempt that was unfortunately futile under his predatory gaze that noticed everything. I hadn't expected anything else. Thus he grabbed my upper arm roughly and stopped me in my tracks.

"Where have you been, you impossible girl? You are injured once again. Come on, you walking disaster!" he hissed venomously and showed me a distorted grimace as if he had been forced to eat a dozen lemon drops. As his private office was just around the corner, as well as his quarters, he towed me along ungraciously like a bag of potatoes. For a second I thought I had glimpsed a head with bright hair a corner ahead, but it vanished so fast, I assumed I had imagined it. It couldn't have been Draco, as the figure had been visible only for the blink of an eye.

So we arrived in his living room through the bookshelf, where I was rudely flung onto the couch. It saved me the trouble to complain. It would accomplish nothing and only result in vicious remarks.

"Where have you been?" he immediately hissed demandingly, staring me down from his towering position, the arms crossed in front of his chest aggressively.

"I…" Now I rolled my eyes. "What do you think? At training," I replied defiantly, but truthfully.

"You are still going? How are you able to leave, Miss Granger? Do you wear that head only as adornment - not that it is very adorning - or is there any working matter left?" he spat derisively at my head which he had just insulted.

"You especially should know how dangerous it is out there and to not sneak out voluntarily and search for danger. What were you thinking? Oh, I forget, you weren't!" he now yelled. And yes, he was formidable in his cold, controlled fury.

Gosh, I felt sorry for myself. Everything had gone so smoothly - okay, except for my twisted ankle, but that I had run into his arms was once again the work of my luck, or the lack thereof. Did this man think I was deaf? Given that, I prefered him groaning deep inside me, his whole passionate energy channelized for a better purpose. At this absurd thought a laugh almost escaped me, but I was able to stop it in time. Otherwise, he probably would have skinned me alive, the way he was working himself into a rage.

"Where did you get the idea to leave the school grounds, Miss Granger? I am talking to you, so answer me!" he threatened angrily.

"Er, I… You know what I am doing… Why are you so upset, sir?" I asked cautiously. That might not be a clever move, but I was interested in the answer nonetheless.

"How dare you talk to me like that. I am still your teacher!" he snapped at me contemptuously.

"I know that, sir, but you know as well that you cannot stop me. You can't even tell on me!" I exclaimed provocatively and beamed at him. What? Did somebody claim that I was nice or had invented those spells only because they sounded so pleasantly in Latin? They could help me in situations like this and I was not above taking advantage of it. And the time when I had been afraid of Snape was long gone. At least I told myself that, as he was already in front of me, crowding me ruthlessly against the back of the couch and trying to intimidate me with his physical presence. Meanwhile he was looking at me with a blank mask on his face, but fury burning in his eyes.

Oh, I knew very well that he was not to be underestimated. He was a dangerous man, capable of many things. However, I remained calm and reasonable, and didn't let him unsettle me.

"Miss Granger, are you aware what you have just said? Consider carefully whether you want me as an enemy!" he threatened me silkily, sounding deceptively soft.

"But Professor, never! I don't want you as an enemy… Please!" I plead in a soft, gentle voice, while looking up at him through my full eyelashes from my semi-lying position. But I admitted gladly, if I hadn't had the pleasure of having him this close to me as Minna, I would have been a lot more nervous now as I was.

"I mean, I am careful. Only Fridays from five to nine I have my combat training and you yourself said that it is beneficial to be prepared and especially after... after Bole… I am even more motivated," I provided quietly, though still sincerely and took a deep breath for my confession.

He was very close, only centimeters between our faces, nearly touching. He was still staring at me. It seemed like he was dissecting my words and when he most likely saw in my eyes that I was speaking a truth that could not be dismissed, he disengaged himself from me and slipped into his armchair.

"What are you expecting from it? What are you hoping to achieve?" he asked, now smooth and cold again. He had regained his composure and was crossing his legs casually.

"Ahem, if you ask it like that, sir… I am not stupid, a war is approaching and I am only a woman. However, I want the best foundations to defend myself and wizards are often, well, lazy. They rely on their wands and ignore their bodies, and there I see my advantage. I will be doubly underestimated and I can use that to my advantage! Only, that combat has to be learnt the hard way, by training regularly, Professor. Please understand!" I begged for his understanding. Pride would be out of place here.

"You are asking for a lot, Miss Granger. It is forbidden to leave the grounds," he stated, still emotionless and cold.

"As if I ever stuck to the rules, sir," I retorted pertly and raised my chin.

"Of that, Miss Granger, I am aware! But I don't have to encourage you in your behaviour," he showed me a malicious and arrogant grin.

"But Professor, I am not harming anyone. Nobody knows that you might know about it," I objected swiftly.

"You will not cease breaking the rules anyways. I had the pleasure to get to know you well enough to know that." His voice was dripping with bitter irony, making clear that he meant the polar opposite of what he had said.

"Sir, I could still show you the secret passage. Will you cover me on Fridays if I show you one of my secrets? It's a way you could get outside unseen when the Dark Lord calls you!" I offered. His face blanked at the mention of the Dark Lord immediately and completely, if it was even possible to increase its blankness even more. However, I knew that Slytherins fancied bargains like that. Feed them something and they are ready to give you a little something in return. In this regard they were predictable, if you got them to the point to engage in a deal.

"You know how to bargain, Miss Granger" he snarled sullenly.

"Thanks for the compliment, sir," I beamed at him.

"Well, if you want to endanger yourself, I won't stop you! Your choice. But you will come to me every Friday, so I can heal you. You can't walk through the school injured," he declared, sighing, and pursed his lips in irritation. "And now show me your foot."

After getting him to do what I wanted, I would not alienate him by refusing him access to my foot, so I slipped off my shoe and uniform sock. I stretched my leg to present my foot. A slight swelling at the ankle, nothing severe. Okay, the dear professor was still able to surprise me repeatedly, for he slid out of his chair and knelt before me, taking my foot in his hands.

Wow, he went on his knee in front of me! That was unexpected. If I told somebody about it, I would sentence them and me to death. I was allowed to rejoice about it, though, wasn't I? Already I could feel his cool fingers touching my foot and the swelling. The feeling was pleasant and uncomfortable at the same time, as he was good in finding the painful spots. I didn't mind his touch, I truly liked it. No wonder, given our intimate encounters where he had touched me in entirely different ways. Thank the goddess, that he didn't have an inkling about those.

Even when he was kneeling, he gave the impression that he was dominating me. It was his whole demeanour, making me appear small and insignificant. He was a truly striking figure that one shouldn't disregard.

"Oww" I called out suddenly.

"That's where it hurts?" He raised his head with a sadistic expression, his smug grin becoming visible when his hair fell sideways. "Pes tumor sanatio" he intonated and I could see the swelling in my foot receding. I tried to move it and was able to turn and twist it without pain.

"Thank you, Professor. You are too kind, sir" I smiled at him bashfully. Meanwhile he slipped back into his seat and spelled a glass of liquid into his hands, saying nothing, just watching me dressing myself. It was welcome not to perform a full striptease in front of him for once.

"Don't pride yourself on that" he growled, ill-tempered.

"Never, sir, not at all!" I acceded and wanted to retreat. "I think I should leave. Thanks again, sir."

"Not so fast, Miss Granger. Did I dismiss you?" He raised his eyebrow in question.

"No, sir," I admitted in a small voice.

"I have observed that Malfoy is acting differently around you lately. Have you forgotten my request the other day?" His request? More of a threat.

"What do you mean, sir, I don't understand." Acting dumb. A good tactic.

"Airhead doesn't suit you, Miss Granger!" he hissed at me frostily.

"Professor, what do you mean?" I tried to sidestep, because I didn't like the direction this was going.

"What do you want from Draco Malfoy?" he asked his question and looked at me piercingly.

"Where do you get the idea that I want anything from him?" I wanted to placate him.

"I noticed your interaction in the Great Hall. You are good, both of you, but I am better. Believe me, I saw the glances. And I told you to keep your distance from him!" He ordered icily.

"Glances... sir?" I still acted as if I didn't understand the issue. I would confess to nothing.

"Don't take me for a fool. I know what I saw. Leave Draco out of your games!" he erupted angrily.

"Sir, I didn't do anything." I had straightened myself and was looking at him innocently, while denying it stubbornly.

"Get out, Granger, and lie to someone else. I have enough!" he stated contemptuously, and the next second his glass flew in my direction. Thanks to my quick reactions I ducked and it shattered against the wall. With a loud clang it splittered into thousands of small crystal shards.

"I warn you one more time, keep away from Malfoy!" he yelled at my back, when I turned tail and ran.

Phew. It was good that he wasn't following me. I flew out of his office, focussed on escaping. When had Snape ever lost his composure enough to smash a glass? He was letting his emotions flow more freely than he ever had in the years before, at least around me. And Sirius was knocking me around the kitchen. Maybe I was provoking the men too much. Apparently I had the ability to drive them into a rage. While I ran, I took it with a sense of humour and started to giggle in amusement. Just then I was stopped suddenly and pulled into an alcove faster than I could blink. Draco pressed me into the cold wall and I put up with his strong grip, huddling against him, calming my heartbeat.

"What are you doing here? And with Severus of all people? I thought I was seeing things, when he dragged you into his rooms," he whispered quietly, his breath tickling my ear. So I had seen correctly earlier, it had been Draco. He had to loiter everywhere!

"I… I was out…," and could feel how his hands clamped on my shoulders, digging into my flesh.

"Where did you go? Why do I not know anything about that?" he hissed quietly now, but definitely upset.

"I… Why should I keep you informed about every step I take?" I showed my confusion.

"Because I want to know when you leave the school. Did anybody know?" he asked for clarification.

"Yes, the Twins, they are covering for me!" I admitted to him.

"You are trusting these clowns?" he asked condescendingly.

"Don't make the mistake to underestimate them. They are a lot more capable than you think, and have a lot less scruples. And please don't call them that," I chided him quietly.

"I am still waiting. Where have you been?" He didn't dwell on the topic of the Twins.

"At training. Every friday from five to nine o'clock," I answered.

"And you think it is not necessary to tell me that?" I could sense the effort it took him, showing how peeved he felt about it.

"Well, no, but I had planned to tell you tomorrow," I replied calmly, but defensively.

"Learn from this, as of now I always want to know when you leave Hogwarts, understood?" He squeezed down a bit more and I grimaced indignantly.

"Okay, if you insist, I will inform you in the future," I offered in a conciliatory matter, as long as he didn't restrain me.

"And why did you flee his rooms like that? Did he harass you again?" he didn't give up and showed his curiosity openly.

"No no… he intercepted me when I returned. I was hobbling, which he didn't miss, naturally, and snatched me and dragged me into his quarters. He healed my foot. From the holidays he knew that I have been learning martial arts and insisted that I come to him every friday, so that he can heal me. In return I have to show him the secret passage…" I licked my dry lips. "And then he said that he had seen our glances in the hall and wasn't stupid… He threatened me! Said I should keep my hands off you. I acted dumb and then he threw his glass at me and kicked me out. When I ran, making sure to get away quickly, he yelled once again that I should keep away from you!" I was exhausted and let my head fall against his chest.

"Do you think, I provoke the men too much? I don't believe it is normal for Snape to throw glasses at people! I mean, he is otherwise always such an ice block and, and… I made Sirius livid with rage, too, didn't I? I mean, he doesn't beat anybody, usually!" I sighed and rubbed my face against his chest in frustration. I could feel his chest quivering under my hands and face. Was he laughing? Laughing? This… He was truly laughing? What was that about? This was no laughing matter!

"Mudblood, did anybody ever tell you yet that you are really cute when you are rattled like this?" He continued to laugh, albeit repressed, and left me speechless.

"That isn't funny! I mean… I," I stuttered nervously.

"Don't think so much about this. You are special! That is the reason everybody is losing it," he breathed a dramatic compliment in his calm manner.

"Eheh," I replied very intelligently.

"As I said, you can be cute, so intelligent, so clever, so cunning that you are serious competition for the best of Slytherin, though so ingenuous here, almost naive!" He kissed my forehead now and leaned his brow against mine after that.

"Azkaban didn't do Black any good and he is no match for you by far! In all likelihood he didn't know what else to do," he said next. "And Snape. It is really astounding that you are making him lose control like that. The only situation I know about with the glass, is when father is making him livid. Something father manages time and again, incredible but true!" Draco explained to me, very elaborately, making him giggle, probably in remembrance of a scene between the two men.

"Why he insists that you keep your distance, I will learn in time and bring a stop to it. But let that be my responsibility. I will settle that with Severus, I promise!"

"I think our conversation tomorrow is absolutely essential for our mutual understanding," I proclaimed. I was on overload and had listened to his statement with my mouth open.

"I agree, and am looking forward to it,," he whispered in a raspy tone.

"Where are we going to meet?" I asked curiously.

"Come to our common room. Disguised, of course! You will see the rest, when you get there," I could clearly hear that he was envisioning the potential entertainment already.

"As you wish. After dinner, the Twins will cover for me," I could hardly wait.

"They know you are meeting me?" His voice revealed the astonishment he was feeling.

"Yes!" I said emphatically.

"And we can really trust them?" he inquired skeptically. "Yes, we can."

"Are they under your spell?" he demanded.

"No, but if it reassures you, I can enchant them, so they can't tell anybody about you and me," I offered unperturbed.

"Do it. In times like these one should better be safe than sorry," he stated with unapologetic sternness.

"As you wish, Draco," I relented. He was somewhat right and why should I argue about it? The Twins would probably agree with him.

"And tomorrow we have finally time to talk. Now, go and rest. You need that, too, from time to time, my Mudblood," he declared firmly and embraced me.

"Until tomorrow, Pureblood," I regained my laid-back nature. Draco was good for me.

"Be good," he said cheekily and I vanished quickly into the secret passages. When I entered through the portrait Gryffindor was still bustling with activity.

"Finally! We were ready to send a message. What held you up?" Fred dragged me to a window recess.

"A lot. We have to talk urgently. Remain awake! Maybe we will be alone after midnight…" I whispered quickly. He simply nodded and joined the others. I stayed seated for a bit longer and watched the merry picture of my class and house mates. I couldn't connect to their banter, jokes and funny anecdotes at all. I just wanted to go back to the dungeons, to the men of my heart, or my mind. I was allowed to witness the room clearing of people, including the Twins. Harry and Ron wished me a good night as well and went to bed. As I couldn't find any rest before one o'clock, I did the only sensible thing and worked. This way I was the last person left in the common room, when I heard the two Red Devils sneaking back down already.

"Fair thee well, lovely maiden!" Fred said jokingly as he and George sat down on the very comfy but sagging light brown couch in front of the fireplace, next to my favorite armchair.

"Hello, you two. I hope the late hour doesn't bother you, does it?" I asked before taking a sip from my cup of tea.

"Nah, we are all nocturnal creatures! And what are lessons good for if not for sleeping?" Fred crowed, amused, and exchanged a high five with his brother.

"Very funny. You know, learning is very important!" I chided sternly. The leopard can't change its spots, it seems!

"Yeah, that's our Hermione. But honestly, we are learning more from the Restricted Section!" George declared seriously.

"Ahh, of course, I forgot we aren't interested anymore in that kind of magic!" I rolled my eyes in exaggerated exasperation.

"Exactly, you got it! Who needs boring school magic…" They simply grinned at me mischievously and I smiled back with an equally malicious expression.

"What important matter did you want to discuss?" They became serious now.

"I, oh well, I don't know how to word it. I have to lay a spell on you, which will protect me. Not that I think you would tell on me, but…" I tried to explain, my speech somewhat awkward.

"Hermione, most beautiful, don't talk in riddles. You can hex us as much as you want! What's the matter? Don't lead us on. Talk!" they demanded relentlessly. Tcha, the Twins were truly not blind.

"Draco would like us, well him and me, to be protected. His distrust is not directed at you, personally. He just thinks it's better to be safe than sorry!" I said defensively and raised my hands apologetically.

"Even if I don't like the ferret, he does have a point," George stated in agreement, surprisingly reasonable.

"Yes, he has! However, we will do it for you, not him! Understood?" Fred said, the corners of his mouth turning down.

"Thanks. You are the best, my devils!" I was happy that they took it well. I raised my wand and spoke "Credere tacientiae 'Hermione and Draco Malfoy'!" and already the spell was done and I had put my wand away again.

"That was it?" The both of them asked, surprised, and I beamed at them.

"I just wonder what you see in the idiot. What about Sirius?" George enquired next and rubbed his neck, which prompted me to freeze and sit there with my back very straight. Though that didn't escape their notice, naturally.

"What? What happened in the last few days? What did Fred and I miss?" he asked skeptically, while raising his red eyebrow in a serious manner. It was an unusual move, seeing as he only did so for the sake of humour in normal circumstances.

"Oh, nothing severe. I just had an argument with Sirius, that's all. It's over!" I explained curtly and coldly.

"What… what… what? What happened?" they yelled, discomposed.

"As I said, nothing special," I crossed my arms dismissively in front of my chest.

"Because of Malfoy?" they asked in sync.

"No, not because of Malfoy. We just did," I waved my hand at them. "It just came to my mind… I want to give him a Galleon tomorrow and wanted to inform you."

"Aha, it has gotten that far!" George rubbed his chin and seemed to be thinking hard. "If that's how it is, we should get to know him sometime. That is, when he isn't with the pile of Slytherins that are always swarming around him."

"Yeah, I feel the same way. If he's included, he should go the whole way," Fred voiced his agreement with enthusiasm.

"Oh no, please not! If you start to snog in front of him, I will flee!" I teased them now.

"Eh, and if we fancy him? You have got to hand it to him, he's handsome!" Fred whispered lasciviously, sensuously licking his red lips. I was on the verge of hitting my head on the table.

"You say that about every man I get… close to!" I countered desperately.

"Well, they are always tasty blokes, aren't they?" Fred retorted cheekily and licked his lips again indulgently.

"Oh man, stop it, or George will get jealous again!" I reminded him of his brother.

"What? I? No… never…" George laughed nastily and seemed to amuse himself exquisitely at my expense.

"Fun aside, how is business going?" I became serious once again.

"Good, very good, most beautiful. We already need to replenish our stock again! Since that bitch arrived, the stuff sells like hot cakes!"

Both beamed with satisfaction, showing their white teeth.

"Replenish how…?" I inquired thoughtfully.

"We going to meet Dung in Hogsmeade on Sunday to place our order," George explained to me readily and very seriously.

"That sounds good. Actually, what's your opinion about the bitch's lessons?" I asked curiously.

"George, am I deaf? Has Saint Hermione uttered the bad, bad word?" Fred teased me, spitefully.

"Fred, actually _that's_ her language! We should feel honored that she doesn't pretend in front of us! Am I right or am I right?" George said, wittily. I rolled my eyes. Such dunderheads, I thought, it's hard to believe that genius minds were hiding behind flaming red hair. Though they always made me laugh.

"And the bitch is unbearable. We will wear her down! There is no better target to test or demonstrate our products as the pink monster! And her lessons? What lessons? We learn nothing! No patronus, nothing. And I was so looking forward to learning that spell!" they both were lamenting. They had seen my beautiful magpie and no doubt wanted to know what their own animal was. They were very silly like that. George patted Fred's shoulder encouragingly.

"He wanted to know his animal since he met your magpie! But under _her_ tutelage, that won't happen!" George told me, and I was amazed about my knowledge of human nature, as Fred's unhappiness was displayed blatantly on his face. During this litany of complaints, my mind was working furiously and I had an idea as to how we might be able to train ourselves! Yes, that was an idea alright, I would just have to develop it a bit more.

"Hello, beauty! Did you descent once again into places where nobody can follow?" they pulled me out of my musings with their exclamations. I shuddered after Fred had shook me rather urgently.

"Oh, sorry, I had an idea," I explained my absentmindedness.

"Yeeeesss, we guessed! You eyes had glazed over. And what is the result of your trip?" George asked, looking expectantly.

"Nothing definite yet. But wait, get me a room in Hogsmeade for next Sunday. Somewhere we can talk with other students," I instructed them, gnawing at my lower lip excitedly. Yes, that could work. I would just have to convince Harry and that should be no problem.

"Geez, you always make it suspensefully. But _oh well_! We will go to bed now. There is someone here I have to seduce!" Fred declared before he started to drag George in the direction of the dormitories while snogging him.

"Have fun. And don't do anything I wouldn't do!" I called after them, laughing.

"That means we can let go of any shame and reserve. Thanks for the tip!" they winked at me diabolically.

So that was done as well, and a new issue had arisen. I really didn't let myself rest at all. But as you make your bed, so too you must lie on it. And it seemed like I preferred to lie on one without any comfort.

* * *

 **Note and Review Answers:**

We started to go over the old chapters again, Beta-ing the old chapters. We do work hard on them and I feel horrible when getting a review saying that the grammar doesn't make any sense. I really, really appreciate all reviews, especially when it comes to the grammar. I want to live up to the original WHF, but unfortunately, the translators (me, aivy and con) aren't mother tongues in English, so it will never be absolutely perfect, even with our English Betas who do an awesome job. I would feel horrible if someone wouldn't read the story just because the grammar is horrible. So I hope you can forgive me. :)

We have updated Chapter 1 and I will update an old chapter every week.

 **Petricor:** Again, thank you so much on the input about the grammar. I appreciate it a lot.

 **SjRodgers:** I'm so glad that you love it. Thanks so much for your input and words.

 **Thanks so much guys. We appreciate all clicks and input.**

LoLove,

Cate and Co. xxx


	43. Saturday

My apologies for the late update. I just moved back to my home country and that took me some time.

All Original Uncut Version.

Thanks so much for all the reads and reviews and love we receive. :)

Enjoy. xxx

* * *

 **Saturday**

Saturday was relatively quiet.

As the weather was still quite nice, we spent the first part of the day outside on the extensive lands of Hogwarts and enjoyed the last, warm sunrays of the year. Soon it would be cold again, here in the Scottish highlands. In the course of the day I went back to my books, because I could feel an indistinct tingling sensation in my stomach due to my date this evening. It grew and grew with the vanishing hours, and as I became increasingly miserable company I therefore fled to the books, because these couldn't get hurt from my verbal attacks. Besides, I had my longed-for peace there. Time after time I used a Tempus, so as not to lose sight of the time. I didn't know myself being that nervous at all. When it was time for dinner, I quickly got up to get it over with.

"Hermione, it's a shame that you saw yourself off this early today, that wasn't nice," said Ginny reproachfully, looking at me scoldingly but also faithfully with her brown eyes.

"Sorry, but you know the OWL's are on. You're losing sight of that. I'll set up a plan for you Harry, Ron, so you can learn it properly and goal-oriented," I offered generously and beamed like a Cheshire cat. I knew they'd love to strangle me right now, but they didn't dare to hurt me with their refusal and didn't want to show me their horror with this threatening announcement.

"Uh, thank you, Hermione, very kind of you," it came from Harry very mildly and he stuffed a piece of bread into his mouth, whilst all in all seemingly unhappy.

"Yeah, awesome," Ron said very convincing, he'd have to work on it, I thought. His displeasure was obvious, but I ignored it.

"But you don't have to trouble yourself so much, I mean..." Harry stuttered defensively.

"But Harry, of course not, I'd love to do it for you," I said kindly. I inwardly roared with laughter, but on the outside, I gave a pompous and patronizing expression.

"Thank you, Hermione, you're the best!" The good-natured Harry surrendered. It seemed as if he'd like to bang his head against the table. Why, we wouldn't want to be like that!

"I'll go back to the library and work it out. It might take me some time, but if you want, you can come along and help me," I offered generously, coldly calculating their reactions. I was really very deceitful.

"Uh, you know Hermione, I'd love to, but we have to talk about Quidditch, it's really important, as I'm in trouble with Angelina because of the whole extra homework-story from that bitch and so I don't have the time, sorry!" Harry remembered and used it as a very flimsy excuse, which I gladly accepted with an unhappy sigh, while I prepared to deal out the final blow.

"Alright, and what about you Ron?" I asked maliciously, his food falling from his mouth, in shock, to be asked directly by me. Not nice to look at, but I saved my breath, it wouldn't have any sense to try to teach him some manners and I wasn't his mother.

"I.. I.. don't have time, I have to do my homework and.., and.." he stammered, looking helplessly at Harry, who shrugged quickly. Save yourself, was probably their motto.

"Well, if that's the case, I'll just do it alone," I said dryly. From the outside I acted a bit offended, but inwardly I rejoiced. And so I successfully got rid of those two again and Fred and George would do their best to make them forget me.

A short time later, I set out to go to the dungeons to shock the snakes. I think Draco was very fond of big shows, that was probably the Malfoy heritage showing. I said it already, he was a drama queen that loved, needed and demanded the big show. It was now shortly after eight, the busiest time in the common rooms. I would've liked it to be more inconspicuous, but if Draco desired it, I wouldn't be the party pooper and let him have his performance. So I put on my deep black, long coat and pulled up my hood inside a niche, hidden from stranger's eyes. I wore my uniform under it, but only the skirt and the white blouse, I didn't put on any of the garments with the emblem of Gryffindor on it. I wasn't suicidal.

I most likely looked like a Death Eater, without the silver mask.

And unrecognizable like that, I hurried with quick steps through the very dark corridors of the dungeons with the aim of Slytherin's common room. I was curious what would happen this time, but the tingling anticipation in my stomach didn't calm down. I was looking forward to what would happen and I was looking forward to Draco! It looked like I really loved the danger! When I stopped in front of the stone wall, I quickly spoke a Protego Horribilis. As I said, I learned from my mistakes. I would never again enter this room without casting a protective spell in advance.

"Snake pit", I breathed and I could pass the gateway. I quickly walked into the jammed and noisy common room, wearing my dark cloak . All, really _all_ chairs, armchairs and tables were occupied. It was a colorful and loud chaos, no real difference to us in Gryffindor. Little by little the first people noticed me, as I stood near the entrance, waiting quietly, not yet descending the stairs. Bit by bit the talks died down and the noise faded. Most of them didn't know anything about my performance last time. I hadn't heard anything more about Higgs, apparently they pretended it never happened. Obviously, Slytherins handled their problems differently, everything stayed in-house and among them.

I was allowed to watch how some of them already took out their wands cautiously and threateningly, they resorted to that kind of reaction quite quickly, and in that brief moment, when it became so quiet, one could've even heard a pin fall in this room full of people and then they had caught themselves again, therefore the loud protests began and they began to yell.

"Who is that..?"

"Leave..!"

"Show yourself..?"

Yes, just like last time, the only difference was that I could make out the platinum-white head, the lord of the snakes, from my higher position, as he held court in the armchair in front of the fireplace, and now rose elegantly and smoothly. He glided through the crowd like Jesus. I know, really cheesy comparison, but how this crowd split up in front of him without him even touching anyone, really impressive and most looked up to him as if he would save them from me, the intruder! Hey guys, I wouldn't even be here if the great Mr. Malfoy wouldn't have asked for it!

"Quiet!" it came determined and with a deep timbre from Draco and they did what he demanded. He shouted it loudly and firmly just once, it was like the expected gong and everyone fell silent instantly! Incredible! One should've tried that with us lions, that person would be hoarse by now and the lions would still roar, I thought to myself and had to genuinely smile about it, well hidden under my hood. Now he calmly and slowly walked majestically up the stairs, in his absolutely straight posture, with his black trousers, his black shirt, and the form-fitting, black cashmere sweater.

"Draco, be careful!" Warrington exclaimed.

"Draco, watch out!" it came in a high voice from Sally-Ann Perks. I could see how his inner circle, who had had the pleasure with me last time, and who were all standing by the fire, were rolling their eyes. These were true Slytherins. They wouldn't warn their pals that Draco didn't see me as a danger. He stretched out his hand towards me and held it to me gallantly. Wow. I imitated his gesture and gave him my left hand slowly, letting the heavy black cloth slide from my hand, revealing my small, pale hand. In the right I held my white wand, hidden in the folds of my cloak, like I said, I would never walk unarmed into the pit of snakes. He took my hand gently, and softly stroked the back with his thumb, then he stood next to me on the stairs. He was way taller than me. Well, we stood before the billowing crowd of suspicious Slytherins. What kind of picture did we offer?

Didn't I say, he was a first-class drama queen.

"I'll just say it once, so listen carefully!" he let his voice thunder firmly through the room.

"This is my guest, who'll always have access when she wants it," he continued commandingly, looking icily and steadily at the speechless crowd. They didn't have that kind of thing every day, but I wondered why Draco just made this exception to the rule for me? Because of Snape, or because of himself?

"If anyone is so absolutely stupid to attack her, they will attack the house of Malfoy!" he breathed velvety and looked threateningly into the disbelieving crowd. I witnessed how almost everyone's, alright, _everyone's_ eyes almost fell out of their heads in disbelieve after this decision, shocked of what Draco had just said, and I was allowed to see how Pansy's hand slapped her own mouth in total shock. Thank goddess, no one saw my face, since I too looked absolutely dumbfounded. What could that mean? House of Malfoy! What did he mean? That was almost as if he saw me as a member!? Nonsense, he said it only to curb his Slytherins, yes, I calmed myself, because I thought it all a bit too daring, but I stayed silent and waited.

"Her identity shouldn't be of interest to you, only that she has every right in Slytherin!" he continued smugly, his glare was a single invitation to question his words and no one dared to provoke him. _Wow, have I just gotten a free ticket?_ I asked myself absolutely confused, as he completely surprised me, because he brought my hand to his mouth and breathed a kiss on my hand, expertly, without actually touching the back of my hand, a perfect gentleman, just as he had been raised. A Malfoy!

"Darling, come I want to show you my rooms!" he said to me in a velvety voice, so I slid down the steps, guided by him, who was still holding me by my hand, he didn't let go. I could hear their incomprehension in their quiet murmurs, whispers and gossips, as we moved very self-confidently through the crowd of students. It was a really cool performance. Had he imagined such things in his dreams before? We left the shocked crowd behind us and then soon stopped at the first door after the passage. When he opened it, I could see a relatively large bedroom, with a canopy bed in, guess what, exactly, green and silver. The room didn't have a window with a view of the forest, as we had above, but his window showed the lake, just like a large aquarium. I could see the green, swaying water plants and the colorful fish swimming in front of his window. Impressive, one could live with such a view as well.

It seemed very mystical and was atmospheric. Had he ever seen the squid from up close? But the most amazing thing was, he didn't just have a one-bed room for himself, no, he had a small cozy fireplace with two armchairs that were close together! Wow. And as it seemed to me, the second door in this room led to a private bath. I was just speechless and stared with my mouth open. And a desk, his own desk, could one complain to the hat? Fortunately, he couldn't see my absolutely dumbstruck face under my hood, that would've been too embarrassing. I certainly didn't look more intelligent than the other Slytherins down in the common room. Why, I asked myself in pity, did we need to suffer in Gryffindor? What had the founders thought by this? It was so mean! I turned around the room in circles fascinated about the luxury, while Draco locked the door in routine and cast the warding and anti-eavesdropping spells on it, whereas I believed, that he had one or the other wards on his rooms by default.

"Take off your coat," he demanded casually, then I felt his hands on my shoulders and how his hands released the clasp. He took it off me, threw it aside, turned me around so I would face me in a smooth motion, and did something I hadn't anticipated, he kissed me! Yes, he really kissed me for the first time, not on my forehead. His lips laid softly on mine. I was a little surprised, but his lips felt good on mine and so I returned the kiss gently and carefully, then we broke the kiss and grinned at each other in understanding, for he seemed also very pleased, and I licked over my lips under his piercing gaze, for I hadn't expected that.

"And did you like the show?" he asked deviously. He looked at me in honesty and openly, without that blank mask he usually wore.

"Well, I'd call you a drama queen," I said smugly, turning around slightly, grinning at him mischievously.

"There aren't many that would dare to say that to my face," he said cheerfully, a second later he was next to me and smacked me playfully on my butt.

"But I'm not afraid, Draco," I said flirtatiously, tapping him on his chest.

"I'm aware of that, Mudblood!" it came mockingly from him, then he grabbed my hand from his chest and gently pressed his mouth to my fingers and as his lips touched my skin, a shudder ran through my body, unexpectedly but not unpleasant.

"Take a seat, have a butterbeer," he offered politely. When I had let myself fall into the beautiful green velvet chair, he handed me the beer.

"Thank you. To your successful performance. Do you think they'll stick to it?" I asked, interested and raised my glass to him appraisingly.

"Yes, don't worry, they're too afraid of me," he said succinctly with a silly gesture and raised his glass to mine.

"You can be scary, in your way," I almost purred when I complimented him, something that made him smile cynically.

"I've been learning it for years, and I'm a good student," he said, as he elegantly slipped into his chair and watched me with sultry eyes.

"I can totally believe that."

"And were you afraid of the mob?" he suddenly asked with a sly expression in his otherwise emotionless face.

"No, should I have been?" I replied perplexed, for no, I had built up my shields and my wand was readily in my hand. I wouldn't have known what I should've been afraid of?

"Let's just say, I don't know a lot of people who aren't afraid to go into a full common room of one's enemy house," he said very dryly, but with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Scared? I wasn't, but I'm not stupid either! I cast a Protego Horribilis and pulled my wand before I entered the enemy land," I admitted.

"I knew you weren't starry-eyed in such a situation!" it came relieved from him, whereupon he raised his glass in a lewd way, giving me a mischievous wink, as I had never seen from a Malfoy that unbiased, but I wondered if this was a test? Snape accused me of playing games with Draco! But I wasn't sure if he wasn't the one playing a game with me!

"Now begin, what do I need to know about you?" he asked sharply.

I sardonically pointed at me at this statement. "I'm starting, or what..?" he just gave me a nod.

"Mhm, where do I start.." I murmured helplessly to myself and let my teeth slip over my lower lip.

"My name is Hermione Jean Granger, I was born in London. I'm a Mudblood, as it's called here so beautifully! My parents are doctors, dentists, and absolutely non-magical, who won't survive the next summer holidays and I..", I was abruptly and rudely interrupted.

"Stop, stop.. what did you just say?" he exclaimed, agitated, and moved forward.

"You mean that with my parents?" I giggled, amused, his shocked infuriation was funny.

"Yes, what do you mean by that? You won't kill your parents.. will you?" he whispered at the end, but apparently he thought I was capable of doing almost everything, which was interesting because he wasn't even wrong!

"Really, Draco, do you think I'm that ruthless?" I asked bitterly, he just shrugged, apparently not wanting to give me an opinion. Should I see that as positive, or negative?

"I know you're capable of doing many things, so explain it to me? What is going on up there?" he said genuinely, but tapped his own temple.

"Let's just say, I was a regular guest in Gringotts! Rangok, do you recognize that name?", it came mysteriously from me.

"Sure... is an important goblin in the bank, although we Malfoys have Mr. Rundok, the director of Gringotts," Draco told me before he drank a sip.

"Of course, where else, but I must say I love the goblins, they're great. Thanks to them, I've been able to implement my plans so far. I plan to remove my parents! They are an element of uncertainty that I want to remove," I summed up the fact very concisely, and seemed like I wasn't really involved.

"You want to kill them!" he breathed horrified.

"No, Draco, what do you think of me? I just wanted to make it look like they're dead, then no one would look for them. I asked Rangok to create new identities for them. I will be a poor, lonely orphan from the second day of the holidays," I tried to reveal my motives to him, making a pout and sniffing slightly.

"But what do your parents say to that?" he whispered as he rolled his beautiful eyes slightly at my performance.

"Nothing! They don't know anything about it! In order to prevent your next question, they'll get a full Obliviate and then a new past without a daughter," I whispered the last word quietly, since it didn't leave me completely cold, even if I tried to be pragmatic. While Draco stared at me with wide-open eyes and seemed absolutely shocked.

"Yes, but that won't be reversible!" he exclaimed outraged, so I was allowed to experience a dumbstruck Malfoy. Okay, where did I have my camera? I tried to see the whole thing with a certain sarcasm, because the topic was simply too sad and didn't leave me completely unaffected.

"Well, that's just what it is," I said, emphasizing my indifference, tapping my lip with my forefinger.

"It is surprising that you're ready to go that far. I'm just completely speechless, it's so cold!" he nodded thoughtfully.

"One doesn't experience that every day, but believe me, I've thoroughly thought about it and I will do it. I have to do it to protect them! Also I didn't have such a close bond to my parents, unfortunately never had. So it's not that bad!" I said, pointedly emotionless, looking at him indifferently.

"Why not? I thought everyone always loved each other being Gryffindors?" Draco asked perplexed.

"Well, I didn't have it easy as a muggle witch, thanks to my wild magic as a child. It came too early, too strong! We just knew what it all was when I was already eleven, the years before weren't easy for my family! We were never really close to each other!" I tried to explain and support this fact with hand gestures.

"I've never thought about it until now, but I can understand! Then you probably never had it easy! I think I can save myself the 'I'm sorry'?" he spoke slowly and considerately, but sounded quite sensible.

"Please!" I agreed, I didn't want any sympathy, or worse, pity.

"What will you do then? I mean, what then...?" he asked curiously, and his interest also showed in his eyes, which pleased me that he was so open.

"What then? Nothing, I'll be of age!" I explained, grinning happily.

"I beg you pardon?" he asked incredulously, almost choking on his beer as he couldn't quite follow me, but I only grinned arrogantly and continued emotionless.

"I was born in 19.09.70. And what do you know about our third year?" I probed, because if he already knew something, I wouldn't have to explain too much.

"Nothing that has anything to do with your age," he said dismissively, looking uncomprehendingly around the room.

"I had a time-turner in that year..." I confided, and he blinked at this unexpected revelation.

"What?" he said, very un-malfoy-ish. Now I wished to have a video camera.

"Yes, I had too many subjects, and since I used it the whole year, I'm now a year older, you see," I smirked at his facial expression and was glad to be able to baffle him.

"Wow, you're good for a lot of surprises, did someone tell you that before, you're very unpredictable," he said, impressed as he shook his head and his longer hair played around his beautiful, noble face. "Time-turner, you saved Black and that stupid hippogriff, didn't you?" he said now drawn out, but he was quick to recognize the facts.

"No one said that you're not good at combining, Draco!" I complimented, grinning.

"I think you should've left Black to the dementors!" he spat out disdainfully, while I squinted at him slightly annoyed, for he would probably not get rid of his antipathy to Sirius.

"Didn't we talk about this..", I exclaimed, annoyed, but he just shrugged and grinned at me sardonically and didn't reply, so I continued.

"Exactly, well, as from next year, I'll be of age..."

"Wait, how will you be able to survive? I mean you're not working yet. You're a student, right?" he asked, looking at me questioningly.

"Malfoys and the filthy lucre. Money is the only thing that interests you. Don't you worry, I'm looked after," I objected slightly arrogantly.

"Tell me," he demanded, curiosity flashing in his grey eyes again.

"I plan on owning a house in London and one in the country and I have enough galleons! You happen to be talking to a millionaire!" I said with a sneer, stretching out my chest.

"Granger, Granger, I've already told you that you're always full of surprises.. I would never have thought so," he said flatteringly.

"Money plays a big role in my plans, too. Did you really think I thought one can only live off air?" I scoffed. Had he really thought I wouldn't consider such a thing?

"No, but how about love?" he asked.

"I beg your pardon, we're realists and not romantics! Tell that to the Weasleys, they would believe your argument. But it wouldn't work with all their children. There are a few that have a different view!" I explained, thinking of my devils.

"What amazes me is that you have been making digs against the weasel lately. Why? That doesn't quite fit," he asked, intrigued and curious.

"Argh, he thinks, because we both are prefects, we must also be a couple. I mean, that's ridiculous! As if I would, with him! I don't even fancy red!" I sighed frustratedly and shivered visibly.

"A disgusting thought, the weasel and you! Let's talk about something different! Who do you like then?" he went on to a completely different subject.

"You want me to tell you with whom I once had a thing?" I echoed, piqued.

"Of course," he said deadly serious, looking deeply and unyieldingly into my eyes.

"Draco, it's none of your business," I said resolutely.

"I'll be annoying you until I know, Mudblood! Although I already know about Black, and I'm going to try a shot in the dark and say... Krum!" he purred provocatively and grinned.

"If you're so sure, why are you asking?" I tried to distract him.

"I wanted you to confirm it!" he breathed.

"Yes, I had an affair with him after the ball," I admitted, but please, he should already know it, and most people ought to know it from Viktor.

"I heard it. However... he wasn't the first. Who was it?" he demanded vehemently and now I played coy, since I had never told anyone about Cedric before. He was my secret, not even the Twins knew. But he used his trick again and gave me a look with his stormy grey eyes and I couldn't resist.

"Cedric," I whispered tonelessly.

"Diggory? You must be kidding... When? Not during the tournament?" Draco exclaimed, for he didn't seem to have expected that.

"That's right, the last two months of my third year," I still said quite tonelessly and somewhat sad, as the memories came back when I spoke about him.

"Oh, someone is a sly dog here! If the lions knew what kind of snake was living in their den, they wouldn't sleep well. I'd have expected a lot, but Diggory..." his face showed how affected he was, shaking his head in amazement, before he sobered up. "Then you really had something with all the participants. Hot... but it suits you, the Hermione I've gotten to know!"

"You sound just like Cedric at the ball..." I mused. Then I shook my head. I didn't want to think about that, it didn't help.

"But enough about me, now I want to know the same about you. Who had the honor with you?" I demanded resolutely and relentlessly.

"And you expect me to tell you, Mudblood? But I feel generous, so I will. The first time, I was just thirteen and had the honor of lying with an elegant, beautiful, noble prostitute in Paris during the holidays. Father had taken me along on a business trip. Well, and then there has always been one woman or another, who thought I was worth a night. Four, six, or eight, I don't know!" he told me this with absolute indifference. His face showed no emotion as well. It seemed like that this topic didn't touch him particularly. I just looked at him in silence and waited, then made an inviting gesture telling him to continue.

"Yes, it wasn't just a few, that's true! But it were a lot of different, changing and often older girls and women with whom I've had fun with!" he finished his monologue as I skeptically tilted my head to show him my disbelief that this has been everything. Taking in my expression, he snorted from amusement and continued.

"And here in Hogwarts, I unfortunately had a one-off with Pansy after the ball, had a bit too much to drink, a mistake, really! Didn't get rid of her for almost the whole last year. And then two girls from Slytherin, nothing special. Then I also had something with three Ravenclaws, two Hufflepuffs and two of the French girls in Fourth Year. Just don't ask for the names, no idea. But otherwise I find the girls here not very appealing, they are so childlike, have no clue what's going on. Which isn't the case with you, is it, Mudblood?" he whispered provocatively at the end, and he tilted his head appraisingly, as well as deliberately.

"You're right and your father has sent you to prostitutes, real nice! One has to be a pureblood. Oh, I remember, you've forgotten your two victims which you came close to!" I said mockingly and maliciously, as I listened to these revelations.

"Do you always have to remind me so kindly?" he said accusingly, his features distorting contemptuously. "So sensitive?" I mocked. "Minx!" he laughed hoarsely and drank a sip. "Did I ever say I was nice?" I teased.

"Oh, why did the hat sort you in Gryffindor? You really don't belong there, even Pansy would fit into Gryffindor better than you," he grinned.

"Thank you, that's a great compliment coming out of your mouth!" I replied contentedly, grinning and happy about it, because it was a really big compliment coming from him. The boss of the snakes was really protective over his house, after all.

"You are welcome. But tell me, what did you mean yesterday with 'Beetle'?" he continued to ask, but I was still sure, he wasn't as ignorant as he pretended to be, he knew something.

"Oh, I'm very proud of this stroke of genius, I've figured out that Rita Skeeter is an unregistered animagus, and guess what her form is?" I asked deviously, for I knew and guessed strongly that Draco also knew what she was, since he behaved very suspiciously on the train in our fourth year.

"Beetle!" he confirmed, just as I had suspected.

"Correct, but you knew that already!" I stated soberly and he only nodded when I continued.

"She was my prisoner over the holidays, as a punishment for these insolent, untrue articles, and after that I released her and put a few spells on her. Now, she's mine! Yes, I'm really proud of that!" I couldn't keep the self-satisfaction out of my voice, while Draco restlessly shifted back and forth in his seat.

"You... Wow, I think I'm really hot right now! I wouldn't have expected such wickedness from you. You really had captured her. And if it weren't beneath my dignity as a Malfoy, I would freak out right now, but as it is, I give you my congratulations. But don't you have to be afraid for her revenge? I mean Skeeter isn't known for being an innocent lamb," he told me very excitedly for his personality, but also sounded immediately worried again.

"Cute that you're worried, but useless. I have more than just one spell in my repertoire and it's impossible for Rita to hurt me! If she's so stupid as to try it, she'll fall into a coma that only I can save her from," I explained smugly, crossing my legs and comfortably leaning back into the soft chair.

"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! But scary, don't forget to warn me should I have annoyed you, my Mudblood. My respect!" He brought his hand to his chest in a gesture that expressed his respect and bowed his head slightly. I seemed to have seriously impressed him, which brought a slight, red glow to my cheeks.

"Yes, this action was one of my more brilliant ideas!" I admitted, pretending to be shy by looking at my hands folded in my lap.

"What would Saint Potter and Weasley say to that?" he said spitefully and looked thoughtful.

"Mh-hm, they wouldn't be happy. No idea," I said absently, while I shook my head. "Not important, anyway! Now tell me what your childhood looked like. I'm curious, you too have changed."

"Should I start a soul striptease for you? Because it's not really my thing," he replied, grimacing.

"I know that of course, that wasn't what I meant and to get me to pity you won't be so easy! So swallow the pill!" I didn't give in. After all, I had also told him a lot.

"You know how the Purebloods think?" he began slowly, to which I nodded affirmatively.

"The marriage of Lucius and Narcissa was arranged! Mother, if you can call her that, has done her duty and gave birth to me. I didn't particularly like her, but apparently all Blacks are like that. With this, Father and she have withdrawn themselves to their respective floors, which perfectly describes the marriage of my parents. I think they both hate each other fervently! My education was hard; Father and Severus demand a lot. I am the heir! After you, I'm the number two at Hogwarts. I still don't understand how you can beat me," he grumbled, really offended at the end, but before that his words were cold and cruel. Then I looked at him with wide yes, while his hand went through his silky hair.

"Really, that's pretty depressing. I've been learning since I can think and you're a Mudblood!" he added contritely.

"Well, I'm simply too intelligent for this world!" I declared arrogantly with a honeyed voice.

"That doesn't make Father any happier... But where was I. For about two years now they've been intensively tutoring me in dark magic, not just learning but also applying it. I'm good, very good even, and they teach me the dueling and also to melee fight. Yes that's very important for the two of them. The pure blooded don't care so much about it, but Severus and Father, they insist on it! It's probably because he's only a Halfblood," Draco explained now and I listened intently, because that was really interesting. One couldn't accuse Snape and his father to be stupid, but one thing surprised me, what he said about Snape.

"Halfblood, how?" I asked perplexed.

"Oh, something Miss-Know-It-All doesn't know? Yes, Severus Snape had a Muggle father! He only descends from the noble blood of the Prince of his mother's side!" Draco told me pompously.

"Prince, wow, I've read about them many times. They have produced some luminaries, especially in potions," I explained surprised, but now it wasn't surprising anymore that the professor had become such an expert in his field.

"As always correct and amazingly informed. It's a pleasure to talk to you, my Mudblood!" he gave me flattering praise, while he stroked my bare knee, which astonishingly pleased me very much. I liked it very much to be touched by him.

"Maybe we can compete against each other one day, would be funny to see if I'm really better at everything and also better informed?" I challenged him playfully.

"I would destroy you," he replied harshly, while throwing his head back and glaring at me with his stormy grey eyes.

"Sure. Be careful, otherwise you'll end up like Bole!" I threatened him with a finger.

"You can be pretty cold-hearted."

"That's life."

"I absolutely agree!" Were we already that callous? Seems like it. But nice, that he was like me!

"Here, I remember. I have something for you. A talisman. You have to wear it, it serves as communication," I pulled the galleon out of my pocket and got up, stepped behind him and put it around his neck. I locked the black ribbon, which he accepted without a question.

"You can type in the time and place with the numbers and characters, in an abbreviated form of course, and it will get warm when someone sends any information. An invention of mine," I explained, seizing the moment and slightly kissing him on the neck, which he clearly enjoyed. This soft, light skin had attracted me irresistibly, and his strong, peculiar scent of sandalwood wafted into my nose.

"The Twins also have one each," I tried to distract myself. "They want to get to know you, soon," and bit myself restlessly on my lip.

"Thank you! Then you trust me that much? Well, of course I'll have a look at these clowns!" he said, surprisingly kind and looked at me over his shoulder, his gaze intense.

"Thank you, that means a lot to me. You'll like them. I will think about something," I promised in a velvety voice, while my fingers stroked his shoulders seductively before I sat down again.

"I should also tell you that my Patronus is a magpie. Should I ever to send it to you," I told him, then he threw his head back and laughed so loudly that tears ran down his cheeks.

"You surprise me again and again! The bringer of ill luck of the goddess of death, Hel. That's hilarious! A magpie..," he wiped his tears away with his hands and shook his head.

"I'm glad I can provide your amusement," I replied, slightly offended, for I liked my bird and let's be honest, she had already done me some good service.

"Don't look like that.. Mine's a viper!" he explained, grinning.

"Well, that's a perfect match," I said soberly.

"Yes, thank you, I find her beautiful! Come to the bed, I have something for you," he demanded, and I stood up again and walked confidently to his large, beautiful canopy bed.

"Is it normal for you to have a single room?" I asked now interested into the silence, because he had turned his back on me and got something.

"It's normal here in Slytherin to have twin rooms, the leader of the snakes always gets the single room. I own it since Christmas in our first year. The predecessor was weak, a wimp!" he told me contemptuously over his shoulder.

"That reminds me, what did your education actually involve? What kind of curses?" I continued to delve.

"Just say it out loud, so shy, that doesn't suit you, Mudblood!" he said snootily, then continued to speak. "Until now all the unforgivable curses, thanks to the holidays, I can now also write the torture of people with curses on my list! But still no Avada!" It came very indifferent and cold from him, as he still had his back towards me.

"Wow, I've practiced all unforgivable curses in the Library of the Blacks," I said proudly, smiling ashamed.

"But only on mice and doxies," I immediately qualified, for doxies were so-called "Bite-Fairies", that were like little fairies, but their small, dollish body was covered in black hair and their wings beetle-like shiny and not transparent, like the ones of the fairies. They were poisonous, very poisonous, so it wasn't a pity for these small, biting shits.

"What, you finished off doxies and mice with the Cruciatus and the Avada?" he echoed shocked. I just nodded.

"You're the funniest thing that I've come across in ages. And, did it work?" he asked with a smile, one could even hear that in his voice, but now he turned to me and looked at me.

"Yes, wasn't really difficult," I shrugged indifferently.

"You're my girl, perfect. So imaginative!" he said very seriously to my surprise, gave me a abysmally wicked smile and I asked myself what it was that was developing between us slowly but surely. I wanted to let myself get surprised.

"Was it harder for you? I mean with humans?" I asked really interested.

"I'm glad that I didn't need to do the Avada, but the other two curses didn't bother me. Father and Severus had let me practice them the last two years on animals... Disgusting... However, we can't change it and believe me, the two can be really hard on you!" he acted like he suffered.

"Should I feel sorry for you now?" It came smugly from me and blinked at him faking sympathy.

"Oh, please, leave it! I can still sleep well," he replied grinning grimly.

"So and now come here..." he ordered sharply, reaching behind himself to the bedside table, and took what he had previously looked for.

"Here for you," he quickly explained, holding out two small books.

"What is that?" I asked curiously, taking what he held towards me.

"Tomes of course... ancient tomes. I want you to read and learn it," he demanded gravely.

"Why?" I asked curiously, for it wasn't quite clear to me why he gave me books.

"Don't you devour every book that comes across your path?" he answered my question with another question, which annoyed me.

"Yes, but what are they about?" I asked again, more demanding.

"How a pureblood has to behave! I want you to be immaculate in your manners! Don't get me wrong, you're fine already, but I want you to be perfect all around!" he smugly told me, waving his hand over me.

"Wow, you see me speechless, but of course, as you wish.. thank you, but I've already read such books," I explained somewhat perplexed.

"I see that, or you would know much less, but believe me there is almost nothing that can rival the Malfoy library. Read it, you won't know them already! Believe me," he insisted that I read these books, even if he praised me, which didn't escape me and pleased me. I went to my cloak, and put them in my coat pocket. I tried not to show him that I was very happy, because I really knew how to appreciate such treasures like these ancient books. He approached me again, slowly, and so we stood in front of the fireplace and looked passionately at each other. It was an intimate moment. We had talked long and in detail but still didn't tell each other everything, but now we knew each other better. We had shared many secrets and the night was still long. Draco just opened his mouth to say something, when there was a loud knock the door. His expression got cold again, his lips pressed together angrily, and his eyes looked absolutely furious at this unwanted disturbance, and with one wipe of his wand he ended a spell, so he could ask what was going on, and raised his voice angrily.

"Yes, who dares to disturb me now, didn't I express myself clearly before?" His voice sounded so frigid that it ran coldly even over my back. _Poor messenger,_ I thought compassionately. I ran to the chair next to the door to put on my cloak, one never knew.

"Excuse me, Draco! The professor is downstairs and wants to control the whole house and asks for you and I thought that you might not want him to come up!" I could hear the defensive voice of Zabini.

"Damn!" Draco hissed quietly, very un-malfoy-ish, looking at me thoughtfully. He knew how Snape always acted in relation to us. I feverishly thought about a solution too.

"I'll be right there," he exclaimed imperiously, and we could hear Zabini quickly leave again.

"What now? It wouldn't be ideal if Severus found you here! He expects all Slytherins to be in the common room and unfortunately he always controls the rooms with a spell, which means you can't stay here," he said grimly, and I began to show a smile on my face as an idea popped into my head. I loved playing and Snape was always good for a game, let's see how fast he'd see through me.

"On the other hand, it could be fun and I make it clear to Snape that he can't forbid me to see you!" he seemed to think about it feverishly. I liked to see what direction his thoughts went. As I already said, we thought alike.

"Why are you laughing, Granger?" Draco enquired now. "That's not good."

"Trust me Draco, we.. I have everything under control," I asked him determinedly.

"Oh, and how?" it came from him.

"Let me surprise you," I said smugly, and now had a plan. I pulled my wand and began to transfigure myself and was allowed to see Draco looking at me, with a deep frown on his forehead, and his eyebrows wandering closer and closer to his hairline, the more spells I used. Had I ever said how much I loved magic? So here again for the record: I loved magic! It took longer than the transformation into Minna and cost me more energy. It was very exhausting as I changed into something completely different! But it was good, I could see the amazement on the mask that Draco's face had become. At the end, I turned my robe into a school cloak with the Slytherin green emblem on it.

"Wow, Mudblood! You really are powerful and you react quickly. Do you know that you radiate an eerie calm? Impressive!" he breathed, impressed, while he caught himself again quickly and looked smug.

"Thanks for the compliment, Draco. And it doesn't help anything to freak out in unpleasant situations, that just leads to mistakes," I stated coldly before I stepped in front of the mirror, which was at the wardrobe door. I looked at my completely changed appearance.

"I always keep a cool head, you know, otherwise I would've pulled out Bole's knife that was inside me... That wouldn't have gone well for me..." I said pragmatically, playing around with my hair, draping it around a face that was unknown to me. I had changed my appearance, my hair now shoulder length, smooth white-blond hair, I had lengthened my face with a pointy chin and narrow cheekbones, also my eyes were now grey. I looked like a Malfoy, more like Draco's twin sister, though much more delicate and fragile, nothing that reminded one of the feminine and well-trained Hermione.

"You left it inside you? I think you still have to tell me a lot, Mudblood," he said again slightly impressed, but also shaking his head in disbelief.

"Oh, I think you as well, you haven't told me about the Lord yet, and that would be especially interesting. And what you meant by your statement about the house of Malfoy!" I countered. He didn't let me talk anymore, determinedly turned me around to him, kissed my forehead again and took my hand resolutely into his.

"Well, next week. Now into the fight with Severus!" he explained, holding the door open gallantly for me, giving me a real, haughty Malfoy smile.

End of Hermione's POV

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	44. Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

Busy few days behind me and ahead of me. So I do apologise for the delay again.

This time the translation has been done by our new beloved Girl in team: C.

I hope you like it. xxx

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 **Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus or never tickle a sleeping dragon**

 ** _Snape's POV_**

It's been awhile since I made an appearance in my house, and so I decided it was time for one. I ran the house of snakes with discipline and severity, not like the other head teachers who don't know how to teach decent nurture and I certainly knew what the result was, just look at Potter and Weasley. How spiteful of me. The Slytherins could, in principle, do whatever they wanted to, as long as they didn't destroy the fixtures, presented themselves as a united front and as long as their grades were satisfactory, but nonetheless, I always checked up on them. It was the only way to bear dealing with these little fools. And my bad mood as well, courtesy of Granger and whatever her intentions towards Draco, was reason to come here today. I wanted to warn Draco to keep his hands off this quite attractive and stupidity inducing tart Granger, because whoever sinks so low as dating a simpleton like Black, is beyond help, I thought derisively and twisted my lips into a grim expression. My mood worsened thanks to this thought.

Oh boy, the explicit pictures of her and Black were back, _think of something else_ , I ordered myself brusquely! And just like that I stood in the crowded and loud common room of my house and watched as even more people joined, because I insisted on a full attendance for a house meeting.

"Where is Mr. Malfoy?" I asked in a patronizing manner and no one in particular, because he was Slytherin's leader after all and had to answer to me.

"Er, in his room, sir!" An uncertain appearing Blaise Zabini stepped forward and answered my question warily.

"Then get him!" I ordered gruffly. I could see that the boy wasn't happy with the order, but that he resigned himself to his fate and now, fulfilling his task, he halfheartedly went to the boys dormitory. It was as if he already knew that Draco wasn't going to like being disturbed. I lifted my dark eyebrows in thought. Zabini usually was a lot more lively, open-minded and not passive and defensive like this…

My quite endless and well tempered patience was put to the test and my calculating eyes wandered over the otherwise immaculate room, with the restless mass of students right in front of me. What was taking so long? I hated to wait, and irritated like that, I started walking up and down in front of the fireplace. I was the professor here! Where was Draco, who did he think he was? I saw Zabini cautiously leave the dorms five minutes ago. He seemed like a dog with his tail between his legs and hid in a dark corner, as I witnessed to my surprise. Today, my house and its students appeared to be very strange, ill at ease and uncertain, which was very untypical for Slytherins! What happened tonight to make everyone sneak about as if they were walking on glass?

I could only mistrust the situation and I was used to listen to my instinct, therefore I dared to cautiously look forward to my talk to Draco.

Draco had to answer to some questions. Where was this useless and spoiled brat? Didn't I raise him so that being on time was a sign of politeness for myself? My mood reached a low and looking into the dumbfounded faces of the Slytherins, it didn't get better at all, because it showed me with what deficient fools I had to deal with. I shouldn't look at them!

Ah, finally, I watched as Draco strode towards me in a Lucius like fashion. His movements were slow and smooth, just don't get in a hurry. Yes, Malfoys were ignorant like that, unbelievably narcissistic, sometimes unbearable! And the boy started to resemble his father more and more! I grimaced in silent suffering, that was certainly a bitter pill. Although, actually, he had the potential to outperform his father, because he still had something like feelings. In a few years Draco could be a better politician and tactician and a strong, not to be underestimated warrior on top. And the boy knew that, you could see that from a hundred miles away, his self-satisfied facial expression told you as much! Malfoys and their ego, an endless, unbearable story. Is there something else to add? It's certainly because of all that too pure blood, I thought disdainfully. But damn, we had trained him too well. He was too self-certain. But that wasn't something I could change anymore and therefore I gave myself a mental, resigned shrug. But that was still no reason to leave Severus Tobias Snape waiting!

"Professor Snape, welcome. As you can see, everyone should be present by now," the leader of the house welcomed me confidently. Yes, we Slytherins had different rules compared to the other houses, better ones in my book.

"What took you so long, Mr. Malfoy?" My tone wasn't friendly.

"I was in my room, sir!" He stated quickly, as I hesitated, what was that behind him? I tried to look around him, but he didn't let me look, he took on a curiously wide stand, which made me raise my dark eyebrow. What game did he think he was playing? My instincts reacted immediately. What did little Draco want to hide from me, his godfather?

"Is there something worth telling?" I asked all Slytherins, whose very guarded behaviour I only really noticed now, because I averted my attention from Draco and what I saw, I didn't like. I saw how they avoided a pretty girl, with long, white-silver hair as if she had the plague! I frowned and raised my eyebrows because that behaviour was very atypical for my snakes. When I, their professor, was here to check up on them, they usually presented a united front. I saw as she started to move and sat down next to Zabini, Nott, Parkinson, on the back rest of their couch. She seemed without a care in the world.

At once, I got suspicious, because I noticed how Zabini's group tensed up. You could also nearly cut the nameless, atmospheric, tense mood in the common room. What was happening? I might be a teacher, but that didn't mean that I was stupid or as senile as Minerva and Albus, well, for that I was a few years too young!

Hold on for a second, did I know this girl at all? Not that I really looked at the rest of the students, it wasn't of interest to me, but I certainly knew the students of my own house! But still I noticed other faces as well and this face was clearly unfamiliar, except that she obviously had Malfoy blood in her veins, but that was impossible! What were they playing at? My raging thoughts were interrupted, because Draco started to speak.

"Professor, there is nothing of interest to tell. Is there something else I can do for you, sir?" Draco asked too courteously, I might puke!

"Mr. Malfoy, what is happening here? The Slytherins are behaving very strangely, if not atypically, to say the least?" I let loose sarcastically, sending a contemptuous look to the intimidated crowd, which only cowed them even more. I could see and hear, as an excited whisper started to spread, a direct reaction to my question. Okay, what was happening here? Something was going on and it was obvious.

"Nothing more than usual, sir!" Draco said succinctly. My sly godson looked at me with his grey eyes, donning a trusting expression and trying to seem as if he was the most innocent person there was. _Oh Draco, whatever are you hiding? I have known you for too long and you are not good enough to fool me yet._ I sent him a calculating look.

"Mr. Malfoy, I think that I can evaluate this situation better than you. You obviously don't know what is going on in your house," I chided him spitefully, and I could see the storm brewing in his grey eyes. I challenged him in front of his house, Malfoys didn't like that, but I didn't like to be made a fool of either!

"Professor, I have to negate that, I rule the house." His tone was icy and I could see how irritated he was by my accusation although his behaviour didn't let it show. The Slytherins became even more cowed, if that was even possible. How atypical, because this was usually a vain, proud and brisk crowd. They always had their heads held high. Draco could be proud of his composure and so was I, it was good to see that not everything had been a waste of my effort. He stood there like a leader with a straight posture and he didn't seem to be the least bit insecure.

I could feel the brush of air on my back. I turned around abruptly and saw the white-blonde girl sneaking up the stairs, heading straight for the exit. I watched as she was turning her head, looking straight into my eyes, with a taunting smile on her lips and a bold expression in her expressive, grey eyes. It was certain that that was no Slytherin, I was very sure of that, because I knew them a bit more than the other dunderheads who lived in this school and graced me with their unbearable presence.

"Professor… Sir?" I heard Draco, who wanted my attention and I noticed the absolute, haunting silence in the room, despite all of the students crowding it. That was not normal. It was quiet before, but now it was as if the Slytherins held their breath. What was going on? Everyone was looking at the entrance, staring at the girl as if she was a living Fata Morgana. And suddenly it clicked. Should I feel ashamed for being this foggy-brained and blind? Because it was only now that I understood. The only one that didn't belong here, but wouldn't listen, could only be one single impertinent person.

Granger!

The girl trying to flee was Granger! Definitely. Granger, who was comfortable being in Draco's room with my godson. This slut, it flared up inside of me. What did she think, just ignoring my request? Even if she didn't look like herself, she was the only one daring enough to walk into enemy territory. And the snakes knew that there was someone who didn't belong, according to their behaviour. What happened here? What games were being played? How come she just ignored my orders? My well suppressed emotions threatened to spill over. I told her quite explicitly that she was to stay away from Draco, that she wasn't good for him and what did she decide to do? Oh, I should have rammed the knife even deeper into her body, instead of healing her.

I think Draco could read in my eyes that her cover was blown and that I was planning her death to be very creative, especially painful and lengthy. I couldn't let her escape…

"Stay still! What do you think you are doing? Didn't I forbid you from getting close to him?" I angrily threw at the girl, who dared to turn around, gave me a wicked smile, raised her hand and gave me a wave.

A wave!

"Miss…," I spat enraged. I wanted to start running to get her, she wasn't going to escape me and my anger, but Draco intervened.

"Severus!" Draco exclaimed certainly, jumped forward, seized my upper arm and held onto me. His strong fingers drilled themselves through my clothes into my flesh. We were staring at each other. It seemed I previously overlooked that he was already an adult. Draco was no child any longer.

"Mr. Malfoy, what do you think you are doing? Let me go at once!" I ordered icily.

"Of course, in a moment, professor, sir!", he said with an audibly apologetic tone, but he still held my arm in a vice-like grip. He turned his head to Granger, who was standing there in a calm and motionless manner, waiting with a perfect mask, although she was in enemy territory surrounded by snakes, who looked at her in open hostility. Snakes, who obviously didn't recognize her and were wondering about their professor managing just that. Astonishing, that girl. Was it her crackbrained Gryffindor courage or simple stupidity that kept her from running from me?

"Leave… I will clear this up. See you, honey," Draco said over his shoulder. I was stunned, especially this endearment made me want to puke.

"What are you playing at, Draco?" I whispered privately, because I was using his first name, something I wouldn't do in most situations. "And you, you stay where you are, Miss…," I didn't want to blow her cover, and couldn't in front of the other Slytherins, so I stifled her name. She didn't earn the right, the minx.

"Just leave! Don't listen to him!" Draco cut in. He dared? But I could see how Granger raised her hand to her breast and that she bowed her head slightly. What was she playing at? She followed his instruction with a pureblood way of paying respect… this, this _minx_ , just wait until I get my hands on her, I will twist her neck with pleasure, slowly, very slowly and yes, it would satisfy me. Oh, how it would!

"As you wish, Draco. See you, professor, sir!" she replied politely but obviously amused and left the room quickly. When she was gone, I freed myself abruptly from Draco and he let me. I was enraged. I had the pleasure to see the cowed and disbelieving crowd of Slytherins, who didn't know what to do with the situation. That they were puzzled I believed, because an argument like that hadn't happened before. Both of the leaders of house Slytherin, the head of house and the student leader had a disagreement, a battle for power. They stared at us, a bit scared and timid, but I didn't care at the moment! Now it was Draco's turn and so I stood with my darkly clothed appearance in front of him and looked at him disdainfully and icily.

"What do you want from her? You don't know her! She is without scruple, a manipulative bitch! You can't trust her," I stated silkily and emphasized every word, every syllable.

"Uncle Severus, please… You recognized her! My compliments, didn't she do a great job? It only took her minutes for this transformation!" he informed my proudly, grinning cheekily and didn't answer my own statement at all.

"Draco, keep your hands off her! She is a dangerous, not to be underestimated minx," I insisted on my statement, because Granger seemed fishy since Grimmauld Place.

"What, but you are allowed to dirty your hands with her?" Draco hissed nastily. I could hear how some snakes took a deep breath, concerning this suggestion, this allegation. What insolence to even insinuate something like that! But to my displeasure not untrue, I did get too close once.

"What do you want to suggest with that, Draco? I warn you!" I made myself even bigger, my deep and quiet voice echoed through the room.

"Please, uncle Severus, I warn you… I know everything and then some…," he replied in warning and stood proudly, superior, he didn't move an inch despite my threatening figure. "I won't let you prevent her from coming to me, forget it!" he spat viciously and stubbornly. He raised his chin aggressively. Oh, he started to block. Like how Lucius usually did, whenever it got impossible to use rational arguments with him any longer.

Wonderful, how wonderful, why ever do I have to put up with these narcissistic Malfoys?

He moved towards the fireplace and leant against it, casually and in an autocratic fashion. "I always did what father and you wanted from me, but with her I won't let you say a thing! I don't care what you do with her privately! Argue as much as you want, if you need that, but don't try to keep her away from me, because that is unacceptable!" he said arrogantly and I was very surprised that he stood up for her. What did he see in her?

"Draco, how dare you use that tone with me!" I hissed, standing proud and motionless in the room, emanating my dark magic which surrounded me like a powerful coat. The other snakes moved back and to the sides as far as they could. They knew how close our families were and that this was the only reason why our talk was still rather friendly. They were used to fights for power like this, purebloods and halfbloods that they were. We snakes needed our fights for power from time to time, but usually, we didn't do them out in the open, we used the shadows. But now there was no time for that.

"Yes, I dare! Lucius and you, you trained me too well and you know how good I have become. And I tell you the same thing that I told the Slytherins. She is and always will be welcome in this house! Here she has every right and should someone attack her, they attack me and the house Malfoy!" he presented the unapologetic facts and looked into my eyes in a serious manner and I was speechless for a second. What did this excruciating minx do to Draco that he was that infatuated with her?

"Are you serious, are you nuts, are you out of your mind? Because of her? Does everyone have to go berserk because of her?" I asked contemptuously and deprecatingly. It wouldn't be long before I would be completely desperate. It was excruciating. How did she get men to give such excessive reactions? To my chagrin, I counted myself as well and queued myself disdainfully behind all the other pitiful men.

"I am glad that you obviously count yourself too, or how else do I have to understand that you threw a glass at her just yesterday?" he asked lasciviously and dared to grin at me crookedly. A strand of his bright hair fell boldly into his face.

"She told you," it came stiff and surprised from me.

"I know many things…," he stated, smiling at me softly. "Don't underestimate me, I wouldn't dare to do the same to you, because I know what you are capable of and I have huge respect for you! But I don't underestimate her either and neither should you. You can't separate us anymore," he spoke with a definite tone and folded his arms as if to punctuate his statement visually. I pressed my lips together dangerously, my teeth gnashed in anger. She managed to do it again and twisted yet another man around her delicate finger. It would really be of interest to me what the mutt would say to this. I laughed spitefully.

"I don't think that you know everything… she dated… someone thoroughly disagreeable…," I gave silkily from me and with disdain. Draco was still leaning nonchalantly next to the fireplace, dominating the others through his aura of maliciousness and superiority, just like everyone would tremble because of my dark, secretive nature. I could smell the fear and anxiety of the other Slytherins in front of us. I was sure that we both presented a really menacing performance. He laughed heartily and seemed so much colder because of it. "You mean the mutt? He is already history! Did you see him these days? Look into his face and then think of her and you will know where he got it from," Draco hissed derisively as I lifted my eyebrow in surprise.

That was right, during the last meeting I saw a Black next to me who looked worse for wear. His face was thoroughly battered: a blue eye, a swollen cheek and a jaw which was no less colourful. He was pestered by a lot of people, wanting to know where he got it from and who it was. Because he was still under house arrest, it had to be someone from the order, but he refused to give any statement. That was her! Interesting, what happened to make her beat him?

Respect, I would have loved to see that. It distracted me effectively from my anger, because I really felt happy seeing Black blemished like that. It was a very good feeling to see him thoroughly beaten and to know that he didn't have ointments and potions in his possession to ease his suffering. And I had her to thank for that! I didn't like that thought. But, wait just a second, she looked the same and I couldn't imagine Black holding still and presenting himself voluntarily as a sandbag, without defending himself. But I couldn't forget she knew about healing and potions by now… well… and then I got a thought about something I had forgotten until now.

The detention! She had to brew the stolen potions! It was then that I could confront her. I might not be able to forbid her from meeting Draco, but I could make her suffer to have gone against my orders, and there was vicious anticipation brewing in me. Because I knew when a Malfoy wanted something, I could save my precious breath. There are no more stubborn and no more wilful people than those two. I didn't know who was worse in getting his will against all odds. Lucius or Draco? I did the only right thing, because it was the clever person that gives in and I let it be. I would only get grey hair and I were not in the mood for that. And what more beautiful than revenge and a suffering Granger?

I stood there, in the middle of the common room and suddenly there was a dangerous, sadistic smile on my usually expressionless face, what, as I saw, cowed the students of my house even more than the loud argument with Draco had managed to do!

But I could see Draco watching me very attentively and as if he could read my mind, which he couldn't, but despite that, an equally devilish smile transformed his features.

"Whatever you plan to do to her, as long as you don't try to keep her from me, have fun!" he said succinctly. This boy had surprised me since the holidays, in which he changed so much, from time to time more. It was alright with me. "Don't forget, we are a family, we should always stick together, Severus!"

Had we trained him too hard for the last two years? He had gone through rough times since birth. Now he wasn't the spoilt, stupid and cowardly boy from the past any longer. Oh no, we made a warrior and a leader out of him, something I had been experiencing just now, to my chagrin. When was it, that I used the first Unforgivable Curse? I tried to remember, hm-mh, it was on Christmas in my last year of school and outside Hogwarts, in the service of the Dark Lord! Well, Draco still had two years until then and he had learnt how to torture with the Cruciatus this summer. Apparently everything happened sooner for today's youth and that meant I, his godfather, had to accept that Draco was the leader we had raised, that he was ready to take on his role and I could accept his request, because that was what I saw it as.

He could have Granger.

"Well, then we should leave it at that! We, Lucius and I, are proud of you, Draco! Continue as is and you will make your way!" My voice was like velvet. I nodded from above and left the house of snakes with swooshing, flowing robes, leaving the Slytherins at quite a loss. But also a very satisfied looking Draco. It should really be him who was going to instill the missing peace again, I thought gleefully. I hurried to my rooms and drained my first drink and it wasn't going to stay at one drink this night. If it continued like this it would be Granger's fault, should I get an alcohol problem; the cynical thought came to my mind. I thoughtfully rotated the heavy glass in my hands, watching the reflected fire, its flashing play of colors.

I would have never thought that she was adventurous, ruthless and unethical in such a way that she would show herself openly to myself. She must have known that I would recognize her despite her transformation but she accepted it willingly and uncaringly. And how impertinent to laugh. What was going on in her brain? Would I ever manage to make sense of these intricate turns? I mean, this minx is making my head hurt. But I also would get my revenge and oh, how she would wish to not have challenged myself and detention would just be the first step. _Oh yes, Miss Granger, you will wish to not have tried to play me against my family, against my godson._

 ** _End of Snape's POV_**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Oh, that was funny. The whole situation was my kind of humour. Since walking into the common room I had to hold back a fit of laughter. Hysterical?

No, not that much, it's more of a honest laugh because the situation was just too comical. The Slytherins were very amusing, looking at me in that baffled manner after walking determined to the couch in front of the fireplace. Not one of them had any idea that I, Hermione Granger, had infiltrated their holy common room. It would be of interest to me what they thought and thought they knew, because one thing was clear, no one in Hogwarts knew this student.

Everyone surely knew that I was a student, but which house and who, that would certainly keep them busy! Draco's clique, whom I sat with, positively froze as I sat down with a friendly smile. The rigid faces of my peers were too funny, if one thought about not being able to read in the faces of these people under normal circumstances. The occurrence astonished and surprised them at that moment. Snape's and Draco's threatening face-off was way too extraordinary as well. They both were two truly formidable personalities and Draco didn't have to compromise much, although the professor was older and even more impressive. Draco felt confident and it showed in his stance.

There was one thing, however, that I could say and confirm: the Slytherins, they took Draco's warning seriously. They retreated from me like they would from the plague, to not get close to me. When I wanted to leave, it was so typical of my dear professor to notice my tactical retreat and that he tried to stop me. When I looked at him with a smile, it seemed he finally understood, because there was a tiny spark of recognition in his deep black eyes. As well as the unhidden anger at my impertinence to not heed his request,... order,... threat.

I could see that he was just about to pounce on me. Should I be afraid of his revenge, which was certainly coming my way, regardless of what Draco said? Besides I thought that Draco would never come in between a dispute of Snape and myself. He only wanted that Snape didn't come between us, he wasn't bothered with the rest, I thought. How the relationship between myself and Snape went, that was only of little interest to him. Would it be any different, he wouldn't be above everything concerning myself and Snape, because ultimately, Draco knew about Minna, which was okay with me. I didn't need Draco to hide behind, because I could watch out for myself.

And then, when Snape wanted to chase after me… Draco didn't let him come to me, he held him back! Simply glorious, I would dream about that tonight! I cast Tempus and knew that we didn't talk all that long, pity. It was shortly after eleven, that meant it was very early and I tiptoed into the secret passage that Draco showed me and took the transformation from me again.

Ouch, that hurt! Transforming that much, not having anything in common with one's own appearance, it hurt very much transforming back again! The bones, sinews, veins, fat and skin layers were moving magically, shifting, stretching and pulling, and I whimpered quietly. That was the reason why I preferred the transformation into Minna, because I kept the same facial features but for now it would have been counterproductive and unfortunately not everyone could be a metamorphmagus like dear Tonks. I changed my attire, exhausted as I was thanks to the strong magic that I had to use for the transformation, took off my cloak, put on my student's cloak and headed for Gryffindor. It took a lot of concentration to stay transformed, otherwise it could happen that I loose the appearance after a while and that needed energy. That was the reason why most wizards preferred the Polyjuice potion, you didn't need to make the same effort using it. I wasn't going to do it again for a while, my face felt as if it was rubber, how uncomfortable.

"Where have you been for that long? The curfew has already started!" Ron exclaimed as soon as I climbed through the hole. Ron was playing chess with Harry next to the window.

"Ron, I am sorry to tell you, but we are prefects and it is our task to make rounds after the curfew as well!" I reminded him gently.

"Oh, yes, that is true, damn! I forgot that, actually, when will it be my turn again?" came a startled response. He was looking at me like a deer in the headlights, with big eyes.

"Tomorrow," I simply answered.

"Oh, good, what would I do without you!" he moaned relieved and smiled a slightly dopey smile, rubbing his neck.

"You would loose your head, brother dearest!" We were interrupted by a loud voice. Fred held Ron's head in a tight grip with his arm, stroking his hair not very gently.

"Hey, you idiots, let me be," said Ron, attempting to get free, while Ginny and Harry were very amused. They were laughing. I noticed Harry's hand as he put it in front of his mouth, trying to keep the laugh in and I didn't think I was seeing right. I let out an indignant sound and fished his hand out of the air. I looked at it closely, holding it prisoner in my own hands.

That bitch!

I didn't say anything, only looked inquiringly into his eyes. He couldn't withstand my gaze, but I found the confirmation I was looking for and reached quickly into my student's cloak, which I had put on in the secret passage again. I grabbed a self-made ointment from my inside pocket, murtlap essence, and lubricated the ugly, ignited and swollen wound with the greasy and thick cream.

"Did Umbridge do that?" I was whispering quietly.

"Wow, this is pleasant, it's cooling… Yes, she makes me write lines with a quill every night," he admitted quietly, his shoulders tensing. His eyes were glaring fiercely from behind his glasses.

"Mmm, blood quill…," I mumbled,. That excruciating bitch, she was torturing Harry, oh this appalling bitch! Apparently she wanted me as an enemy! To torture Harry demanded revenge and I would present her with it at a later point in time, this was without question. I pressed my lips together firmly and developed a sullen expression. Wow, I was angry!

"Where do you know that from?" Harry asked stunned.

"I thought so because it is not that easy to get a scar one can read," the words escaped from me quite cynically.

"Where did you get the ointment?" he wanted to know as well and his green eyes were sparkling curiously, but also thankfully.

"Ooh, I like being prepared. Please stop challenging her openly. It doesn't do anything for you, you only get scars. But I have an idea, how you could stand up to her in another way and how you could inflict more damage and it would anger her much more!" I baited him and found it a good opportunity to make my plan palatable to him.

"What do you mean, Hermione?" he asked calmly, cocking his head, while I was still holding his hand in mine.

"Come with me in front of the fireplace and I will tell you!" I proposed and pulled him with me. I didn't let go of his hand, but interlaced our fingers together. And like that I told him about my plan in detail, that he should teach us defence! He wasn't convinced at first, but I could implant the seed, that was the most important thing and the twins were winking at me in understanding. After Harry retired to think, I approached the twins.

"And how was it in the dungeons? Dark, wet and cold?" Fred was chuckling evilly.

"Pleasant, you nutter!" I reciprocated, rolling my eyes.

"Details, details… Beautiful. What did your snake do?" The red eyebrows were wobbling up and down wickedly.

"Viper, please!" I joined the game.

"Er?" they both exclaimed in unison.

"His patronus is a viper," I explained my declaration.

"What, how cool… that fits so well. But is it only me, or is everyone able to do the charm except us?" Fred stated sourly and distorted his face into an angry expression.

"Don't worry so much. I'm currently working on something to get you the opportunity to learn," I calmed him down.

"What is your plan? The curiosity is just too much!" George begged theatrically and gave me puppy-dog eyes.

"I want Harry to teach us in Defence against the Dark Arts. See to it that there will be interested, reliable students on Sunday, coming to a meeting, the more, the merrier," I explained and instructed them to help me as well.

"Cool, Hermione! Your ideas are always special. Harry shall teach us what the bitch is denying us, that is good! We will do it." The anticipation was obvious in their voice. They gave me a sly smile.

"Hey, just a moment, I'm interested what your… viper..," followed by an exaggerated and excessive wink, "said about us pretty boys?" He was gesticulating to George as well which got him to nod like an excited wobble-head.

"He wants to meet you, what else should he say? I will think of a solution where that is possible, don't worry," I explained, already thinking.

"Never with you, Beautiful. We have to leave now! Lee seems to have a coronary," they stood up quickly and started sprinting. I could see how some Gryffindors were puking to their heart's content and couldn't stop. That had to be a trial that failed spectacularly. Lee was trying to get through all the puke in a very hectic manner, he was completely swamped. How disgusting! And those choking sounds and the smell… I fled to the dormitories, despite the early hour.


	45. Revenge Begins

My Mailbox is full of: You have a new Follower! So thanks so much for liking and reading our story!

A full, non cut Chapter.

I hope you do enjoy.

Below the chapter: Competition time. ;)

* * *

 **Revenge Begins**

We spent Sunday in one way or another to our likings. There were no special occurrences, and thanks to Professor Snape I tried to make myself invisible, which I succeeded in fabulously. I had even finished my dinner - which was my only real meal in the hall - so fast, that I had disappeared before he showed up. But I also unfortunately hadn't seen Draco thanks to my excellent tactic. But it was worth it, because I would see Snape early enough on Monday morning again and so I gave myself another peaceful day, whilst I could deceive myself that I wouldn't have to be scared of his revenge.

"Hermione?" it came hesitantly. "Yes, Harry?" I kindly turned to him.

"It's about your idea that I should teach..." He looked a bit unsure.

"Yes, did you think about it?" I gave him an encouraging smile.

"Mh-hm, yes, but I still don't know if I'm the right one! I mean, you're much more suitable!" it came weakly from Harry, when we were interrupted, because Ron now threw himself onto the couch next to Harry.

"Nonsense, Harry! I told you Hermione was right. You'd be perfect!", Ron said firmly, which made me smile at Ron from the bottom of my heart, because he finally saw something in the right way. Miracles happened and it was nice when one could be there to experience it in person.

"Harry, why do you doubt it?" I looked at him anxiously.

"I mean, what can I do? I'm nothing special," he pointed at himself, unsure.

"Harry, please, you're quite powerful! Lazy, but powerful. Your spells have real strength and you're the only one who has faced evil. Believe me you are exactly the right one!" I tried to convince him. He looked at me very insecure and even if I didn't like the idea, I knew it was the right thing for Harry. It would also make him grow up, the responsibility, I hoped. But I still needed help, he wasn't convinced yet. But I knew who could help me and I just knew, he would be enthusiastic and would support me in my endeavour to convince Harry.

"Harry, do you want to make Sirius aware of the idea and hear his opinion?" I asked hesitantly. It was like switching on a bulb. It wasn't easy for me to suggest this, and to know that I would see him again so soon, but the only way to reach my goal quickly was this approach. This would be the easiest way to convince Harry of my idea and so I just had to do it. Thus we wrote Sirius a letter with the request to appear on Monday at midnight in the fireplace again, and Harry headed happily for the Owl Tower. As he told us afterwards, he met Cho and she helped him save the letter from Filch, because he wanted to prevent him from sending it. Well, the girl finally got her act together again. Her being so slow and shy was very annoying, as I found.

Monday morning came as sure as the Amen in the church, unfortunately! And with it also my morning run, which in the increasingly colder air made every bit of tiredness disappear. Draco gave me a gentle but well-hidden smile from the Slytherin table. Also, you could see that the students around him were even more afraid of him than before. It would be interesting to know how the thing had gone between him and Snape. Who had won? Could such an argument be won at all?

According to Draco's autocratic appearance, my answer seemed to be a yes for Draco! Also, how all of his mates idolized him was confirmation enough. Okay, I just got sick.

 _Hey, folks, he already has a real big ego, don't blow it up even more_. I shook my head smiling at my blasphemous thoughts. Now it was time for me to brew potions and to not show a single thing. How does one say so beautifully? Grit your teeth and get to it! Yeah, I got lucky for once, almost impossible to believe. No, I didn't believe it myself. When I entered the dark classroom with the Gryffindors, Snape glanced at me maliciously, hidden under his long hair, but he didn't have time for much more, I couldn't believe my luck, because Umbridge wanted to carry out her inspection in Snape's class. I could have danced I was so happy. There was apparently still someone who he hated even more than me and this was a pink toad that thought herself to be very important!

Draco laughed mockingly, and I could see from his eyes that he'd done it because of my relieved facial expression. _Yes, hahaha, you have a good laugh, my dear._ It seemed, that Draco had a jester's license. But I, I doubted it very much! And so the lesson began, and we were all witnesses of how the Bitch annoyed Snape with the fact that he always applied for the post of the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, but was never accepted. What obviously drove the professor's mood into unimagined depths. No student dared to make a sound and I quickly disappeared from this freezing chamber as soon as we were allowed to go, as no one had ever seen me leave. Thanks to Umbridge, I now had to fear for my life if he caught me today. So I got the day behind me, but unfortunately without the chance to have Draco close to me even once. I sighed. Well, then maybe tomorrow. And the day brought me good research material, which made my opinion towards Dumbledore even worse, but I still didn't address it.

Well, I actually had reached the limits of the school's library. I wouldn't be able to get any new information here, but I knew _where_ I could get it, even if I still didn't know _how_ to get in, so I worked on a plan.

Later, in the common room, I checked Harry's and Ron's output and had to declare to my suffering that they had unfortunately not improved. Ignorant idiots! It was so annoying. I mean, was it so hard to read a textbook? Apparently yes, I just felt terribly sorry for myself. But I forgot the most important thing and that was apparently Quidditch! Ugh..

And so I fumed over the parchments,while my quick-quotes quill was busy doing writing my history essay for me writing. Thanks Rita, I saved a lot of work and time, which I otherwise would've wasted with unimportant frippery. Therefore we spent the waiting time with homework, until at the agreed time the fireplace once again showed Sirius' fiery and red-hot head.

"Harry, how nice to see you!" Sirius said pleased. He didn't pay any attention to me anymore, but focused exclusively on his godson. Ah, so he was still offended, but he looked his usual self again.

"Sirius, I'm so glad to see you again, how are you?" The happiness that radiated from Harry made Sirius laugh heartily, it sounded almost like barking. When he was like that, so relaxed, free, and happy... Don't think about it, Hermione, I tried to calm myself.

"Good Harry, good, thank you. But tell me what can I do for you? Where do you need my advice?" he asked curiously and immediately started to talk about the actual topic.

"It's about.." And so Harry presented him our plan to create our own defense group and to give us all the necessary knowledge!

"But Harry, why do you hesitate, that's fantastic!" Sirius exclaimed enthusiastically. Yes, hadn't I said it? I could rely on Sirius. "Especially in times of dark-magical threats, it's inevitable to practice and learn, and this ministry bitch won't teach you," he ranted angrily and excitedly, he went on for a while.

"I would suggest you go behind the wall mirror on the fourth floor and use it as an exercise room," he suggested.

"That won't work, it broke down years ago," Harry said apologetically.

"Oh, then maybe... what is there?" Sirius snapped his head around, staring around the fire, looking as if he was caught, and listened attentively. "Damn, crap..", and he quickly disappeared from the flames. The three of us looked at each other not understanding the situation, then each of us shrugged. What was happening? At that moment we could see small, fat sausage fingers in the glowing flames of the fire, which were digging around, trying in vain to catch the intruder of the floo network.

Umbridge!

We jumped back from the fireplace in surprise once the hand came close to us, because we didn't want her to know that we were the ones who had had a forbidden conversation with a fugitive. "Boah, that stupid, old toad, how did she know that?" Ron immediately ranted.

"No idea, come!" I replied quietly and so we moved further back.

"And buddy, what are you going to do now?" Ron asked. I also looked at him in interest because of Ron's question.

"Sirius convinced me, Yes, I'll do it! We have to do something, it won't help if we just watch!" Harry decided with strength and conviction in his voice.

"Well roared, lion!" Ron patted him on the shoulder.

"Oh Harry, I'm so happy!" I said openly, hugging him gratefully, whereupon he patted my back.

"And how do we continue?" Harry asked then, and I broke away from him.

"I'm planning everything. We'll meet with interested students on Sunday! Only I don't have an idea where we could hold the meetings here in Hogwarts, yet," I admitted, biting my lip once again.

"Cool, it's gonna be great, I can't wait. We'll find a place where we can go," Ron said adventurously.

"Thank you Hermione for doing this," Harry said, yawning heartily. "Oh man, I'm tired. I'll see if I can find anything to practice at!" I smirked. While I was used to stay awake for that long, they weren't. "It's late, let's go to bed, we are going to have classes tomorrow."

Early in the morning, the next day.

"You're hard to catch, are you hiding from me?" Once again an arm without a body pulled me into the alcove behind one of the stoney figures at the main entrance so that nobody could see us. "How good that I get up early. What are you doing so early?"

"I run, I've just finished," I grinned at Draco, who was standing in front of me, prim and proper. "And no, I'm not trying to avoid you, why? Saturday was way too nice, I'm just very busy and I thought I'd make myself a bit invisible, because of Snape! Though I'm terribly curious about what happened when I was gone."

"Wow, do you still get enough air?" it came cheekily from Draco and he stroked my heated cheek.

"Haha. Tell me already!" I pestered him curiously and poked impatiently into his side.

"Nothing, I just made Severus aware of where we stand, that he can't stop us from seeing each other, and after a short while he accepted and agreed to tolerate it," he told me, revelling in the memory of his victory.

"Aha, and what kind of punishment can I expect?" I asked resignedly, realizing that his victory wouldn't end without a reprisal for me.

"I don't know, he suddenly started to grin in a devilish manner, which was more menacing than any of his previous gestures, and really creepy. And I just told him that he can do with you whatever he wants and likes. Since I can't dictate what he has to do and can't do, the only thing that I have forbidden is that he can't demand that I stay away from you! As long as he doesn't try to keep you away from me, I won't start digging into his business! That's the deal!" He shrugged apologetically, but his grin belied how much he actually liked the situation.

"Nice, very nice, Draco," I sighed in suffering, but I was speaking to the headsnake about the headheadsnake, so I shouldn't be surprised about such wrong-headed, cunning tactics.

"Did I say I was nice?" he asked provocatively.

"No, but that you're serving me on a silver plate to him and his revenge, is still more than not nice!" I hissed angrily at him.

"Scared?" He leaned close to me and breathed wickedly and forbidden into my ear, which gave me slight goose bumps all over my skin.

"Um, no, just annoyed! I don't know what he'll think of as punishment, oh, one sec, I forgot, I will not only know! I will experience it!" The words came poisonously from me.

"You can be hilarious, did I ever tell you that?" He chuckled mockingly.

"Yes, all the time... I'm a clown!" I replied soberly.

"See you later, Mudblood, Hogwarts is awakening.." he bid me good-bye, while he brushed my forehead with his lips, which caused a pleasant tingling sensation inside me. Well, as you sow, so you shall reap, and who said that the men I was dealing with were friendly and caring? But did I want it any different? Briefly considering; No!

Everyone was sitting in the Great Hall eating breakfast a short time later. Some even stuffed themselves like real pigs. Who could eat so much in the early morning? Ron! He could only get fat in his age, he wouldn't be able to help it. No body can burn so much fat, even in puberty. But then the mail came and landed in front of me, not only the newspaper owl, but also a second owl, which resulted in some questioning looks from the students around the table. The identity of the sender puzzled even me. Gringotts? No, it was neither the 1st nor the 15th! Rita? Also unlikely, but maybe, and I couldn't think of anyone else that fast.

I looked at the letter in my hand and now recognized the handwriting. I quickly ripped it open and read the letter carefully. There was a smile on my lips when I lowered the parchment, forgetting all I had said about my lack of fortune. I was blessed, I swam in fortune! My problem, my latest idea to get to information, had almost disappeared into thin air thanks to this letter. I cheered inwardly, I actually wanted to hire Rita for getting the information I wanted, but this was much better. Yes, it was perfect.

"What's that letter about?" My friends wanted to know and I could feel a curious look from the Slytherin table as well,and yes, there was a glittering, grey pair of eyes looking at me and a piercing look from deep black obsidians from the teachers table was sure to lie on me too. "From Viktor!" I didn't even lie. "What does he want?" Ron groaned angrily.

"Writing me, nothing special, and I am very happy and should give you his greetings, Harry!" I explained kindly. Harry looked up from his plate and looked at me delightedly.

"Cool, will you answer him?" he asked earnestly interested, and as I nodded, he continued. "Then please send him my greetings and tell him to catch as many snitches as possible!"

"Harry! You can't greet this dislikeable guy!" Ron said indignantly. Harry rolled his eyes, for I knew that he had liked Viktor.

"Sure, Harry. And Ron, just because you don't like him, we don't have to not like him too," I snapped, whereupon Ron snapped his mouth shut, and frowned at me. So I rose and marched out of the hall to write my reply in the classroom, which I sent off just before noon, and I was very glad that Viktor had thought of me as company. I was looking forward to seeing him, as we now had a good platonic friendship, which we maintained with the letters. Not everything had to end like it ended with Sirius, after all I had a casual friendship with Cedric too.

The rest of the day went by without further, special occurrences. Well, if I had known about the coming evening, I would've tried to stay invisible. But as I said before, there was something I was absolutely shit at and that was clairvoyance or divination and so I ran once again unknowingly into the open knife. Like every evening, we hung around the fireplace. All other Gryffindors were more or less afraid that I would bore them to death and now I was a prefect too, so I could defend my favorite chair quite furiously and Harry, yes well, most were proud that he was a lion and so they let him take the much sought-after seat on the couch without hesitation. But unlike for Draco, this privilege wasn't always granted to us.

"Guys, I have to tell you something. You know I've had problems with this fucking scar lately. And well, today in the locker room, I've got horrible pain, but it was different from Umbitch's detention! I'm sure he was really angry today. It was similar to the night at Grimmauld Place. He was angry then too. I'm sure now! There are differences in the type of pain! He was happy when I had my detention, it felt quite different but was no less painful," Harry explained, trying to elaborate how different it felt this time. Wow, I could only stare at Harry with big, round eyes. The connection seemed incredibly deep and that was scary. But this was really unexpected. I believed Harry that he was able to feel the Dark Lord's moods! The next question was just more important, what problems did the Dark Lord have? I had the uneasy feeling, that we wouldn't like the answer.

"This isn't good Harry, not good at all, a connection like that won't just be one sided," I said ambiguously and nibbled on my lips. "Harry, don't you want to tell Dumbledore about it?"

"No!" it came stubbornly from him. He pressed his lips together, because since the court trial he got very dismissive when someone started to speak about the ancient professor, which I could understand. If he knew what I knew, his trust in the old guy would most likely be totally lost. But to whom should I send him otherwise? "You know Harry, you have to learn to protect your mind, there's something... Occlumency... It's not easy, not easy to learn at all," I knew what I was talking about but I had done it all by myself with much effort and discipline, so Harry should be able to learn it under instructions.

"I.. that's real? I mean, I've been raised in the wizarding world, but I've never heard of anything like that before. Wicked!" Ron said baffled, amazed, and looked at me incredulously and with big eyes. "Yes, there is. It's not taught at Hogwarts, though. It's higher magic, not everyone can do it, it's really not easy, but if you can do it, you could defend yourself against mh.. You-Know-Who.. and keep him out of your mind!" I bustled.

"Really Hermione, that's amazing. Such magic exists? How do you know about it? Can you do it?" Harry asked eagerly and a bit of hope glowed in his eyes that there would be a way to get rid of the pain and insights into Voldemort's mind.

"Well, from books and no, I can't," I lied for a good reason.

"And who should teach me then?" Harry asked soberly. "You could ask the Professor," I suggested to him.

"I'm considering it, Hermione, really. But he's been so odd lately, doesn't even look at me anymore," Harry said. Yes, I had seen the unexplainable behaviour as well and couldn't figure out why, especially because he was endangering Harry's trust in him. But as I had said before, I often couldn't understand Dumbledore.

"Do that Harry, just don't wait too long," I asked him nevertheless, because Dumbledore could help him, as much as I disliked it.

"I'll really consider it, I promise," he said to me lovingly and pulled me into a hug. I could imagine that it wasn't nice to have to deal with the feelings and moods of the Dark Lord. Hello, could there be anything worse? As I kept saying, we had a really lousy youth.

"Tell me, have you found a room for training yet?" I suddenly asked, to get to another topic. Both of them shook their heads unhappily when suddenly the common room fell silent, which was creepy as well as unexpected. It was never quiet in here, that was strange. A ghostly silence lay over the normally loud and cheerful room, which immediately got my attention. And as I sat with my back to the entrance I only saw the horrified and disbelieving faces of Harry and Ron at first. They were sitting in front of me with open mouths and looked totally perplexed at a point behind me. And so I turned around quickly.

I dropped dead! Oh, he did it on purpose, I was sure! Yes, I saw that in the spiteful expression of these viciously gleaming eyes, in this pale, controlled face, which, despite its indifferent mask, looked very self-satisfied. His whole being seemed so completely out of place, in this colorful, bright room, as he stood in the middle controlling everything around him and enjoyed to see that the Gryffindors were close to a heart attack. He had come for his revenge! He wanted to ostracize me from my own house as I had made him look like a fool in front of the Slytherins. Oh, he was good, he hit me where it hurt. I didn't give myself to the illusion that what he wanted here had nothing to do with me...

There was an excited whisper. "What is he doing here?", "Is he allowed to be in here?", "Should we get McGonagall?", "How did he get in?" Just like that everything descended into chaos and the volume increased constantly. He didn't let himself be disturbed, looking scornfully at everything, and seemed to enjoy the chaos which he had caused by his sudden appearance.

"Miss Granger!" I had been waiting for that as all eyes immediately turned to me, just to stay on me. Oh, this mean bastard, he knew exactly what he was doing with his actions. Oh thanks! When ever did it happen, that the Head of Slytherin House came to the Gryffindor Tower to get someone? I think it had never happened before!

McGonagall wouldn't even dream of going to the dungeons. And so I looked at him coldly and very angrily which made the corners of his mouth twitch slightly, spitefully, making him look even more malicious.

"Yes, Professor, what can I do for you?" I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of acting surprised. Don't forget Professor, I too was good at playing. So I looked at him over my shoulder with self-confidence.

"You, come with me, right now!" he hissed so dangerously venomously that it was beyond question to what house he belonged to, really impressive.

"Oh, Professor, as you wish," I warbled in fake delight. That idiot, what should I tell Harry and Ron? That Snape was in our common room, just to get me, that was almost too much honor to bear with, so I rose very calmly out of my chair, and went fearlessly towards him, the threatening source of danger. On the outside, I was the calm itself, though inside I boiled like a geyser. I could see that he didn't like my attitude, as he pursed his lips into a tight line even more, so that they were no longer visible. What had he expected? That it would shake me up, just because he came up here like a malicious bat? Please, Professor, I was made of sterner stuff than that!

Though I was ready to admit to myself, that what was waiting for me in private made my heart flutter a bit. But even with that, I wasn't afraid and that was probably because of how I had met him as Minna.

"But Hermione.." it came from Harry. Please stop.. just shut up Harry! Snape seemed to have just waited for something like that. "Do you have anything to say, Mr. Potter?" he snarled softly at Harry. The heads of our classmates went back and forth between us. I was getting closer and closer to the professor and didn't let myself be stopped.

"Harry, leave it!" I ordered sharply, looking briefly at him with a plea in my eyes. I could see Harry's and the disbelieving looks of the others. How far would he go? I swallowed the lump in my throat away with difficulty.

"Listen to Miss Granger, Mr Potter," Snape told him coldly, and he smiled at me with his calculating eyes. "Can we go now, Miss Granger? As you know, I don't like to wait!" I was used to his very harsh tone, as if I were a snail that needed hours to come to him, but I couldn't leave his ambiguous hint that I would know what he liked uncommented. He wanted to play? Sure.

"Oh, Professor, as if I didn't know that, right, Sir?" I asked no less ambiguously. Of course, it was quite cheeky, which led to some surprised gasps from the Gryffindors, that I dared to use such a tone.

"Miss Granger, was our meeting on Saturday not enough already? Do you really want to continue to irritate me? I do not forgive standing against me!" he threatened me openly and referred to our conflict, when he had recognized me in Slytherin. He told the others openly that he and I had met on Saturday, which I of course hadn't told Harry and Ron. I would have liked to choke him.

"Professor, I am irritating you? I wasn't aware of it," I stood up to him, as if we were alone, while somewhat losing sight of the Gryffindors during my duel with Snape. But he seemed to forget it too, or he actually wanted to see me in the hot seat, since no one knew about Saturday's trip, apart from the Twins.

"Miss Granger, should I continue to allow your outrageous behaviour? I've been allowing you to get away with it too much lately. If you had the kindness to follow me now!" it came from him drawn-out and derisively, but he remained quite calm and cold.

"But Professor, I always like to come with you!" My cynicism went crazy. I just hinted about Minna, which he couldn't know. But unfortunately the meaning of my words wasn't received just by him, but also with great outcry by the Gryffindors. What was I thinking? My idiotic temper, I would still have to work on myself! Disastrous, just because I wanted to infuriate him once more, not good, absolutely not good. However, I was to blame for the screaming and yelling starting around me, which made our Professor look even more satisfied, because I had made myself look 'suspicious' in front of the others. Oh, he was a manipulator. I had walked right into his trap, like a beginner and he knew that, so he wallowed in my tricky situation with pleasure.

"Hermione", "What do you mean by that..", "Hermione, what's going on..", it sounded loudly, horrified, perplexed and surprised by Ron and Harry and I was just starting to get really mad, I felt slightly pushed into the corner. On second thoughts, I _had been_ pushed into the corner.

"Let's go, Professor, so we can get rid of your problem," I hissed to him, now painstakingly controlled, which caused him to release a tiny sound which reminded of a snarky snort.

"After you, Miss Granger, not that you'll stab me in the back with a knife!" he whispered to me now, hinting at Bole, and that he wasn't putting it past me to try and hurt him, an allusion that left many Gryffindors with wide open mouths. Had the Slytherins looked as dumbstruck as them? I resolutely turned to the portrait exit and we left the cries of protests behind us. I walked with rapid steps determined towards the secret passageway, because as a former Slytherin I was pretty sure that he knew it himself pretty well. Great, really great, what had I just done? I was annoyed about myself beyond measure, but at that very moment my bigger problem was a Snape ready for revenge. As soon as we had disappeared into the secret passageway, I once again was allowed to make joyful acquaintance with the cold and slightly damp stone wall in my back, which didn't really surprise me.

Uff, he provocatively put his two hands on the left and right of my head against the wall and came very close to me, towering so threateningly over me that I was very much aware of my small body size. The feeling of being constricted arose in me, because I was completely and utterly at his mercy as he took me prisoner between himself and the wall.

"I am a very different caliber to play with than the stupid mutt, remember that and don't forget it, Miss Granger!" He threatened me with his deep, dark voice.

"How could I, sir?" I breathed heavily. My chest raised and lowered visibly as all this didn't pass by me without a trace.

"Draco won't protect you! In case you were hoping for it," he said sweetly. The verbal exchange came quickly, strike after strike.

"I am aware of that, Professor!" I said firmly.

"Really? And it doesn't matter to you that he is ready to deliver you to me? What do you want him to do then?" he asked briefly, as one of his dark brows raised perplexed because of my cold indifference.

"Come on, Sir. He's a Malfoy! I know what to expect from him. But you belong - according to Draco's words - to the family and that's how I know that he will agree with everything you will do to me. Don't believe that I'm blind and stupid," I hissed, now almost offended, in his much too close face.

"You can really astound with your callousness, Miss Granger," he replied intensely, looking deep into my eyes.

"Thanks for the compliment. Though I'm just realistic. But I think he showed he's ready to protect me from the Slytherins. That's enough for me to know he's serious," I said solemnly and coldly.

"Then what do you want from Draco? Protection?" he asked in disbelief. He raised his hands abruptly only to slam them back into the wall again with a loud smack. It didn't make me flinch though, because I wasn't afraid of beatings and I also didn't think that he'd hit me. He loved threatening gestures, but when it came to really doing it, it would be far below his dignity. As said, he was a different caliber than Sirius, and I was aware of that too and so I stood still, waiting for my fate.

"I think I'm going to say... no... comment, ask Draco!" I whispered provocatively, raising my shoulders apologetically. Hereon he took his right hand from the wall and caressed threateningly, lasciviously, slowly with his index finger along my face, away from my temple, going down to my chin. This wasn't a friendly, tender gesture, it created a feeling of being exposed and was more disturbing than his previous outburst, as the gesture seemed really menacing to me. He was a wonderful manipulator in things like subtly affecting an atmosphere, even I could not fully elude it. First aggressively threatening, then hidden in an equally menacing, intimate gesture. He was a thoroughly inscrutable opponent who was ready to use all means at his disposal to force his opponent to his knees.

"You just got yourself into trouble. What will the lions say, that you're talking to your professor like that? Tsk, tsk, tsk…," he whispered seductively, softly like a gentle breeze, which brushed my ear and took my breath away. As he stood there so close to me and his hair tickled my cheek, the memories threatened to overwhelm me.

"What do you care?" I questioned defiantly and I tried to creep further into the wall, in which of course I didn't succeed. It was clear to me that trouble was waiting for me, and that he was glad to have given me so much hassle, too. The first step of his revenge had already been successful and he knew that.

"Yes, I don't care. But it's too amusing," he said still silkily, but also very maliciously and he showed me a diabolic grin, which would have shaken less steadfast people. And then he abruptly pushed himself off the wall and grabbed my arm very tenderly, which I mean ironically, and pulled me down the few steps.

"First of all, you have detention from next week onwards on Monday at 20:00, Miss Granger, you have to brew the stolen potions," he declared coldly, while rushing through the secret passageway with me in tow.

"Of course, Sir." Complaining about it would've been pointless and humiliating and so I surrendered to my destiny, my _chosen_ destiny. Had I ever said that I sometimes made really stupid decisions? Well, you were always smarter afterwards!

"And now, show me the secret passageway," he suddenly ordered out of the blue and pushed me through the wall carpet. Hey, that wasn't very gentlemanlike! "Why should I, Sir?" I asked provocatively. I really didn't feel like doing him a favor just now.

"Because that was our agreement and you don't want to break your promises, do you?" He replied smoothly, turning his black haired head toward me and looking at me piercingly. He was right, the bastard! Of course I would always stick to a promise, this, this... bastard! I was speechless. I had said that before, right? Damn, he had saved my life and he could demand a lot of me and do a lot to me and I would actually obey him. Only in the case of Draco I had unfortunately not been able to do so, firstly because I wanted Draco and that was important to me, and secondly, because Draco would never have allowed me to withdraw from him. However, I would let the Professor do and know everything else. Always! An amazing and unexpected realization for me. He didn't know that, he didn't need to know, but I didn't forget when someone was nice to me. As much as I relentlessly pursued my revenge, as faithful was I with my gratitude.

"Of course, Professor, forgive me... Follow me, please!" I said politely, apologizing. I didn't have to irritate him any more. Otherwise he might come to the horrendous idea to visit or to haunt us in Gryffindor's common room more often, and thus make my life a living hell. That couldn't happen. And I would trust him and his revengeful brain to do so. Why did I always have to get involved with men like this? Did I have such a bad taste? These were my little elevating thoughts as we wandered through the dimly lit dungeons. I led him around the corner near the potion classroom to the stoney figure of a witch and stood before it.

"What are we doing here?" he snarled impatiently.

"We're here, Sir!" I smiled nastily at him over my shoulder and pulled my wand. "Dissendium," and already the secret passageway was opening in front of us. I stepped over the threshold and he followed me silently on my heels. I cast an Incendio nonverbally and torches brightened the narrow passage. Thus we silently walked along the corridor until we reached the boulder, then I was allowed to watch as his eyebrow raised. I just shrugged and used Dissendium again and a nonverbal Wingardium Leviosa to let the heavy chunk float away like the times before. Now we entered the Forbidden Forest, which received us with its all-embracing darkness.

"Well, Sir, here we are! You just have to close the pathway afterwards, if you want to open it again use a Dissendium, that's all," I explained busily, and I was allowed to see an incredulous expression on his usual expressionless mask in the light of the Lumos of our wands whilst he turned around to look at all of this, wondering where we were.

"Impressive, Miss Granger. How did you find it? Very convenient...", he praised and seemed really impressed, while he stroked his chin.

"By chance, I stumbled over it. Does it help you?" I asked, hoping he wouldn't ask any more.

"Absolutely, it'll save a lot of time, but it's also dangerous, it would make Hogwarts unsafe if too many people knew it was here!" he immediately spotted the blind spot and spoke more to himself than to me.

"Well Professor, that is clear to me, which is why only you, me and Draco know about this path. And I think Draco is smart enough to not tell anyone. Even Harry and Ron have no knowledge of this path," I immediately clarified to the professor.

"Why not Potter? He always knows best what he shouldn't know about," he said mockingly with clear disdain.

"No, it's better if he doesn't know about this path. Besides, he can't apparate. It wouldn't help him," I harshly waved his mock away with a gesture of my hand.

"Uhm Professor.. even if you're at odds with me at the moment... I, we've got a problem...", I pulled my lower lip through my teeth and looked at him as he turned to me, his arms folded in front of his chest, in his right hand his wand, which illuminated his face from below.

"Brave to speak about me helping you after your last performance..", he remarked, his tone of voice immediately turning frosty.

"I know and I wouldn't dare to speak to you if I wouldn't consider it very important! You won't like it though!" I predicted boldly and looked at him shyly.

"Did I ever like something that had anything to do with you?" he muttered nastily, cocking his head provocatively. What an idiot! Whenever you were inside me, Professor, you've enjoyed everything very much! My emotions threatened to overwhelm me, I started to feel it rising up inside me, but _breathe deeply, calm down.._

"Well, I can't give you an answer to that, but it's about Harry!" I said now pressing my lips together and wanted to concentrate on the important things. I could see how his jaw began to work, yes, he didn't like it.

"What about Potter?" he growled impatiently.

"Well, since the night... after he came back, Harry is having problems with his scar..." I stuttered uncertainly, but Snape waited patiently, and I wondered why we were able to speak so openly with each other, here, surrounded by the Forbidden Forest and it's creepy, unreal atmosphere, about Harry's problems. And then I was surprised that he even listened, despite his instantaneous anger toward me and my anger about his action earlier. But this different environment helped us, unlike Hogwarts, to find the words and discuss something important.

"... Harry can feel when he has a tantrum or when he's very, very happy. There's a connection between their spirits, through the scar. It hurts him, but especially at night, in his sleep. I am presuming and fearing that it could be two-sided..." I said quickly with a firm voice, while I looked unhappily at Snape in the dim light of the lit ends of our wands, listening to the rustle of the leaves because I could only hope that Snape wouldn't dismiss my idea.

"What? That wouldn't be good, not good at all...", it came from Snape in disbelief, and he immediately recognized the dangers that came with it.

"Well, why do you think I'm telling you this?" I said dryly, rolling my eyes a bit theatrically, which earned me a very angry look.

"Why doesn't he go to Professor Dumbledore?" Snape asked, really and truly confused.

"Yes, that's another thing. Harry doesn't want to. The headmaster is acting really odd towards Harry since the holidays. I don't know if you noticed, Sir, but he doesn't look at Harry, ignores him, and avoids him! Harry doesn't want to go to him, because of this," I told him the circumstances, looking at him directly with concern in my eyes.

"Potter is just too stupid," came his brutal statement, but how could I contradict him if I agreed with him on this point?

"If the Dark Lord knows he has a connection to Potter's mind, then... we'll all be in danger, won't we?" He moved his mouth in a bitter motion after this unpleasant observation of my personal horror scenario.

I nodded. "I told Harry to go to Dumbledore and ask him to teach him about Occlumency. He is thinking about it," I said contemptuously.

"That Potter must always be so... stupid," he grumbled into his non-existent beard.

"Professor, what can we do? What should I do? Can you give me any advise?" I asked him helplessly, looking at him pleadingly from the bottom of my heart.

"I'll tell the professor about it, without naming anyone. I'll say I overheard a conversation. And you should try to teach him how to meditate so that if it comes to Occlumency lessons he'll not waste too much time..." he said busily and I stiffened. How did he come to the conclusion that I could meditate?

"But Professor.."

"Miss Granger, I've told you so many times, I'm neither dumb nor intellectually challenged. I know you've mastered the art... I wonder why you don't want to teach Potter yourself." If I didn't have that good of a self-control, my chin would've landed on the floor. He, wow, he was truly astonishing and impressive.

"Harry wouldn't understand why I taught myself. I couldn't give him any satisfying answers to his questions," I tried to explain my motivations, but above all, why should I do it? What was Professor Dumbledore here for? I really wasn't a master in this field, yet.

"I knew you'd taught it to yourself. I know how hard it is and I congratulate you, you did well. But don't give yourself any hope, it won't save you from my anger," he said harshly and I listened to his hidden praise and the respect coming with it, while he was looking harshly at me from the side.

"Oh, Sir, I know that. I won't shirk, don't you worry," I tried to appease.

"Go back to your common room, Miss Granger," he ordered, thus dismissing me for today.

"You'll stay here?" I frowned, surprised.

"I don't think that's any of your business!" he exclaimed indignantly.

"My apologies." However, at that moment I got my answer, as he briefly flinched and touched the mark on his left arm. Oh, apparently a meeting had been scheduled today, and he had only waited for the call. "Then I wish you good luck, Professor, and take care of yourself."

"Don't get cheeky, you don't know what's going to happen to you, Miss Granger!" he threatened me, grumbling.

"Oh course not, Professor!" I waved at him and entered the secret passageway again. Just before I turned and left, I saw him take out his shrunken Death Eater cloak, enlarge it, and put it on. This deep black mass of fabric, which swallowed even the twilight of the late evening, made him even more of a creature of darkness than before. A horrible, beautiful picture. Afterwards came the mask. I could see the black obsidians glaring behind the eerie, skull-like, silver mask. He looked as if he would bring death, an uncompromising, dangerous warrior.

A slight tremble seized me, which I could hardly suppress, and absolute iciness came upon me when I saw this completely different man, for at that moment he was something else. He was something absolutely evil, something dangerous, a real, deadly Death Eater!

* * *

 **WHF - competition 2017!**

Dear readers, dear friends and enthusiastic fans of our epic WHF.

We want to start a very magical contest again this year, where you can try your creative and magical skills against each other. Of course, there are also some treasures to be won. So it's definitely worth your time to participate.

Be creative, let the story inspire you and do whatever you want. A nice new trailer! A fanart! Be it crafted, or recorded! Or something written! For example, write down a scene that you would have liked to read in WHF!

There are no limits.

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Good Luck from all of us! xxx


	46. Tears and the Hogs Head Inn

Aloha Hi!

Here we are again! A Big welcome to all our new readers and followers! :D

Original Chapter uncut.

Enjoy! xxx

* * *

Tears and the Hog's Head Inn

After recovering from my shock of having faced a real Death Eater for the first time on my own, I locked the passageway diligently and with routine. Compared to Snape, the unmasked Bole and Derrick had been a joke and even the sad figures at the Quidditch World Cup hadn't seemed threatening to me. Snape on the contrary... I might be brave and quite ruthless, but Snape as a Death Eater was a terrific figure and seemed ready to go over corpses. You could see that he grew into or was even born for this role.

So I started to head back to the common room, deeply in thought, preparing myself to face the questions and accusations of my friends. I didn't plan anything ahead; that would've been pointless. In battles like this you got the best results without much planning and by just reacting spontaneously. Everything always happened in a different way than you thought anyways, I almost gave up already.

Phew, I had no real desire to enter this room, but anyone who could face a Death Eater named Snape should be able to cope with the children behind that door as well, hence I took another deep breath and spoke the password. Go in and win! The common room was rarely so crowded, the tempers had apparently not calmed down yet since the unexpected appearance of Snape. As I entered an imminent silence hit me and I was appraised like prey. Hey, they were just living up to their name of 'lions'. It was as if they were on the verge of tearing me apart! I felt like I was on display, standing in the middle and all the Gryffindors were crowded together in bigger and smaller groups in corners around the room and had spoken excitedly with each other until I arrived back. There was nothing more beautiful than a scandal and the following gossip. _Gossips, the whole lot_ , I thought contemptuously.

"Hermione!" Harry rose immediately from the couch. "What was that all about? What is going on? What did Snape want here?" he demanded vehemently, indeed very aggressively. Clearly, his temper got the best of him. His body shook visibly with suppressed rage, wonderful.

"Professor Snape, Harry!" I just couldn't leave it alone, some people gasped for air after what I'd said.

"What is going on? That he invades the tower to usher you out of here?" he shouted angrily, and Ron joined him.

"Yeah, and the way you talked to him. How could you?" Ron started to yell as well, and I could see the twins starting at the window, wanting to come to my rescue. But I wanted them to keep their cover and looked at them briefly, shaking my head. They regarded me doubtfully, but then nodded slightly and sank back down again. I took another deep breath. It felt like being on trial, right there in the middle of the room, and really every single Gryffindor was here, but Harry and Ron wouldn't let me talk about anything in private. Not yet, at least, as excited as they were right now.

"Umm, well, he just gave me a very impressive detention, that's all...?" I said brusquely, folding my arms defensively in front of my chest. It wasn't nice to be examined predatorily by the lot of them.

"Well, but you're the first one ever to be taken from the common room just for detention. He could've told you in class. The performance... was..." Harry was missing the words, but you could rely on Colin Creevey, this muggleborn, small, lousy, pompous smart arse.

"Oscar-worthy, Harry, the performance was oscar-worthy!" he said adoringly to Harry and Harry only nodded gratefully to Colin. _You had to be blond_ , I thought very annoyed.

"Exactly, Colin, that's the right word, that does... not explain anything here!" And he invited the entire common room to join our conversation with his gesture. I wanted to hit my head against the wall. Oh, how... wonderful, thank you Snape, thank you! That revenge hit home, he'd done his thing well!

"Harry, there's nothing!" I replied, annoyed. I could hear a derisive snort behind me. When I quickly glanced over my shoulder I saw Lav, looking at me with a scornful expression, giving me a once over from head to toe. This girl and I had never warmed up to each other. I didn't like her shallow-minded and superficial personality. She was only interested in fashion and boys, and she didn't like me because of my intelligence and my honesty. She didn't understand that I prefered books to anything else but she was intellectually so far below me that every conversation had to go slack.

"What are you accusing me of?" I asked persistently, frowning angrily because Snape had never slept with the student Hermione, we had to establish that fact here and now. I had to turn the table and present myself as the poor innocent lamb, which I really wasn't, but nobody knew and that should remain so.

"What happened on Saturday?" Harry asked, clearly suspicious, narrowing his eyes in distrust.

"Nothing special, he caught me in the hallways and I tried to talk myself out of it... Apparently he figured that my explanation might not have been correct and that's why he presented himself like that here. Do I know what's going on in the head of this man?" I defended myself fervently and tried not to invent something, but to remain honest and admit I had no idea.

"Aha, and we're supposed to believe you?" Ron doubted, looking quite red in his face. He should pay more attention to his blood pressure, that was the huge amount of cholesterol at work, obviously!

"Yes, I don't allow him to push me around like he wants. I don't understand what crimes I apparently committed that you doubt me like this. What did I do? Why are you so suspicious of me? Do I deserve that...? Besides, I would be grateful if we could clear this among ourselves, without all these others here!" I threw a furious glance at the much too curious groups.

"Oh, Hermione, I even ask for it! It's not that, but your behaviour earlier was so odd, so absolutely impossible to understand and… And then the question arises, why do you still live after what you said to him?" Harry showed himself incredibly stubborn as always.

"Yes, that would interest me too," Ron said sharply.

"You're acting like he's slaughtering students every day," I said contemptuously, waving my hands around in frustration.

"But he does," Ron stated succinctly and I looked at him skeptically.

"Come on! He's just achieved what he wanted! To unsettle us Gryffindors. He's capable of every dirty trick you can think of! He just wants to cause trouble!" I exclaimed angrily.

"Yes, I think so, too!" Fred helpfully provided.

"I agree, he was always cunning and if he can annoy Harry by doing this... then the dungeon bat will do exactly that," George said schemingly and the two had a really good point and were high up in the ranks of our house, their words did count quite a lot here.

"Besides, the way you lead the bat on was awesome, Hermione. But his phrase with the knife was cool, too. Never heard Snape say anything like this before, it was unique. We laughed our asses off!" Fred laughed nastily, loosening the tense mood slightly. I always said, those two were very, very good, how they turned the tables, helping me in this way. I could see more and more students nodding, which shrunk the weight on my mind minimally. As it turned out, I would get out of this unpleasant situation relatively unscathed without losing my face.

"Come on, let's go upstairs, guys!" I asked Harry and Ron and started to move into the direction of the stairs. When we reached the boys dormitory, I sat down on the bed with Harry. Ron settled down on his own bed. I regarded at them thoughtfully and they also watched me closely until I lifted my head and looked at them resolutely.

"I didn't want to tell you down there. But as you can imagine, Snape and I had the opportunity to talk in the Black Library and sometimes we talked about the books we read. There was nothing more, just that I could talk to him in a more relaxed way. And before you start yelling Ron, Sirius was always there with us and joined the conversation," I defended myself and I could watch how both of them breathed in relief after hearing Sirius' name.

"But why did he storm into the tower like that?" they pushed me further.

"What do I know? He was angry at me and wanted to avenge himself and drive a wedge between us!" I replied, shrugging my shoulders sadly. "You never know with that guy, you never know when you put your foot in his mouth," I explained, while making big, innocent eyes and playing with the hem of my school skirt in a gesture of shame, twirling the fabric between my fingers.

"This is so Slytherin, this... Oh, if he wasn't a professor," Ron hissed and was killing his pillow in an impressive way as he tried to strangle it.

"You should be careful and stay away from him," they advised me anxiously.

"Do you think I like being close to him?" I hissed, but innocently raised hands were held up in front of me.

"But how else could I have reacted in the common room? Should I have refused to go with him? He's a professor," I continued to defend myself.

"Oh, Hermione, you and your.. 'professor' here and 'professor' there," Ron groaned loudly, throwing his head back in frustration.

"Very funny, Ron." I was very cynical. "What else should I have done?"

"No idea!" He looked at me with big, ignorant eyes, but his chin was raised up stubbornly.

"Not hard to believe..," the tone of my voice was very ironic again and I snorted in contempt.

"What kind of detention did he give you?" Harry asked, rather worried.

"On Mondays and Fridays I'm supposed to brew potions." I made a suffering grimace, because I wouldn't be allowed to keep them, and my time was actually too precious. "Though, it could be worse," I shrugged, because it really could've been.

"But because of what?" Harry persisted.

"He didn't really give me any reason, just meant that this would be my punishment and then left! He didn't tell me!" I shrugged apologetically and unhappily. "...and I didn't dare to ask!" These questions got on my nerves and I decided to take the easiest way out. I pushed a few tears into my eyes, which was amazingly easy, so my eyes now floated in a sea of water. It was really useful to be able to act, for what boy could resist tears, female tears? And I didn't consider myself too good to use such means to get what I wanted, and sniffed. Pride? Forget it! What was that again?

"I really don't understand either what he wants, so horrible as he was. And I, as a prefect, have gotten detention for not doing anything!" I sobbed heart-meltingly and pushed more tears out of my eyes and these rolled down theatrically over my cheeks. "... and… and the Gryffindors hate me now," I whined. Harry and Ron's faces were hilarious as their expressions changed from distrustful to caring and upset and they looked at each other slightly overwhelmed. That a girl's tears could easily lead guys to panic was so predictable, but all the better for me. Inwardly I was delighted about my very successful coup.

"But... but Hermione, we didn't mean it like that! Please, don't cry... Dear... it's going to be alright..." Harry looked nervously to his bedside table for a handkerchief, which he then gave me, relieved after he found one.

"Yeah, Hermione, you're the best prefect ever!" Ron tried to awkwardly comfort me by complimenting me. Really, the guys were almost too sweet.

"B... bu... but, I have detention!" I stammered unsettled from crying. "I should be a role model!" I continued to bawl inconsolably at my apparent failure. Ron shrugged despairingly and peered at Harry, who suddenly found his heart and pulled me to his chest, taking me lovingly and caringly into his arms.

"Sssh, all is well... Calm down, relax. We didn't want to offend you or imply anything! We know we can trust you. Snape is an ass who just wants to make us insecure, don't be intimidated by his malice. You're so strong, Hermione," he whispered to me. Of course I was, but it couldn't be any better, so I hid the satisfied smile that started to form on my face in Harry's neck, into which I cuddled myself and let my fake tears run. Perfect.

"Not only Snape, also your accusations... have... hurt me much more!" I whinged. If I did an act like this, I aimed to go all out.

"Please, Hermione! Stop crying. You've never been like this. I know we reacted wrong, we shouldn't trust Snape, I'm so sorry," Harry apologized softly, stroking my hair tenderly.

"Yes, Hermione! I'm sorry too, please calm down. We stay together, no matter what he'll do," Ron now rose bravely and patted my shoulder insecurely. Oh, even better! And I tore myself abruptly off Harry, jumped from the bed and threw myself hard against Ron's chest and was now crying into his shoulder heart-meltingly loud and he stood there like a dork until he carefully, slowly put his arms around me, holding me slightly overwhelmed, swaying me soothingly.

"I'm sorry. I was just so hurt, wondering how I deserved your mistrust," I now distanced myself from Ron with a tearstained face and a whining, strained voice. Harry pulled me back on the bed, which made Ron release his breath in relief, because he was rid of me again. It was only the second time since we knew each other where I had been crying. The first time had been in the girl's toilet, when the troll had found me and Ron and Harry had rushed to my rescue. Only, unlike then, my tears were now as real as snow in summer! Was I ashamed of having to make such a farce in front of my friends? Um, no, it was necessary, they were too suspicious and every way to misdirect them was legit. I fought now with all the means available to me. Without shyness or shame and with the tears of a woman.

"We have to apologize, Hermione. It wasn't right how we behaved towards you! You're our friend, we should always trust you and not get suspicious because of this vicious scumbag," Harry looked at me penitently, holding my hands in his, looking deeply into my eyes.

"Oh, Harry! You don't have to apologize. I can imagine how that all must have looked like, but I didn't want to let him win! To give him the satisfaction of… showing him that he unnerves me...", I explained myself, interrupted by deep sobs still.

"But Hermione, you're dead right! Be proud. I would never show the dark dungeon crawler that he makes me nervous either. We aren't Neville," said Ron now. "And... I need to apologize too, you were amazing, holding your own against Snape."

"What about the other Gryffindors?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"I don't care, Harry! Only you are important to me and if you show them that you trust me, then it'll be fine, and if not, it doesn't matter! Fred, George, and Ginny will probably be on my side as well," I said, looking like a whipped dog with tearful eyes under my long hair.

"You're so strong, Hermione..." Ron wanted to cheer me up.

"Yes, you've always been. It's going to be fine, we're always there for you! No more mistrust!" Harry embraced me heartily once again.

"Thank you guys, your encouragement helps. Now I just have to survive the detention. He didn't even say how long it will take!" I whined in dismay and sniffed loudly into the handkerchief. "What... but?" both stuttered.

"What am I supposed to do? He... won't get to me that easily...", it came now with an angry hiss from me.

"Exactly, show him...", both patted my back encouragingly. I wiped my burning eyes.

"You're tired, it's late. We should all go to bed. Tomorrow will look much better again." Harry declared softly.

"Harry is right, tomorrow all will be better," Ron said, smirking at me, so I said goodbye to them and went to the girl's dormitory. It was still empty and so I disappeared into the bathroom and when I laid in bed a little while later, I didn't feel so bad as I had been able to speak with Snape about Harry's problem and thanks to the boys feeling guilty I would be able to continue to play my game. I knew I had Harry and Ron well wrapped around my finger. Was I a bitch because I manipulated them so much? Probably, but I couldn't do it differently. And so it went back and forth inside my mind, but I would need to be more careful for the next few days and be more responsive to the guys, since I now would be under permanent observation. I hoped that Sunday and our plans would distract them so much that they would forget about me.

Yes, I set high hopes for Sunday. But until then there was still my martial art training on Friday. I hoped I wouldn't hurt myself again. Not that I had to go to Snape again, that would be suboptimal. And so the rest of the torturous week passed. Its end couldn't have come sooner. Friday was a challenge, but I survived it. Firstly, thanks to the Twins help and secondly because of my lie that I had detention with Snape and thirdly because I didn't hurt myself and so I quickly hurried into the common room without running into the dear Professor. The Gryffindors had also calmed down again after seeing how close we three were, despite our loud argument in the common room. It was as if we were glued together, it wasn't easy for me. Not easy, but necessary, unfortunately.

On Thursday we saw Snape again in the classroom, he had made himself scarce the last few days, apparently Harry's scar was a real guarantor to guess in what mood the Dark Lord was. And since Snape looked quite worn out and exhausted, the Dark Lord obviously took his bad mood out on his people and kept them busy. Ha, serves him right! For the trouble and hassle that he had bestowed upon me. Also, I could imagine that because of his activities as a Death Eater, spy of the Order of the Phoenix, as professor and potion master for both sides, he didn't really have much time for himself, the man and human Severus Snape, and so it didn't surprise me that I as Minna still hadn't received any new demands, which maybe did make me feel a little bit sorry for him, but only maybe. On Saturday I was finally able to follow Draco to the school library at noon, without his entourage glued to his side.

"Draco, good that I was finally able to find you alone!" I gave him a wicked smile.

"What is it Mudblood? I missed you!" He embraced my hips with both hands and pulled me into his strong body, so I put my hands on his chest and beamed. I was always glad when he didn't show me his cold, rigid mask.

"I missed you too, Draco. That's why, I miss you so much, but I can't meet you today, unfortunately. The Gryffindors keep me under strict surveillance, you can thank Snape for that!" I riled, disgruntled, for the looks following me around, stalking and appraising my every step really got on my nerves.

"Why?" His eyes looked sad.

"He came into our common room on Tuesday evening and we had a little argument in front of everyone and now they keep staring at me in suspicion, it sucks!" I was completely annoyed once again.

"So the rumors are true? Very funny, him in Gryffindor. That's Severus live, but also very annoying, very annoying for us that you can't meet me. But you should be careful, my Mudblood!" he said ruefully before kissing me quickly on my forehead.

"Oh, I could strangle him!" I hit his chest angrily.

"Eh, I'm not a punching bag... I bet that things will have calmed down next Saturday, but then I won't be put off anymore. Have you already read the books?" he addressed another topic.

"No sorry. I will give them the attention they deserve. I think it's going to calm down from Sunday on, but I'm crazily busy right now," I explained, stressed out, shaking my head so hard that my hair flew around everywhere. Then, after a quick glance around, he grabbed me even more firmly and pulled me to his chest and held me tight. I sank against him and found comfort in his willing and firm embrace. He gently raised my chin with one hand, the other one at my waist, and looked deeply into my eyes, slowly and carefully laid his lips on to mine and kissed me very gently, very emotionally and I fervently returned this tender kiss, then he distanced himself from me and gave me an intense look.

"It'll be fine, my Mudblood, take care of yourself," he said, taking my hand and bringing it to his lips, kissing it, giving me a mischievous grin, and then he quietly disappeared from the library. Draco had an incredible way of standing above things, but we'd kissed again, though I didn't know where it would lead to. Especially with his knowledge of the situation between his godfather and me, whereupon I felt the beginning of a stinging heachache. All this was so very complicated and tricky and so I pushed these unwanted thoughts far away from me.

And then came the highly anticipated Sunday. Harry and Ron had been on pins and needles for days. We headed well wrapped, as the cold autumn air blew vigorously and thus swept around the very colorful leaves from the trees, towards our meeting that I had prepared diligently.

We took the path leading to Hogsmeade and approached the destination mentioned by the Twins, the Hog's Head Inn. Yes, many memories came back to me, but I pushed them gently away. I wouldn't think about it, because right now he was in my bad books. When I walked purposefully with the others towards the Hog's Head and we went inside the dirty taproom, I had to admit, that it didn't look as eerily as in the night, just filthy and grubby. I could see four hooded figures in the tavern and I immediately stared at a very badly disguised witch, which clearly seemed to be male. He was hidden under a thick, black veil, and caddishly sat at the counter. It was definitely Dung, I had never seen such a bad disguise. Maybe I should offer him lessons in the art of disguise.

Now, however, I understood why the Twins wanted to meet everyone here. I guessed strongly that they would receive their new supply of ingredients from Dung today. The other three guests were normal rabble, which preferred to be around places like this.

"Wow, this is fucked up here. Yuck! I don't even want to sit down," Ron grimaced as we sat down at one of the tables in the back. _Well, Ron, just you wait until you see the Beheaded Hangman_ , I thought cynically. The boy was really living in a dream world.

"It's indeed not the Three Broomsticks," I said, shrugging and sitting down indifferently, something Harry copied, when Aberforth Dumbledore arrived at our table.

"What do you want..?" he grumbled, albeit in a friendly way as always.

"Three butterbeers," I ordered soberly and he left us again grumpily.

"And there's no Madame Rosmerta for you, Ron, so pretty blonde and blue-eyed," I teased, chuckling and Harry grinned wickedly.

"That's right, Ron...!" Harry laughed as well over Ron's embarrassed expression. And all of a sudden everything happened quickly and more and more students arrived from Hogwarts. To our astonishment and joy, there were no less than twenty-five interested people from the three different houses. The fourth house, that of the snakes, was left out from the very beginning unfortunately.

Nearby were Cho Chang and her extremely unlikeable friend Marietta Edgecombe. A Hufflepuff idiot named Zacharias Smith, our Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff prefect colleagues, as well as Ginny's friend Michael Corner, who appeared with two of his Ravenclaw buddies, and Luna Lovegood, and we unexpectedly got the absolute majority with eleven Gryffindors. We wanted to begin, when we were all gathered around and Aberforth had supplied us with more bottles of Butterbeer, but at the beginning it didn't work as I planned it to be.

"Well, tell us Harry, what happened in the maze back then?" Someone wanted to know curiously.

"Yes, no one knows anything! Tell us already!" It came from the other side, pestering intrigued.

"Exactly! What exactly happened to Diggory back then? Tell us?" And so it went back and forth.

"Hey guys, that's not what it was meant to be here, I'm not here to satisfy your sensationalism!" Oh, Harry just made me so proud, he might actually grow up, the way he was talking and presenting himself here just now. I was bursting with pride. "And I won't tell you anything about Cedric, that would be an insult to his memory." He looked determined, disapproving and relentlessly at everyone with his deep, dark green eyes.

"But I also want to talk about a few things, so you know what you would get involved in, should you want to join us." At which he ran his hand through his dishevelled hair, due to the following disquieting memories. We flanked Harry, me sitting on his right, Ron on his left side, and I knew that the now following memories weren't easy to describe for Harry. Firstly, because he didn't want any attention, nor fame, and second, because it wasn't all that great when it happened. He and we each had to run and fear for our lives, it always sounded great what we had experienced, but at that time it was never certain if we would come out of it alive or not. There really wasn't anything great about it, so I grabbed his right hand supportively, and squeezed it, which made him turn his head towards me, his messy hair falling into his face, and he smiled wryly but gratefully at me, to which I smiled back encouragingly.

When we both turned back to the other students after my efforts at encouraging him, they all looked weirdly at us, as if they had caught us doing something we shouldn't. They probably thought something was going on between us, which made my eyes roll, visibly for everyone. Ginny scowled and clung herself to Michael Corner and Cho got even more slit-eyed, she narrowed her eyes so much, if that was even possible.

"I ask you to not interrupt me," he cleared his throat determinedly and bravely began to speak:

"Just to make it clear to you, that there are things I can teach you. Yes, I have fought a basilisk in my second year and won, otherwise I wouldn't be here," Harry said very disdainfully, because many in front of us just had the resemblance of a fish. I smirked slightly and continued to hold his hand, but it was true, what twelve-year-old could claim to have taken up a fight against a poisonous green monster of fifteen metres and would still sit here alive? The probability was extremely low. As more specific questions appeared about the how and why, Harry just raised his hand and stopped the questions until the storm abated, as he wasn't ready to reveal more.

"I'm able to summon a corporeal patronus, since the end of our third year," he now gulped visibly, pausing, as I was sure he was thinking of the two of us when we saw how the dementors tried to kiss him and Sirius, not a beautiful sight and not a nice memory. The pain Harry had suffered as he lay there, almost losing his soul, had been profound and one he couldn't easily forget. This was another piece of information that left some people speechless, as casting a corporeal patronus at the age of thirteen was almost impossible! But even here Harry wasn't ready to elaborate on it, so I took over:

"Umbridge won't teach us defensive spells, to the people that are in their NEWT year and to us who are in our OWL year. Regardless of whether you believe Harry that He came back or not, we are going to need them though. For the past thousand years, every witch and wizard has been taught active spells, not just theory from a book. Why would something else apply to us? With what reason?" I got really agitated.

"I can understand your arguments and I also feel disadvantaged by the Ministry, as far as I know, the exams remain the same!" several attendants said and a murmur of approval rose.

"Well, I think it's a good idea and I want Harry to teach us defensive spells! After all, he also won the tournament last year, he's good!" Ginny argued, leading to a nod of agreement.

"Awesome! I would find it useful to have weekly meetings. We'll let you know where and when," I said determinedly and rubbed my hands expectantly, it went well. There was movement in the group, but I couldn't let them go yet.

"Everyone, please. I have to ask you to sign this document, for our as well as for your protection. You write your name on it, and it's better if you don't tell anyone about our little group," I said, smiling sweetly, because that wouldn't be good for the person concerned. Everyone lined up in a row. First, Fred and George signed energetically to take the reluctance away from the others, so everyone found the courage to sign after some hesitation. Then I packed away the document, pleased, and made my way back to the castle with Harry and Ron, glad that the group was fixed now.

"Thank you, Hermione, for your support, that wasn't easy," Harry turned to me, showing me that a heavy weight was lifted from his heart.

"My pleasure! It went well," I replied satisfied.

"You did a great job, buddy!" Ron said, grinning as he seemed to think of something. "Now we just have to find a suitable room, right?"

"Yes, unfortunately! But we still have some time. Did you see how Cho adored Harry?" I asked, causing Harry's skin colour to change very much like Ron's hair, despite the cold wind. We all had a good laugh at that and happily arrived at Hogwarts, shoving away the thought of finding a suitable room. We'd eventually find something.


	47. Today is not my Day

New Week, new Chapter!

Thanks so much for the review, many new followers and reads!

Enjoy the this weeks translated chapter by: Conny!

* * *

 **Today is not my Day**

The next week went by relatively fast and I even escaped detention on Monday. All because He had called Snape to him. It was incredible, even I can be fortunate! I was very pleased.

Shortly before I wanted to leave the tower to receive my punishment and to see what Professor Snape's sick and alarmingly imaginative brain came up with for me now, an owl tapped on the window. The brown owl flew right to me and the letter said, short in its wording, to not appear today! That my detention was only postponed and not cancelled, that was quite clear! It didn't give much room for hope that his mood had lightened up, which I became aware of. But I knew that this man was vengeful.

Today, on Wednesday, I knew now what kept Snape on his toes. Harry had had another painful attack Tuesday night and he told us that the Dark Lord had felt great, nearly hysterical joy and immeasurable pleasure. And why? That was where the Daily Prophet came in, telling me about it in detail.

I wasn't hungry anymore. Ugh, comprehensible or incomprehensible! Ten Death Eaters managed to break out of Azkaban successfully. And the unflattering pictures showing the escaped criminals, which had also shown Sirius in an unflattering light back then, gave no real hope either that nothing bad would happen. Crazy and manic these evil creatures seemed to be, it gave me a very nightmarish feeling. The article was simply painful because it claimed that the Ministry assumed that Sirius Black, who had been on the run for two years, had helped the prisoners escape. Had I mentioned before that I found Fudge to be incompetent? No, or did I? Now I made up for it: he was incompetent, stupid and the worst choice for his post!

Exasperated, I lifted my head and looked straight at Draco! I knew who got free and I saw that the expression in his grey eyes was a bit shocked as well. But like always, he controlled himself well and didn't let anything else show. Smooth like a Malfoy and slippery in all circumstances. His gaze told me that we should talk. I thought the same and therefore the date was set. I gave the paper wordlessly to the two boys and they read it equally silent and shocked and looked at me with uncertainty.

"It's starting again, isn't it, Harry?" whispered Ron anxiously and Harry only nodded gloomily.

"Yes, now it's really starting. It's not wonder that the Dementors are choosing his side, that's where they belong!" Harry stated resignedly and ran his fingers through his black, scrubby hair.

"You are right, Harry," I replied, agreeing completely.

"They are looking pretty dark and mad, these guys," Ron's face distorted in agony as he watched the moving pictures guardedly.

"These three, they're the Lestranges! The others are not as important…," I whispered quietly and pointed to the first three people. It was a seemingly crazy, black haired woman and two grim-looking men. "We should pay attention to Neville!" I whispered and looked around apprehensively to see if he was already there.

"Why?" Ron and Harry asked at the same time and in moments like these I was more than glad to have Rita's book.

"These three tortured his parents to insanity with the Cruciatus. They have been in St. Mungos for fifteen years," I reported quickly and pointed to Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange. "And before you ask, I have the information from old newspaper articles in the library," I didn't have any trouble lying.

"Wow, that's heavy! You and your knowledge from books! Why did he never mention anything?" they both wanted to know curiously and without a clue.

"Do you ever do that, Harry?" I asked perceptively, while he was sitting rigidly and was looking around without any aim, after this sad news and the realization that he too was not one to tell about his life.

"That is… ugh… poor Neville for having such a fate… and Fudge actually put the blame on Sirius! I don't believe it. The idiot!" Harry said brusquely and as he saw that Neville was in the process of entering the Great Hall, he got up quickly and headed to him, the Prophet in his hand. Ron wanted to go at first too, but I put my hand on his arm and held him back with a shake of my head.

"No, Ron. Let the both of them be alone, we don't have the same circumstances!" I emphasized and watched anxiously as Harry and Neville left the hall together after a short discussion.

"Mh-hm, you are right!" He was watching them as well, but then he turned around, shrugging and talked to Seamus, about, yeah, what else? Quidditch!

Suddenly my talisman started to burn. Okay, a quick look around the hall! The twins sat further down the table and looked up as well, because their coins were burning now too. As we looked at each other in question, we knew that it had to have been Draco. Therefore, I quickly left to go to the washroom and took the galleon from my blouse and I could see that he put a ten for the numbers, today 10pm, and CR for the letters, 'common room'. Which means that we would have to move our Saturday meeting to today. It was the first time since the incident with Snape that I would visit the Slytherins. That would be fun. How would they react?

But first I had to get the rest of the day over with and I ran into some surprises after arriving at the greenhouse for Sprout's lesson. Let me tell you, my mood was bad, ugh, what was I saying, it was horrible because while I knew a lot about plants, I was born without the famous green thumb and it was like I gave constant euthanasia to the plants I was responsible for! There was this thing with theory and practice, because being good at one did not mean being good at the other one at all. Therefore Neville was my partner in herbology, for tactical reasons. But after the information Harry gave him this morning, he went back to the tower and wouldn't come to class. That the sadistic torturers of his parents were on the loose was hard on him.

It was understandable, but thanks to his retreat I murdered today's project without further ado and I was more sorry for the plant than for Bole! I can tell you that much. Great, me, the perfect Hermione destroyed the work of weeks, thanks to my incredible talent to send plants to their early grave! Thus my mood was really bad and our grade as well.

That's when I saw it…

"Harry, Ron, look there, there is light in Hagrid's hut, he is back again!" I was excited, because I was interested what he did when he was at the giants'. Had they chosen the other side like the Dementors had? Too many questions.

"He is back again, thank God! Do you want to visit after lunch?" Harry asked hopefully at once.

"Yes, but we should be careful not to get caught by Umbridge," I pitched in warily.

"Yes, that wouldn't be good…," Harry said haltingly and so we left quickly for lunch. When we wanted to step into the Great Hall, the twins decidedly held me back.

"Er, Hermione… could you quickly explain a charm for us… please?" Fred was scratching his head, he couldn't come up with a better idea, but it sufficed because I was known for being a walking library.

"Sure, Fred, it would be my pleasure! Boys, why don't you move ahead, I'm not that hungry anyway," I explained and turned to the twins.

"Yes, sure, go ahead…," the agreement came from Harry and he seized Ron roughly by the arm, dragging him to the table. "Come on, Harry… I'm hungry!" was the last thing to hear, which got the twins to groan loudly and me to roll my eyes.

"Do you think he has a tapeworm?" I asked seriously worried, which gave Fred a fit of laughter.

"It would be a possibility! I don't know either where he puts all of that…," George shook his head and pounded on Fred's back to help him stop laughing.

"Worm… tapeworm… I just got an idea for our products…," Fred chuckled in delight.

"Memorize it… Just tell me what you really want…," I wanted to know in an urgent tone what they wanted from me, because my patience was running thin today.

"Of course, my Lady! With that tone you know at once that she is not in a joking mood. What happened?" a twin wanted to know.

"I killed my plants!" I hissed acerbically.

"So long as it is only flowers, isn't that justifiable?" Fred chuckled because he was in too good a mood today.

"But my grade isn't. I hate things like that. Why do these bloody things have to break that easily? They can't withstand anything, these Fanged Geraniums!" I snapped venomously and killed them again in my thoughts. Chuckles and loud snorts were my answer, which they tried to suppress with trouble, but they failed miserably and held each other by their arms.

"Man, you really managed to send those small, nasty biters to the afterworld? You have to put effort into that, not even we managed to do so! They are relatively sturdy and stubborn, they like to bite!" Wasn't it nice to be the source of laughter once in awhile? The corners of my mouth dropped angrily. I asked myself how I had managed to do so, it wasn't easy. However, the result was the same, even professor Sprout was very surprised about that deed.

"I know that by myself and it isn't funny!" I grumbled now and folded my arms angrily, then I started to smile. "Killing seems to be in my blood," I stated in a wicked tone and twisted my mouth into a dangerous grin.

"Oh oh oh... Now you are scaring us… Though you have Neville so that your plants don't die a miserable death and especially before their time," he pitched in.

"Yes, he isn't well today. Did you read the paper?" I wanted to know, becoming serious again.

"Yes, sure! The Death Eaters' escape, very interesting! They just escaped from Azkaban!" both stated alternatingly, bewildering their audience easily. "But what does that have to do with Neville?" There was a lack of understanding in their brown eyes.

"The Lestranges tortured his parents back then and destroyed their minds in the process. They have been in St. Mungos ever since," I explained shortly about the past event and sighed.

"What? That's wretched. Poor Neville, of course he wants to have his peace today… But tell us, what does Malfoy want? You know, the galleon?" They were visibly sorry for him, but now they presented their original question, because it was not their thing to talk about others behind their backs or to gossip, something I liked very much about them.

"Lestrange is his aunt on his mother's side, I think that's what he wants to talk about," I stated my guess. They wiped at their foreheads in sync, what an exquisite sight!

"That is… bad. To have an aunt like that…?" The information shocked them visibly. What would they say if they learnt about her also being a Black and therefore being related to Sirius?

"He will tell me. But it is good that we are talking right now… I need…"

Fred interrupted me.

"You need us to get away. Sure thing!" he winked conspiratorially.

"And I already have an idea. You go to bed early, you are sick! And you put the geminio in your bed, then… do you know the Disillusionment Charm…?" asked George intrigued and told me about his plan.

"Mhmh, I don't know if I'm able to vanish from view completely, though," I shrugged.

"We will give a big show, tonight in the common room! If you don't vanish completely, it shouldn't attract attention with all that chaos, it wouldn't be bad," the two fiends developed their plan further.

"Very good idea, George. What do you think about it, Hermione?" I stood there, thinking, and nodded slowly.

"Let's do it like this, then I can take my time with Draco and don't have to hurry that much," I shouldn't have said it like that, because it was a sign for the two fools to start blowing kisses into the air and irritate me. I sighed.

"Oh, man. Aren't you childish?" I ranted.

"As always, Beautiful!" They waved while they left, acted like fools and were continuing to laugh, which didn't even attract wry looks from the other students, because everyone knew that the Weasley twins were different and had always been like that. _People, if you knew how right you were,_ I thought wearily. I turned towards the Great Hall again and walked up to Harry and Ron.

"Well, are you done? Can we leave quickly?" I asked, standing there.

"Wha… you… hav'..t ea...n ye'…," Ron tried to speak with a full mouth. My features twisted in disgust.

"I don't mind. Can we leave?" I showed a bit of my disgust a bit and a lot of my impatience.

"Yes, sure. I'm done and very curious," stated Harry and got up enthusiastically, prompting Ron to get up by hitting him on the back, who accepted his fate to end his meal and got up grumpily while greedily taking a cookie. Oh man.

So now we were quickly heading to Hagrid's. Not long after that we stood before his door and knocked, we could hear rumbling inside his hut.

"Yes?" We heard Hagrid's deep tenor.

"Hagrid, open up, it's us!" Harry called, poised, and then the slightly askew wooden door was opened tentatively and we saw a badly bruised Hagrid, who had an awful looking, black eye and generally gave a battered impression.

"What happened to you, was that the giants?" Harry and Ron barged in. Literally, I would like to point out.

"How do you know that?" Hagrid was visibly taken by surprise.

"From Malfoy… Don't ask," I waved it aside, which had him looking at me funny. But then he shrugged and put a raw, discoloured piece of dragon meat onto his blackened eye and gave a pleased sigh due to the cold. Disgusting, absolutely disgusting!

"It didn't go very well… Golgomath, the giants' chief received Walden Macnair and we had to fight to not get captured by the giants or Death Eaters. It was a complete disaster!" He winced due to the pain as he made a wrong move. He reported in detail how they had tried to contact the giants and digressed widely on occasion. Was I surprised? No, it had already been quite plain. Today was a day to stay in bed. After reading the paper in the morning, I should have gone back to bed, I thought cynically.

"But this doesn't explain why you look like that, does it?" I asked carefully and looked at Hagrid in thought.

"Mhhh, that's true. I'll show you sometime. Okay?" he gave us an insecure, awkward look.

"Yes, that's okay. But how are you?" And before Hagrid could give an answer to Harry's question of concern, we heard sharp knocking coming from the front door. During our talk it had gone dark, it always happened very quickly now, because winter was coming and the night was arriving more quickly and that already in the late afternoon.

"Yes?" Hagrid asked haltingly after he had given us a quizzical look from his swollen eyes.

"Chchrrmm. Open the door!" demanded the bothersome Umbridge.

"Shit!" Ron gasped out nervously.

"Watch out with her, a lot has changed here," I whispered in warning and Hagrid only looked bewildered.

"Come, we will take the invisibility cloak and use the back door. She shouldn't see us here, not that she blames Hagrid," Harry reckoned quickly.

"What is up with you three?" Hagrid asked visibly unsettled and called, "A moment please, I'll be with you in a second."

"The woman outside is from the Ministry and calls herself the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. She monitors and assesses everything, it is better if we leave." We huddled together and put on the invisibility cloak to get out. Behind us we could hear Hagrid finally letting the toad into his hut. Standing outside, we saw the first, thin layer of snow for this year, giving the landscape a picturesque touch.

"Damn! The bitch will see at once that he had visitors," it came quietly from Ron, who was thinking for once, which was a pleasant occurrence.

"That's what magic is for…," I stated slyly and said the spell to extinguish our footprints. And thus they immediately vanished as we walked. Like that our late-afternoon visit would stay undiscovered, which was good.

"Hermione, you are… It's nothing I can express. What would we do without you?" Harry flattered me.

"Sometimes I'd like to know the same thing…," I mumbled quietly into my non-existent beard. After we had snuck back into the castle, we pulled off the cloak in an unobserved moment. It was late enough that we could go eat again already. Somehow these people here didn't do anything else. Did anyone else notice that, or was that just me? I tucked into dinner, because the evening with Draco would be an exciting one. Until now it had always been trying in one way or another.

Later in Gryffindor, the twins and I followed our plan as agreed upon and therefore I was standing in front of the bathroom door and was looking at myself in the mirror doubtfully. I saw an attractive, young woman, who was wearing her tight blue jeans and a tight, black turtleneck sweater. All this was being completed by a wavy, black cloak and now I had to cast the Disillusionment Charm for the first time. _Here goes!_

I couldn't stand it when something did go as I expected! What the heck? I wasn't invisible, I was blurry! Clearly not the result I was hoping for, it was more like a failed attempt! I was on the verge of screaming, I was furious about my failure. I should go to bed after this successful day and pull my blanket up over my face. I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself. _Don't be upset, Hermione!_ I was telling myself _. You are not superwoman, you are a human! No, wrong, a witch, a human witch! Calm down. It can happen that something doesn't work at the first try. That is normal. You have to practice and study_ … Oh, I was so angry! Today nothing worked out as it should. First these stupid, dead, magical geraniums. I mean, I don't even like the muggles' common Geraniums! And then a spell which was hard for me. That wasn't the best for my ego, even if it had only a slight effect on it. Yes, I admitted, I was in a huff.

Despite that I tried it again. Mh-hm… better yes, but not good enough. I could puke. Although all the other pupils of this school wouldn't have accomplished anything, with this difficult spell, and now my ambition wouldn't let me off. I would master this spell and if it was the last thing that I would do in my life, but unfortunately not now! Because time was running out. _Well, my genius brain, make another plan…!_ And, and...? Where were the bloody brilliant ideas when I needed them? _Yes,_ I laughed at my mirror image, _exactly, you are too smart…_ I tapped my wand on my head, said the spell, and the feeling of breaking a raw egg on it was spreading. Uncomfortable! And the dripping feeling of cold, slick wetness, running from my head over my body was strange and I shivered. But look, it was perfect!

It would work like that. It wasn't the same as being completely invisible but for today with the twins' diversion it would be enough and soon I would be able to execute that invisibility spell, come hell or high water, I swore to myself. I had used the Disillusionment Charm, which was useful as camouflage as well, but easier, much easier than becoming truly invisible, because here you were only matched to your surrounding so that if you were in front of a cupboard, you would adopt its wooden look, or if you stood in front of a stone wall, you would look like that stone wall.

Unfortunately you would still attract attention in a deserted environment in spite of that, but as mentioned, it had to be enough for today. And in the common room there would be so much fuss due to one of the now-famous selling events courtesy of the twins, which would attract a lot of people because everyone wanted to get one over on the bitch. Fred and George should have earned a fortune by now. I wouldn't attract attention at all in that chaos.

I could see Harry, Ron and Neville in front of the fireplace, where they were trying to better the latter's mood by distracting him by telling him stories. Maybe how I killed the Geraniums, which had been a laugh in the greenhouse, although it would probably make Neville even sadder, him being sensitive and genuinely liking those little, appalling, biting tossers. I managed to arrive unseen in the dungeons thanks to my disillusionment. And because I loved the confrontations with the Slytherins, I ended the spell, tapping my wand on my head again, and this time it worked the other way round. Now I felt warmth and how that warm wetness flew up my body and finally over my head. The spell dispersed. My whole body was tingling.

Wow, awesome! That they didn't teach us stuff like that in class was a bummer. I should be in charge of the curriculum...

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 **Review Answer:**

 **Twibe:** Hi Twibe, thanks so much for your review! I do understand that it's a pain when chapter scenes are cut, and I have read several times that FF Mod's don't really do any work here anymore. But I just really don't want any trouble with some people that are bored and have the need to let FF Mods know that an author broke some rules due to E Scenes. And what if Mods do still work here and as I am quite an unlucky person, this fic will probably be the only one that gets deleted because of the E scenes. So I rather cut the scenes and don't break any rules. (Marcus Kane No Rule Breaker Person^^) But if you want to read the Original non cut version you can always head over to AO3 or Wattpad. ;) I hope you will still be a part of our world and enjoy the journey. xxx


	48. Draco

Wondering why I upload just now? I've been working for the last 5 days and now I'm finally off.  
So here it is, the next chapter.

A goody for all Dramione Lovers.

Enjoy and thanks so much for all the new followers.

xxxx

* * *

 **Draco**

As always I cast the protective spells on myself after I had completely hidden my face under my hood, and then briskly entered the common room. Of course, with my dark appearance I immediately drew all attention to me and was allowed to watch how many of the otherwise indifferent Slytherins stared at me, startled and open-mouthed. They had probably hoped to never see me again. I think they didn't like it when I invaded their house! Understandable, but it couldn't be changed. _Bad luck_ , my venom ran wild. I saw how the beautiful Zabini rose quickly from his seat in front of the fireplace and looked at me skeptically, thinking.

I knew, thanks to Lav and Pav, that Zabini was a so-called ladies' man; if you could call those immature girls 'ladies'. He was tall and indeed really pretty to look at with his dark skin that reminded of milk chocolate, his high cheekbones and those slightly slanted, dark brown eyes. Many found him attractive here and, like all Slytherins, he knew that many liked him of course and he enjoyed it. Just how he walked confidently through the school every day, only too aware of his charm and charisma. And apparently he was brave too, for he was slowly moving towards me. As always in this room, my wand was hidden inside the folds of my cloak and I held it ready to defend myself.

"Um, hello, how can I help you?" he asked haltingly and tried to keep a charming smile on his very attractive face. He really dared to speak to me, it certainly had to mean something in this house. But after all, it was him who had gotten Draco and me when Snape had been waiting in the common room. Interesting. Why did the Slytherins have the best looking men and at the same time the ugliest and most terrible, like Bole, Crabbe and Goyle? I was positively surprised and responded confidently to this astonishingly friendly reception and briefly inclined my hidden head.

"Draco!" I only then said hoarsely.

"Does he expect you?" he dared to ask very carefully with an uncomfortable expression on his face. The snakes watched us, waiting, motionless.

"Would I be here otherwise?" I coldly inquired in return and could see how the snakes began to whisper quietly and didn't let us out of sight.

"He's in his room, but I don't know if you...?" He ruffled through his short, black hair with an assessing gesture.

"I'm allowed to, don't you worry. And thank you, Zabini!" I said firmly and walked now purposefully towards the boys' bedrooms, leaving the curious crowd in bewilderment. Draco, Draco... you and your games, I thought to myself. Had he deliberately hidden to see if the house obeyed him? It could hardly be more obvious, which made me smile dangerously. He really was impossible! These power games, I thought. I knew that he was awaiting my arrival with curiosity! He really was a naughty boy, but it seemed his house stuck to its rules and obeyed his orders. Good to know, for him as well as for me.

"You're impossible, Draco!" I announced in greeting, firmly slamming the door into the lock, enchanting it. I had entered his room without knocking.

"Hello, my Mudblood! Did they let you live?" he asked slyly and grinned wickedly at me from his bed. He leaned his upper body against the headboard of his bed and laid there, relaxed, with a book in his lap.

"Hello, my playful Pureblood! What if they hadn't kept to your instructions?" I was piqued but asked my question nonchalantly, and put my coat down on one of the green velvet chairs that stood in front of the fireplace.

"They wouldn't dare to! And besides, you can fight back, they're not worthy opponents for you!" he said confidently and deprecatingly and beckoned me over, putting his book down on the bedside table. On the other hand, he had given me a big compliment, which made me generously forget his arrogance.

"Zabini talked to me and asked me what I wanted here." I approached Draco confidently.

"He has always been brave when it comes to protecting me," he rolled his eyes slightly, showing me a big grin on his attractive face.

"Pardon me?" I looked at him in disbelief.

"He thinks he's a friend and needs to protect me and take care of me!" He laughed hoarsely. "As if I couldn't do that myself!" Draco was terribly smug.

"Isn't he your friend?" I wanted to know, surprised.

"Who can you call a friend these days? But he comes close! He's always been my deputy in Slytherin!" he admitted uneasily.

"Well then, that's alright! He was very polite," I told him and stood now waiting at the edge of his bed.

"Sit down," he patted the space next to him in invitation. I followed and took my shoes off, sitting down cross-legged, settling down on Draco's big bed.

"You wanted to see me today?" I asked intently, looking at him with my head tilted, my hair falling forward, because I was wearing it open.

"You looked so tense this morning after reading the paper." He folded his hands thoughtfully in his lap and looked up from them.

"Yes, because I know who broke out of there!" I informed him of my knowledge and gave him a serious look, staring straight into his grey eyes.

"Of course you do! What do you think about it?" I couldn't read anything in his face, no opinion, no emotion and even his voice was neutral.

"Danger!" I stated.

"Yes, as far as I know. After all, three out of them are especially dangerous!" He tried to avoid the obvious.

"Lestrange!" I said it first, so he didn't need to say it out loud.

"Yes!" He replied, slightly unnerved, though not because of me, but because of them.

"She's your aunt, and I'm sure the two other Lestranges are somehow related to the Malfoys," I sounded slightly cynical.

"As always amazingly well informed. What else do you know?" He looked down at his hands again, so that his white-blond, silky hair fell into his beautiful face.

"Longbottom!" I didn't say much more than that.

"Obviously!" he sighed, while carefully putting a strand of his hair behind his ears. "What exactly do you know?" He didn't seem happy.

"What I know? I know you really can't choose your relatives!" I replied relatively cold.

"Is it that easy for you? Even I was shocked and horrified that they're free!" he exclaimed loudly and took me by surprise.

"Why? You were still a kid when they went to prison, why would you be afraid of them?" I asked, perplexed.

"Afraid? I'm not afraid! I feel annoyed, because I know from father that Bellatrix isn't a person to be trifled with. She was crazy before.. not quite right in the head and thanks to the dementors, she is now absolutely mad!" He got even angrier and ruffled through his magnificent hair in frustration.

"And I'm not looking forward to going home for Christmas, when I'll have to deal with the constant presence of a mad aunt at the Manor!" he continued angrily. "And you're not with me either, I don't like it!" He grimaced. If things didn't go the way they wanted, Malfoys could become quite unbearable and I wrinkled my nose. What did he mean by being with him? I sometimes truly didn't know what Draco really was planning with me, but I wanted to let myself get surprised.

"I don't even get along with mother for more than half an hour, with her pinched, smug face, and then her sister too... Father said that she already appeared schizophrenic as a young girl. Must be the Black blood!" he stated slightly contemptuously. It was too nice when family members appreciated, liked and respected one another. I couldn't help laughing at his whining, which made him stare at me furiously. But it was just hilarious as, thanks to Narcissa, he was half a Black. But worthy of a Malfoy, he stood far above such facts.

"Oh, you poor, poor Pureblood! You have it really bad with such relatives. Tough isn't your manor big enough for you to slip away?" I asked in amusement and mocked him lightly.

"You just laugh, Mudblood! Of course I have my own wing, and my suite! I am the heir! But I can already see the family dinners in front of my eyes... Family reunion! Scary! Did you see the pictures?" he snapped and looked at me wide-eyed.

"Draco, please. I'm sure.. they'll wash themselves beforehand!" I giggled again. I just couldn't take him very seriously at the moment.

"Having your funny day today, huh?" He growled at me, disgruntled.

"No, I had a positively bad day. Nothing really worked out as I wished!" I calmed down, thinking of my smaller and larger mishaps.

"Uhhh?" He looked at me in question.

"Herbology!" I said miffed and looked away, ashamed of myself.

"Oh, you mean your heroic act of destroying the Fanged Geraniums! That was hilarious, I thought I couldn't get a hold of myself anymore!" he laughed aloud and forgot all about his family drama because of my misfortune.

"Yeah, you were the one that laughed the loudest!" I hissed at him, feeling insulted. I could remember it well. He had almost thrown himself onto the floor of the greenhouse out of glee, with his cronies next to him. He had held his stomach, shaking with laughter, very unmalfoy-ish. But my misfortune apparently had caused him to generously overlook that, it was just too funny for him. However, I had to grant him that the Gryffindors hadn't held themselves back either, I finished my unflattering summary.

"How did you do that? I mean, they're quite easy to care for and you had already managed the Mandrakes just fine before, which are by the way way more sensitive!" he asked now honestly interested after he had snapped out of his laughing fit. I swallowed hard. "Give me a cactus and I'll kill it too. I already managed that at home as a child. Plants: I can find, process and utilize them but can't breed, nurture and care for them. I'm absolutely untalented at that and I don't know how to deal with it," I admitted reluctantly, while nibbling on my lip in clear frustration. "The mandrakes! Why do you think Neville is always my partner? He is a born gardener and breeder!"

"You're a manipulative woman! Using Longbottom just to get a good grade," he shook his head indignantly.

"Hey, I'm very grateful for his help, I also help him with his homework on other subjects, especially Snape's!" I defended myself, to not seem _that_ calculating, but he kept shaking his head.

"You're a saint, Granger, I've always known it," he said, rolling his eyes. "What are you doing on Christmas?" he suddenly changed the subject.

"Let's just say that Harry and Ron think I'm going to be with my parents, my parents think that I'm going to be with Ron and Harry and in reality I'm going to be at my country house!" I explained my elaborate scheme in a long-winded way. I would've time on Christmas to get some things started that were fundamental to progress my larger plans.

"Wow!" He looked at me with big, surprised eyes. "Are you alone then?" I nodded.

"You have to be careful now that so many crazy Death Eaters are on the loose!" he warned, clearly worried. Alas, wasn't his concern sweet? I smirked.

"Thank you for your concern, Draco, but I intend to be very careful," I said defensively.

"Hey, I have an idea. I want to come to you, then I can stay away from the meetings and hide at your place! That would be fun. You can show me whether you understood the contents of the books and we can practice a bit," he offered and had now straightened up, his upper body no longer leaning casually against the bed.

"Sure, if you want to do that. I'd be happy to have your company, very much so!" I let him know. "But the Twins will visit quite often. If that doesn't bother you?" I asked uncertainly. "They told their parents they're going to be with Lee, but in reality they're with me later on!"

"I should've met them already anyway! I hope I won't bother you in your intimate time together. Will I?" he asked suspiciously as I had slightly flinched at his statement; it was not for the reason he assumed; it was rather because I had wondered what Draco would say about the Twins' relationship, since they sometimes showed their love openly in front of me. I always felt sorry for them, they shared a great, heartfelt love and the decision to live it out hadn't been an easy one. But at some point they had realised that everything else would make them unhappy and that they would make every other partner unhappy too, which wouldn't be fair to anyone. And so they had submitted to their fate and ended up together, if only in secret. They didn't hurt anyone with their love, only the morality of society. And I also was totally fine with their decision. But what would Draco say? If he was in the cottage for longer, he'd most likely notice it. We'd see!

Thus I turned my thoughts back to Draco and his question.

"Ridiculous, Draco, ridiculous! You wouldn't disturb at all, we'd be happy. The two are already very excited to meet you." I objected. "That reminds me, where do we want to meet, so that I can show you the cottage? Because there's a blood protection on it..."

"I'm glad to hear that, Mudblood. I was already wondering the whole time... how the relationship looks like between the three of you, but I can wait!" He looked deeply into my eyes and I was very conscious of me sitting on his bed of all places. I unconsciously licked my dry lips. "Blood protection... not bad... but is it enough in these times?" His inquiry was drawn-out.

"I also want to use the Fidelius and since the three of you will be there at the time as well, I am going to share the secret with you..." I nodded.

"That would be good, yes. And what do you think about meeting at Flourish & Blotts in Diagon Alley?" he suggested.

"Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, so visible, wouldn't that be unwise?" I said doubtfully. He rolled his eyes theatrically.

"Granger, please, try to be a bit smarter. I wouldn't mind being seen with Minna, a beautiful woman!" he explained now with a devilish grin and I raised an eyebrow. An idea like that requires a deceitful, malicious mind.

"Oh well, not a problem. When should we meet? I suggest the second day of our holiday, at twelve?" I offered.

"Precisely, agreed!" He smirked at me. "I'm looking forward to it!" It sounded somehow ambiguously. I smiled wickedly because I was curious what would happen, when another thought came to my mind.

"Oh, I remembered something else. I need your Galleon again!" I demanded, stretching out my hand.

"Why?" He skeptically raised his elegant brow.

"You'll see," I tugged at my jumper and pulled out my own. He did the same and took mine off me. I had my daggers with me, as always, which I wore strapped over my jeans, and drew one out now.

"Wow, are those the ones you slit Bole open with?" Draco asked with a fascinated glint in his smoky grey eyes.

"Yes, aren't they beautiful?" I asked ecstatically, letting the blade shine in the light of the room. I pulled out the second dagger and held it out to him invitingly. He took it skillfully and began to examine it, weighing it knowingly in his hand.

"It feels good in hand, magical silver, not bad. Where did you get it from?" it came with a knowing expression from him.

"Borgin and Burkes!" I answered misty-eyed.

"Yeah, he has a good selection.. What.. w.. w.. what are you doing?" He exclaimed, startled as I just cut into my index finger with the blade of the dagger, faster than he could look and now dark red blood seeped from the cut. I had to smile at his shocked exclamation and looked at him mischievously from below as he was now kneeling on the bed. Draco could move surprisingly fast if he wanted.

"Hermione, are you crazy? You can't just cut yourself without the slightest peep!" He snarled indignantly.

"Shut up, Draco!" I told him while dripping my blood on both the Galleons in front of me, took my white wand and used the Proteus again.

"Come here, give me a finger," I commanded. He looked at me in astonishment at my commanding tone, but did as I asked and handed me his index finger without hesitation.

I raised my dagger again and cut his finger with a quick stroke. How gently this silver blade cut through the skin and the underlying flesh, it was like cutting through silk. His blood seeped out a second later and I guided his finger to the coins and let a few drops drop on them, repeated the spell and then spoke an episkey over our wounds, which closed immediately. Then I put away the daggers and we tucked the coins back into their respective places silence. Draco hadn't made a single sound, neither at the cut nor after. It looked like he was, just like me, used to it, interesting.

"Why?" he asked.

"You want to know why I personified the coins? I am going to use the idea of this communication with the galleons with others too, but I don't want anyone to know about us. That's why I used the personification. Maybe you'll add the twins at Christmas to your coin too. That's up to you," I explained, then gave him a mischievous wink.

"Are you going to add them as well?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah, so I'll have a way to communicate with them without Harry or Ron knowing!" I explained my reason.

"Oh, you want to give them a coin too?" He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows.

"Yes, but without the blood," I went on.

"Yeah, that would be magic a bit too dark for them, wouldn't it. But if you add the twins, I'll probably add them too, I guess..." He seemed to weigh this options in his mind while drawing circles on his blanket.

"You don't have to decide today," I interjected and he nodded.

"Enough talk, come here!" He impatiently grabbed my hand and energetically pulled me onto the mattress, falling back, and I ended up lying on top of him with a small "Uff!"

"So hasty...", I laughed, amused, though I was at the same time slightly startled that Draco sought my closeness so much. I hadn't expected that, but it felt good. He buried his face in my hair and took a deep breath.

"You always smell so good," he whispered softly and I snuggled myself into his arms, laying my head comfortably on his chest. "Thanks, you too, I always smell sandalwood around you!" I said, inhaling his fragrance with relish.

"Your scent reminds me of white amber. I love such intense scents," he mused, sniffing again. He turned down the lights nonverbally, so that only a few candles burned and the flickering fire of the fireplace gave off a cosy light. Suddenly he started talking again.

"I never thought you'd be the one who would stand by my side! That's very unexpected! I mean, you hit me! You're a Gryffindor - even if I think the hat made a mistake there - and you're a Mudblood! And I… that's so surreal, and yet one look is enough and I immediately know what you're thinking!" he mused aloud. I lay still half on top of him, drawing figures on his chest, completely speechless about what he might mean by "standing by his side", but at the same time I could only agree with him. I felt understood by him, safe, and comfortable like never before with someone else.

"Do you think I'm any less shocked? I've never experienced anything like it, you're the first person with whom I'm completely open and honest! I never have to pretend anything when I am with you; you are the first one who understands me and doesn't condemn me for what I do!" I sighed, experiencing for the first time such a heartfelt, intimate and exciting conversation.

"Really, you still have secrets in front of the Red Ones?" He sounded incredulous.

"Yeah, of course, there's nobody in my life that knows all about me. Even you don't know everything yet, but it's actually just the circumstances and not because I don't want to tell you..." I defended myself as I felt his hands becoming less gentle, tightening around me.

"That's good. You can always tell me everything, I won't keep any secrets from you. We can give each other something few people around us have and that is mutual trust and understanding!" he promised me with a deep voice, stroking my back all the time whilst he got calmer by the second.

"Oh Draco, you don't know how happy I am to hear these words, thank you!" I said candidly. I lifted my head from his chest and beamed up at his face. His arms wrapped around my body and his lips descended on mine faster than I could comprehend. We shared a long kiss for the first time, a kiss so thorough and intense, that it left me senseless. The feeling when his lips brushed mine was overwhelming! The firm pressure of his lips, seductively slow, while his tongue stroked my lips very gently, almost teasingly, and asked for admittance. I instantly granted him his request, and when our tongues found each other, it was as if a rush of electricity was running through my body. My heart stopped beating for a moment, then continued to beat at a much faster pace, and for the first time in my life all my senses really and truly awoke to life, something I hadn't experienced ever before, and he achieved that with only a kiss, making it very enjoyable for me.

We were still kissing each other deeply as he shifted back slightly to bury his hands passionately in my hair, pulling me closer possessively, making me moan into his mouth in pleasure. I had to start admitting something now: whether I wanted it or not, he was the first person for whom I felt more than just lust or desire. Being with him I felt so much more, it was almost too much, almost painful. It was overwhelming for me, a person who had always kept her feelings well hidden, and a bit scary in its intensity. I think he felt the same, because this ever growing passionate kiss enthralled us more and more. I clung to the front of his sweater because I was afraid of losing myself otherwise.

I could feel our tongues performing an unprecedented, unbelievably exciting duel. It was intoxicating to taste him, to feel and be so close to him. Our bodies pressed together tightly and eagerly. I could feel him completely pressed against me, an indescribably warm feeling spreading through me. After a long time, we broke away from each other, breathing heavily, his hands releasing my hair and we looked at each other in absolutely shocked awe at what we had just done, what we had felt, what only this kiss had emotionally done to us.

"Wow!" He was the first to find his voice again and probably his balance too. "What will happen if we take this further?" he asked hoarsely, his eyes sparkling expectantly and adventurously.

"Draco that was... unbelievable I..." My reply came out clipped, because I was very out of breath.

"Shush... I've never felt this way before, it's special.." He whispered, pulling me back to hug me so tightly that not a sheet could fit between us. He kissed my forehead very tenderly like he always did. And so I lay with my head in the crook of his neck. I could feel his chin on my head. I was still a little bit breathless as this unexpected turn of events had unsettled me. I hadn't planned for anything like this to happen between Draco and myself. However, I was no person who'd seriously question that development, as I hadn't really done that with Sirius either, but I had to ask Draco something that concerned me.

"Draco, my detention with Snape is going to start on Monday. I know that I'm always driving him mad. If it's going to go as I fear, I would say Minna will soon get an owl again... Actually it's overdue, it has been a long time" I mumbled embarrassed into his sweater.

"Severus's been out every night lately, the outbreak had to be planned, and a few other things where father and Severus were indispensable... Alas, by the way, I can tell you that he really likes the secret path. He warned me not to tell anyone about the passage, as this could make Hogwarts unsafe. He sometimes still thinks I'm a kid..." I could feel his body shivering indignantly.

"But to your question: if he calls, you have to go. It goes without saying that he would instantly become suspicious should you refuse, and after the last time, it wouldn't be good if he knew you were the same person," he said affably, though I heard a faint regret in his voice. However, he recognized the need for it and was just thinking the same way I did. One did what one had to do. Meanwhile, he held my right hand in his and pressed it to his heart.

"You're weird. Don't you mind at all?" I didn't know what to think about his words, after we had kissed like we just did.

"Do you mind?" He answered with a counter question, which I found very annoying.

"What? Because I have to jump into bed with Snape again?" I asked and thought about it. "No, I mean, he's good in bed, there's worse than him and it's over quickly, after the sobering motto, grit your teeth and just do it..." I was very cold as I often was and returned Draco's intense gaze.

"Then everything is fine! As long as it's just Severus, everything else would be unacceptable, and as Hermione, it's out of the question," he said, with astonishing coldness. But I knew how to deal with that much more than if he would have confessed his love.

"Draco, are you going to have sex with others, too?" I dared to ask timidly after he showed himself so controlled.

"Maybe, but not because I want to... You don't know what's going on at revels like these. You could maybe compare it to some of the situations you get yourself into. You just grit your teeth and do it! Sometimes it's not possible to make your own choices... Nox," he murmured with a tone of finality in his voice. The room was now covered in darkness.

I had briefly held my breath at his 'maybe', but now I let it slowly out again. I had looked deeply inside myself and thought about how that made me feel and to my shame I had to say that I could accept his argument. If it really had to be, there was no way around it. Though I didn't like it any more than the realization that I wouldn't escape from Snape. At the same time he held me like I was something very valuable, which he wouldn't ever let go anymore. His hands roamed tenderly over my whole body, which made my insides go pleasantly fuzzy and so we fell asleep in each other's arms.

We fell asleep because we were exhausted and it was late, but we were also emotionally overrun and worn out. What we had felt had been very intense. It was new to me. Not only that it didn't end in sex right away, no, but also trusting someone enough to sleep with that person and I don't mean it on a sexual level. No, to trust enough to sleep next to each other and to spend a whole night together in one bed was something completely new. But with Draco, lying there in his arms, it was a wonderful feeling. The next morning I opened my eyes, and as usual was awake immediately. Thanks to the unfamiliar environment I was just barely able to stop myself from startling. The memory of last night started to come back, when I noticed that I was lying on something soft that was slowly moving up and down.

A satisfied smile spread over my face. It was Draco! My Draco. I raised my head slightly to look at his face. He was still sleeping. Draco was really beautiful! His even, noble features... While I was relishing his aristocratic appearance and remembering yesterday's world-shaking kiss, I realized that we were still in our clothes. The realization made me chuckle. The sound woke him up. Draco opened his eyes. The look he gave me was alert, but then he smiled happily.

"Morning, my Mudblood," he said cheerfully.

"Morning, Draco!" I kissed his cheek and snuggled into his arms again. They welcomed me easily.

"Slept well?" he whispered into my hair.

"Very well, thank you. I don't know how I'll sleep without you from now on!" I replied, causing his chest to tremble slightly as he stifled a laugh.

"Why are you up already, it's only just before six!" he wanted to know curiously.

"What, it's already this late?" I exclaimed in shock. Crap! I jumped out of bed and frantically searched for my shoes.

"Why, what's going on?" He pulled himself up, leaning on his arms, and watched my actions, puzzled.

"I have to hurry if I want to go for a run today!" I hastily explained further. He let himself fall back onto his bed.

"Just skip it," he said succinctly and crossed his arms behind his head.

"No, not a chance!" I couldn't allow myself to slack off even once.

"Then I thank you for the beautiful night, Hermione!" he explained in a velvety voice. I was about to throw my coat over my shoulders and almost lost my balance in shock, which made him giggle evilly.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? Until then, my Pureblood and thanks for the wonderful night!" I said and fled unseen out of Slytherin.


	49. Room of Requirement

Aloha!

Soooo First: It was holidays and Fam before Fan. ^^ And Then: FF Net wasn't nice to me and didn't let me upload anything.

But now! We're back again, and tell you what! You get the other Chapter tomorrow!

So I hope you've had an amazing X Mas.

Enjoy todays chapter.

LoLove,

Cate xxx

* * *

 **Room of Requirement**

Sitting by myself once again at breakfast the next day, drinking my hot cup of coffee, my good mood was untouchable. I had had looked at myself in the mirror some time ago, while changing clothes after my run, and I had seen that I seemed to glow today. Even my normally brown eyes had a slight golden glint, which gave them an elegant touch. I was quite glad to have found a friend who understood me so well in Draco. When he entered the Great Hall with his clique right after me, one could see the aftereffects of the relaxed, enjoyed night together on him as well. He seemed both satisfied and as though he felt really good today.

Yes, that night had been good for the pair of us.

While we communicated with each other across the tables without arousing suspicion, I felt the weight of two hands on my shoulders and saw dark brown hair move into my field of view. A mouth got close to my ear and warm breath was tickling my skin. I could see how Draco's mood fell, courtesy of Harry's intimate action and how his lips, his so very soft, warm lips narrowed into a dangerously thin line. He didn't like this at all. Did I mention how very possessive Malfoys were, but never jealous?

"Good morning, Hermione. Are you better today?" Harry said into my ear, clearly worried.

"Yes, thank you Harry. A good morning to you too. What's up?" I whispered back.

"Good news," he replied. "Last night I was up very late, and so I saw Dobby when he came to clean our Common Room. I told him about my, well our, problem concerning the practice room and he mentioned something interesting. He told me about a place called the Room of Requirement, which is supposedly on the seventh floor opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. One has to walk up and down the corridor three times, thinking about what the room should look like. I wanted to ask you when we ought to go and take a look?" Harry explained in a conspiratorial whisper.

"Where is Ron?" I asked curiously, looking around.

"He's still asleep, I couldn't get him to wake up. The twins gave us a bit too much of their butterbeer yesterday. Probably spiked? They were very generous to Ron, Neville and myself. Was that your doing?" he asked, looking at me questioningly. Again he was seeing more than I had expected.

"Why do you think that?" I said innocently, as he sat down next to me and took a sandwich.

"Mh-hm… I'm sure you told them about Neville yesterday in front of the Great Hall, right?" he stated with a grin. Puh, lucky me. This wasn't nearly the whole truth, but his assumption wasn't entirely wrong either. He was still thinking the best of me and not the worst, I was lucky indeed.

"Yes, I did do that. Wasn't it nice of them?" I said, deflecting his line of questions by changing the subject quickly to something more harmless. "And I think we should have a look at the room before dinner, together with Ron of course!"

We spent the rest of our day hoping the boring lessons would pass quickly so that we could finally go and visit the room. It was very exciting, and extremely fascinating, discovering hidden secrets of the school! Once the bell signalling dinner finally rang, the three of us couldn't run fast enough up to the seventh floor, where we stopped at the tapestry in question, attentively looking at the bare stone wall opposite it.

"And you really think, Harry, that Dobby knows what he is talking about?" Ron asked quizzically, scratching his arm. He was giving the wall a dubious look. I was starting to question the theory as well and turned to Harry.

"Well then, walk up and down the corridor. You were the one to talk to Dobby!" I ordered and watched as Harry did what I asked. After looking up and down the corridor once more to make absolutely sure we were alone, he started walking. Luckily, all the other students were down in the Great Hall, like a starving horde, eating their dinner happily, without any knowledge of what we were up to. After his third pass in front of the wall, an inconspicuous wooden door appeared directly across from the tapestry, as if by magic, and well, I forgot that of course _it was magic_. We looked at each other, positively surprised.

"Cool," Ron said, acting nonchalant about this.

"Well, look at all the secrets worth discovering in the castle. There was nothing about this in Hogwarts: A History!" I said in thought. The boys rolled their eyes, but I could not change who I was.

"Come on, let's have a look behind the door!" Harry stated, excited. Once it was completely open, there was revealed to us a huge practise room, more like the Great Hall in size, with mats and other equipment. Big silk pillows for sitting were generously distributed across the floor.

The Room was amazing. Oh, what made me especially happy were the books, whole shelves of them covering many aspects of magical defence, and other magical equipment like Dark Detectors, which were items specifically designed for detecting threats, secrets and deceptions of any kind. There were many of these also in the room, and among them were Sneakoscopes with different levels of sensitivities. This kind of magical item had been invented by Edgar Stroulger back in the 18th century. They functioned like a kind of magical alarm system, looking like a gyroscope on a mount and would sound a loud piercing tone if untrustworthy people were around. Then there were Secrecy Sensors, which could detect magically hidden security flaws, like faked identities, dark devices or simple lies. The gadget looked like a baroque, golden antenna. It hummed quietly and vibrated in the case of discovery.

Finally, I found a Foe-Glas. It looked like a mirror, but didn't show a reflection. It only showed something if someone with bad intentions got close to the looker. I knew about all of these devices from books in the library, but to have them in one place and be able to study them hands on made me really happy. I was turning here and there, marvelling at the devices, grinning happily.

"It looks like Dumbledore's office!" Harry said, impressed.

"What do you mean?" Ron asked curiously, and I turned to listen, interested as well.

"Well, these things here, Dumbledore has some in his office!" he informed us as he walked towards the magical devices.

"Wow, that's cool! We have never been to his office. Whatever does he need them for, you think?" Ron asked all at once. I had lost interest in the conversation as it changed away from Dumbledore in favour of walking up to the shelves overloaded with books. I pulled out a copy of 'Jinxes for the Jinxed', 'Self-Defensive Spellwork', 'The Dark Arts Outsmarted' and finally, 'A Compendium of Common Curses and their Counter-Actions', and sank down onto one of the silk pillows.

Opening 'Jinxes for the Jinxed', I started to read, intrigued at the content. It was perfect; the perfect scenario for our needs. I loved this room. What else could I have wished for that it would create? I already knew how I would spend the next few nights. A wild, crazy-looking smile crept its way onto my face.

"...Hermione, are you listening at all?"

"Hello… Hermione… Miooooneee!"

I was shaken rather roughly and saw red hair too close to my eyes.

"What…?" I snapped, irritated and blinking in surprise.

"She didn't hear you, mate!" Ron said in a capitulating tone.

"What?" I asked again, still unsure about what he was on about..

"We asked you what you thought about the room and what to do next?" Harry explained with a smirk. Oh, I hadn't heard that. I mean, wasn't that obvious?

"Sorry, I was distracted, but this room is incredible. It's exactly what we need!" I exclaimed, and we were smiling at each other in understanding.

"I think we should try to tell one person of each house that they should all be here at half past eight at the latest, in front of the tapestry and then we will guide them in," I suggested.

"Mhm… isn't it a bit noticeable if there are like thirty people in one place?" Ron asked.

I was already shaking my head in response. "Only Harry will wait outside, everyone else will come into the room immediately!" I suggested.

"Oh, yeah, sure, you are right!" Ron agreed at once.

"And why do I have to wait outside?" Harry complained grumpily.

"I for one don't care if Ron stays outside as well," I pondered aloud.

"And why not you, Hermione?" Harry countered, his smile looking downright nasty. How could one person be this mean, I asked myself in that moment.

"Very funny, Harry!" I snapped, slightly irritated.

"Harry, stop making her angry and let her go to her books, otherwise there will only be trouble," Ron said, trying to mediate because he knew me and had already given up on the attempts to keep me away from my interests. It seemed as if the discussion between us at Grimmauld Place had been successful after all.

"Yes, but isn't riling her up still allowed?" Harry was grinning like a rascal.

"Er... boys, is it alright if I stay here, I'm not that hungry and I have an idea how we… well, could inform the group about upcoming trainings, but for that I would have to prepare a lot…," I was begging slightly, acting naive. I was looking up at them, surrounded by books, some even on my lap.

"Sure, stay here, we can manage getting all the others!" they said, understanding passing between them. They were feeling sorry for themselves for having a bookworm as a friend. And like that, they happily went to the Great Hall to speak to at least one person each from the other houses. This was great for me, and after Ron and Harry had left the room, I started to experiment with the room to see what it could do.

I wished for a room which could teach me more about the Dark Arts and look, although Hogwarts was supposedly against this sort of magic, everything and more appeared in front of me. And then a thought came to me. It wasn't Hogwarts which was against this kind of magic! Because Salazar Slytherin was using and teaching it here, which I knew from books. And that was with the knowledge and agreement from the other founders. Maybe I could find more documents on the topic here, because everything I had found until now was rather sparse.

I stared at the selection of books and magical devices, overwhelmed. The equipment was the opposite of the devices for defense. They were used to fool them. It was fascinating, the room I had wished for even contained a hospital wing in the back. Not because I had wished for one, no, it seemed like the room thought that practising this kind of magic would certainly cause injuries.

My decision stood. Here I could continue to learn and practice. It had been awhile since I could practice, because I had not found an opportunity to give in to my interests without being interrupted, like it had been possible back in the Black library. But here, this was a unique opportunity to learn much more on a far broader scale than I could have dreamed of. I was in heaven. I was really happy. It was incredible, but true, I was very very happy. Next I wished for a room for making potions and look - I was thoroughly awed - a potions lab appeared which would have brought tears to Snape's eyes. I couldn't control myself any longer and clapped. There was more than just a bit of reading material on the shelves here as well. The books were ones I didn't know and the selection of cauldrons in different sizes, different forms and made of different materials was exciting. Even the ingredients on the shelves or hanging from the ceiling were versatile. Well, I couldn't find unicorn blood, but at first glance I saw many ingredients you needed to brew the most common of potions. After that I tried a bedroom, which appeared without much surprise, but just wow! Why couldn't we have found this oasis sooner?

Unfortunately, I had to discipline myself and so I ended my continual changing of the room. I tried to control my excitement, even my nipples got hard. I was aroused because of the possibilities this room brought. But I didn't have time for that now and so I called for reason. I finally dealt with the galleons and wished for the defense room once again. I pulled out the bag in which my fake galleons were. I had created them during the last few days by transforming small stones to look like golden galleons.

Of course, the twins' coins, my own and Draco's were real, but the rest of the group didn't need that. Did I have too much money...? The answer to that question was no. I meticulously charmed thirty coins with the Protean Charm. The fake coins looked exactly like the real ones. I did well with the transfiguration. In class it would have gotten me an Outstanding. It took time and effort, because it was high level of magic and in this form it was only taught in the seventh year at Hogwarts. The Protean Charm I had used last night with Draco was slightly dark, well, okay, it was really dark magic!

Because I got the idea for communication from the Dark Mark and that wasn't light magic either. The magic was in the tattoo, directly inside the skin of the person in question. Everything dealing with blood, rituals or similar things belonged to the forbidden parts of magic. What complete idiocy! As long as the blood was shed voluntarily, in my opinion… but I have never been normal when it came to blood. I had already liked it as a small child, when I had to see the doctors to get my blood samples taken.

The people there were always like: "Don't be afraid! It will be quick, it won't hurt and look away?" What I didn't do obviously. I loved to see the bright red lifeblood flow out of me.

It had fascinated me to see how it had flowed directly into the small tube and the more blood there was the darker it became. It was captivating and fascinating! Which had me watching attentively and had the nurses and doctors look at me strangely, but hey, it was my blood. I liked it! Why should I be afraid of one of the most important things inside my body? I thought it was beautiful and since learning about magic I also knew about its importance. Its strength and power, and that knowledge was intriguing. And like that I had only just finished as soon as the door opened and the twins together with Ginny and the other Gryffindors came inside. They were looking around the huge hall, marvelling as they came closer to my seat.

"Hey! You are here already?" I said, beaming at them. "Where is Ron?"

"Still outside, with Harry! Here, I should give that to you from them," Ginny stated and handed me a sandwich and a small bottle of water. Oh, how sweet, my boys had thought of me. And the water, that had to have been Harry, because he knew I despised that sweet, sticky pumpkin juice he, Ron and all the other children liked to drink.

"That's nice, thank you Ginny!" I accepted it from her and took a bite hungrily.

"Wow, that's great. What room is this?" Fred and George asked at the same time. "It's overwhelming!"

"Harry will tell you that once everyone is here. Sit down," I tapped onto the pillow next to me in invitation. Once they sat, I leaned towards them and whispered: "Stay after the meeting, I will need our coins again…" They all raised a bright red eyebrow each, but nodded well-behaved. Suddenly the students from other houses entered and Ron and Harry appeared at the rear. I stood up and walked over to them. I managed to talk to Harry for a short while because most of the others were still distracted by the unusual room.

"Thank you for the food, Harry!" I gave him a kind smile, which he returned wickedly.

"Why do you think it was me and not Ron?" he asked quietly.

"Come on, he would have gotten pumpkin juice!" I answered with a wink. Harry burst out laughing and winked conspiratorially back at me as well. I really liked this boy very much.

"Whatever. You're right," he stated boldly, grinning impishly. "I'm excited, do you think I can really do this?" It came from him suddenly. He was insecure.

"Yes, Harry! You can do it. Your speech as a leader in the Hog's Head was impressive enough already, and if something goes wrong… you'll still have me!" I laughed and touched his shoulder in confirmation. One or the other female in this room was pulling a face at that again. "I will make them quiet down, just you wait… then you'll have your big appearance," I said, winking at him. And so I started to quiet the loud pack down.

"Hello! Nice to have you here. Would you please calm down for Harry, so he can tell you about how… about where and why you are here? Quiet please!" And wonder, oh wonder, my perfect teacher voice had made them silent. "Please, sit down on the pillows and listen!" I asked again and they did as they were told. I stepped back into the shadow, beckoning at Harry to walk to the front but he wanted me to stand next to him and I obeyed his unspoken plea. I stood on his right side and Ron naturally walked up to stand at his left.

"Good, the meeting time worked out and you all made it here! It wasn't easy but we've found the perfect practice room for us to use. It only appears if you call it for practice. No one can enter if someone is already inside and doesn't want anyone else to enter. This means we are safe from Umbridge and her new decree against new groups and gatherings," he explained confidently, pausing to emphasize the gravity of the situation.

"I think having solved the problem with the location, we should start Saturday with having the first lesson," he said, giving them a questioning look. "What do you think?"

"How did you find this here?" someone called suddenly, I think it might have been that Smith boy from Hufflepuff.

"By chance, even we need luck once in awhile! I just want to make clear that you have to stay absolutely silent about this room!" he stated. I would have loved to curse them with my spell but I shouldn't show off that I was capable of inventing spells. People didn't like that.

"Saturday is okay."

"Yeah, I think that as well."

"Yes, the day is fine, so Saturday," they eventually agreed.

"Good to find common ground! My suggestion would be from one in the afternoon until we have enough. Is that ok?" Everyone nodded. I stepped forward then.

"One more thing. As we are a group,I think we should elect a leader who'll make decisions so we don't start to argue over every matter. That would be unproductive!" I presented.

"Who do you think?"

"I like this idea."

"Should we choose you?" they asked.

"No, I suggest we elect Harry, and I would ask everyone in favour raise their hand!" My voice drowned them out, and they went quiet. Harry's head turned to me, a startled look in his eyes with his mouth hanging open.

"What Harry? You should teach us to defend ourselves. I think it's clear that you should also lead us!" I explained. He continued to look puzzled.

"I think Hermione is right, I'm for it!" the Twins said and raised their hands, which got house Gryffindor to raise their hands at once. Luna and Cho followed and one after another every other hand went into the air. Only Smith was left undecided, but in the end he didn't want to be the only one not voting in Harry's favour and so his hand was slowly raised as well. And like that we had an unanimous vote for our leader.

"What are we called?" Luna asked dreamily, looking up from her long, blond hair which she was in the process of braiding. Now suggestion after suggestion was called out until Cho raised her quiet and delicate voice. I couldn't stand it when girls purred like that, but she talked during a brief pause.

"What do you think about the Defense Association?" she asked shyly, blushing. Oh man, how could Harry like someone like her? Oh well, if it worked for him! I would slap someone that was that shy and delicate after some time. However, here I had to suppress my temper, which I always did anyways, so it wasn't anything too special. And her suggestion was absolutely fine. I nodded because I liked it, as did some of the others. Ginny raised her voice suddenly though, which was obviously because Ginny couldn't let Harry's flame have the best suggestion. Like how she didn't only have Harry's attention, but she had everyone else's as well. Ginny's tactic was very obvious, unimaginative and predictable! Poor Michael Corner. He was just another stepping stone in my opinion. But everyone should do whatever they liked. I really shouldn't judge if you took into account everything I did.

"I'm for Dumbledore's Army!" she said. The suggestion made me grit my teeth. It seemed like Harry had faltered as well for a second because he didn't know what to make of the old professor and so the suggestion wasn't well received from us, the heads of the group, but the badgers and the ravens saw it much differently. The twins, who caught our reaction, started to speak instead of us.

"Well, the two suggestions from Cho and our little sister were received the best. What do you think about only taking the first letters? It's the same for both, the D.A.!" Fred suggested with a grin. Didn't I always say that the twins were great?

"The group will be called the Defense Association, or the D.A. for short, so that no one knows what we are talking about!" George said. "And everyone who likes Ginny's suggestion better could read the D.A. as… yes, as Dumbledore's Army!?" said George confidently. I clapped and everyone else joined in.

"Well then, to the D.A.!" called Harry and he beamed happily, relieved. Once some people began to stand up to leave, I started speaking again.

"Just a moment, please wait, I have something for you!" I said, which got many of them to look at me in surprise, maybe they were afraid of having to sign something again.

"So that Harry can inform you whenever there is a meeting, as there is no fixed date, I have thought of a possibility to communicate!" My grin was wide and the group was curious. Harry looked at me. I seemed to have thrown him off his guard because I had kept quiet about it until now.

"Here are your coins, they're not real ones, I transfigured them!" I explained, opening the bag and taking one out. "Look, they look like galleons," I added, giving one to Harry. "See, here you can change the numbers to give them a date and a time and then you can also change the letters but we don't need it because we will always meet in this room!" I explained and showed him. "Every other coin then changes as well and they will get hot…" I saw complete surprise and astonishment all around. I was looking around a bit uncertain.

"What, what is it?", I asked, wanting to know.

"You, Hermione, are a genius!" Harry happily stated, grabbed me by my hips and spinned me around in a circle. I was surprised by how strong he had gotten since we first met. I laughed, relieved, and I liked that Harry was so happy. Once he let me down, most of the others were looking at us with smiles, except for Smith, Chang and Ginny. They looked a bit sour.

"Excuse me, but is that the principle of the Protean Charm?" Terry Boot, a Ravenclaw, asked in disbelief.

"Yes, you are right, Terry. That is the Protean!" I agreed.

"Wow, that's heavy stuff! This is seventh year material! It's is extremely difficult. How did you manage it, did someone help you? You're only a fifth year," he said in excitement.

"No, I didn't have any help and it isn't too hard..." I disagreed and tried to seem modest. Many looked at me in surprise. They didn't think I could do it. I, the teacher's pet, who could only quote books which I had memorized word for word. But that wasn't true, I only had an eidetic memory. It wasn't my fault that the books got imprinted in my brain nearly identical to their originals.

"Hermione, you are handling things admirably. Without you or your ideas we wouldn't be here!"

"Great, we will see each other on Saturday at one p.m. Should the time change, the coins will react. Please leave in small groups of two people, try to be inconspicuous and everyone take a coin from the bag!" Harry stated matter-of-factly as I gave everyone a coin before they left, until only the Weasleys and us remained.

"Er, Hermione, could you please explain the charm you put on the coins to us? We've just had a brilliant idea. If you could teach us that spell, because we would only learn it around Easter according to the syllabus…," George said smartly, gazing at me with puppy dog eyes..

"Sure. But that might take a while!" I said, looking to Harry and Ron.

"Please, please, please…," Fred begged, sinking to his knees dramatically, and crawled towards me which got the others to laugh.

"Come on, let's leave and let the three of them alone…," it seemed as if they all wanted to have their fun.

"I could also teach you!" I suggested to the boys and Ginny.

"No, no, thank you, but no. It'll be enough for me if I learn it as a seventh year!" Ron made a defensive gesture with his hands.

"Come on, mate, I'll play a round of wizard's chess with you. What about you, Ginny?" Harry said as he walked up to the door, waving back at us. "Have fun and don't stay too long!" Sometimes I didn't know what Harry thought or if he completely believed everything that we told him. I just didn't know! Because now appeared to me as if he figured that we were planning something else. Yes, Harry was underestimated by many, but he wasn't stupid and he was growing up.

Once the door had shut we were alone and I could feel as George got closer to me and started to talk in a more serious manner, like only Fred and I knew him, when he wasn't up to nonsense.

"This room is perfect. What is it able to do, Hermione? You wanted to show us something, among other things, right?" I turned to face him and thought how nice it was to not have to explain every detail to the twins.

"Yes, you are going to like this!" and I wished for the potions lab and immediately after that for the practice room for dark magic.

"Wow, we are speechless!" they said, turning around in a circle to see everything. It reminded me of my own reaction.

"What a pity, after seven years of school and only now we've found this wonder…!" Their eyes had a devilish tint.

"I will be here from now on every day, because what is the library compared to this here? Harry and Ron didn't understand at all what this room is able to do. And the other members of the D.A. won't dare to show up here outside of meetings. I wanted to ask you both how well trained you are within the Dark Arts?" I explained and looked them up and down.

"Not as good as you are, although the restricted section knows us quite well!" Fred said, grinning like a little devil.

"I think you should train a bit here, as many of the books even I don't know," I stated happily.

"Sure, we'll do that. An hour from now on, every day, at the least!" Fred said enthusiastically.

"Don't promise me things you won't do," I reprimanded them with a smile.

"Er, she's offending us, Fred!" George said.

"Well, she knows us though, doesn't she? But Hermione, the room is so awesome, I swear I will come here for an hour every day, too! Huh, that sounded pretty suggestive, didn't it?" he laughed loudly and George looked at him in slight despair.

"Why the potions lab?" he asked at once.

"I will brew here and thought that as some of your products need potions as a base, you could practise here and experiment and…," I gesticulated.

"That's genius… I already love this room. You know what? I'll move in here!" Fred said confidently.

"Yes, I also don't want to leave here ever again. Couldn't you have your dates here?" I said with a deep sigh, which got them to glance at each other with eyes full of love. I shook my head to get back to the original topic. "Give me your coins!" I ordered and pulled out mine as well.

"Here you go… but why exactly? Don't they also react to Harry's call?" they asked, slightly irritated. "Why? I want to personalize them, I did the same to Draco's and yes, they will receive Harry's call as well. But if I write the message, only you and Draco can see that and the other way around. You should think about letting him do the same…!" I explained and touched my thigh, removing the horus knife from under my skirt.

"Wow, you're wearing weapons inside Hogwarts?" they said, looking at the weapon in my hand.

"Sure, always. I don't go anywhere without weapons, but they're invisible," I explained to them happily.

"Great, awesome knife!" Fred stated less shocked. I cut my finger on the blade and let one drop each fall onto the twins' two coins which they watched, intrigued. Then I cast an Episkey on myself and gesticulated for the twins to come closer. Fred walked up confidently and gave me his finger, which I grabbed, cutting it with the knife quickly. A slight sound of pain escaped him.

"Shit, ouch! This hurts… ouch!" I guided his finger so that his blood dropped onto our three coins. "Why didn't you say anything, this hurts a lot!" he complained and sniffed. Which got me to chuckle evilly. I healed his oh so deep cut as well. Oh well, it was a scratch, nothing more. He always had to exaggerate.

"I'm used to pain like this, and you are oversensitive. That's nothing, really now!" I said disparagingly. His act was way over the top. "George, are you a man or the same softy your beloved brother is?" My provocation got George to take a step forward and confidently present me his finger. His scream was even louder than Fred's, as if I was killing him, those scaredy cats! Really, pain wasn't something they could handle and I couldn't hold back my dirty laugh, which got me an uncommonly evil eye.

"Not everyone has to like being cut regularly…!" Their tone was condescending.

I was still chuckling: "Of course, me neither. But this? You are acting as if I were killing you!"

"Well, for just a few drops you don't need such a huge butcher's knife, a needle would have done the job!" they explained to me, offended.

"Why look for another way, if it can be done fast this way?" I replied simply, putting my weapon back.

"You're insensitive!" Fred stated as we all put our necklaces with the coins back on.

"It's better that way!" I answered impassively. "Oh, if it's of interest to you, Draco was more like me, we can deal with pain very well! We could work on your sensibilities too, the room is perfect... You might even like it!"

"Are you crazy, why should I like being in pain…?" one of the twins gasped, thoroughly shocked.

"It was only a thought, don't get all huffy, I was only thinking out loud!" I grinned. "And now let's have fun, we still have time. Today, nothing will get me out of here before one p.m.! Let's see what we can do with dark magic!" And so we split up and started to look through the room in interest.


	50. Harry's First Training

You guys are amazing! :D

Thanks so much for all your comments. (Which will be answered bellow the chapter)

Here we are with a new chapter. Translated by Aivy.

Enjoy. xxx

* * *

 **Harry's first training**

I woke up the next morning, thinking how everything was wonderful. We had had a lot of fun yesterday in the Room of Requirement and had found some new, exciting things. The Twins were doing nothing but creating new pranks, plans and products.

I got through the rest of the day successfully, it was nothing but routine. After presenting Harry with an elaborate proposal on how to start his first training session and him vowing to prepare for the upcoming lesson I excused myself with the fact that it had gotten too late the night before. I conjured my Geminio and escaped to London to devote myself to physical training this time. My Sensei informed me that he wanted to introduce me to the Brazilian martial art 'Luta Livre' today, which was fine by me because I was at a loss after his proclamation. Luta Livre… what?

He elaborated that it was a Portuguese free fight system. _Aha_ , I thought, _all right!_ He explained that Luta Livre enabled a fighter to safely bridge the gap to his opponent, bring him down and remain in control and finally to force him to surrender or to incapacitate him. Neat. I was all for incapacitation, I knew no mercy in this regard. Now he asked me if I wanted to learn 'ALL' or 'MMA'. Eh, I... what, please? So he explained that there were 'ALL', the wrestling 'Luta Livre Esportiva', and 'Vale Tudo' / 'MMA', a style without rules which would include kicks and punches. Okay, the decision was easy, without rules always sounded good to me, as good as kicks and punches. For now, I didn't want to think about that to learn the art I would have to experience it myself, but as I always said, grit your teeth and get on with it! What use would I have of a simple wrestling style? No, I didn't need that, so I chose the option 'MMA'.

Sensei's face showed his satisfaction when I told him of my decision and he declared that therefore the free wrestling elements of the 'Luta Livre' would be supplemented with kicks, punches and thrusts with knees and elbows which could be used while standing or while wrestling on the ground. All right, and next? He was pleased, as he thought that these specific techniques would enable me to defeat physically stronger opponents. While fighting on the ground a weaker fighter could use technique to compensate for disadvantages in height and weight. Well, what were we waiting for?

After our lesson I knew once again why I shouldn't jump into a new martial art without any preparation, as it was just too painful afterwards. Wow, the Brazilians had a really creepy imagination. However, I would learn it, as I hadn't been able to even count to three after going down before I had been out for the count. But enough, I winged my battered body back to Hogwarts! I had been away long enough to get to the Room of Requirement without being seen. My Geminio was still sleeping soundly in my bed and so I could savour the Room to my heart's content.

Saturday afternoon arrived fast and we all gathered in the Room of Requirement to be taught some offensive Defense by Harry.

"Alright, my dears, today we start with the disarming spell, the Expelliarmus!" he proclaimed cockily.

"Why? We already learned it in Second Year, that's much too simple!" Smith interrupted.

"Firstly, we have to start low, as everybody should progress together as a group. I don't want to leave someone behind. And secondly, the Expelliarmus did me good service in Fourth Year against Lord Voldemort!" A collective groan went through our school mates. "Come on, it got me enough time to escape, I am sentimental in this regard. And now show me how good you are. The better, the faster we can move on. Line up in pairs!" Harry demanded unyieldingly and looked around with a stern expression.

I experienced some minor difficulties to adhere to his demand, as this was a really easy spell. Who should I take as a partner? Maybe it would be the best to choose none of them. I could merge with the shadows and help Harry to correct the others, I pondered. Yes, that would be smart. Just then wild shouting and screaming started. People were hit with the disarming charm, flew through the room and landed painfully on the mats or even on the floor. Chaos reigned, pure chaos. Spells whizzed through the air, flashing and bolting around wild and totally uncontrolled.

"Stop! Stop!" Harry yelled loudly. "Stop it!" he roared now magically enhanced over the noise and one after the other everybody did as ordered. A lot were lying around and whining about there ungentle landings, which prompted me to internally roll my eyes even harder. _Guys, you should have experienced my training yesterday, that's what I call pain!_ Some spots on my body were still hurting severely and what did I do? Nothing, I just lived with it! This here was nothing, I thought derisively and slightly arrogantly, but come on, I was entitled to a bit of arrogance. How could one be such a pussy?

Harry was looking around attentively and suddenly focussed his gaze on me, which made me look directly into his eyes at once. It was as if he was scanning, assessing and appraising me with his extraordinary eyes, which was strange, as Harry never acted like this, but then he was already talking.

"Hermione, come here. People, it doesn't work like that!" he declared with determination and pointed to the middle of the training hall. I looked at him in surprise, however, I simply shrugged and walked towards him.

"So listen, what you are doing won't do you any good! You should not cast the charm without aiming properly. Some of you were not hit by the spell of your opponent, but by stray spells and that's not the goal. Precision and focus on your target, that's what you have to pay attention to!" Harry was good. He was right and he presented his point very competently.

"Hermione, we will show them how a disarming charm works and that works best in a duel!" He looked at me, silently asking for permission. Funny, his look wasn't very innocent.

"Should I fight back and move or should I let you hit me?" I asked him, giving him nothing but emphasized coldness and indifference. I would do exactly what he asked me to. Unfortunately I had my dark brown school wand in my hand. I loved my white one much more, but well, one could not have everything one wanted.

"No, of course you will fight back. I know that you are good!" His lips formed into a winning smile.

"How could you know that? You have never seen me fighting!" I was flirting with him in front of the others and that was really fun.

"I am not blind. You are perfect in everything you do, certainly you are with this as well. Give it your best shot!" he cheered me on. All right, I would give them a show, although that Harry would and had to win was without question. I just hoped that my temper wouldn't get the better of me. I knew, in situations like this I sometimes got tunnel vision and here, in front of so many witnesses, no, that would not be good, not good at all.

"Alright, Harry. But no duelling style. We will just start, okay?" He just nodded and I could watch how the others stepped back and we stood face to face opposite each other. With that the background noise got less and less important while I focussed on my opponent.

The battle began.

"Expelliarmus," Harry chanted immediately and I twisted to the side with lightning speed, not a second too early, and flung my own "Expelliarmus" at him while coming out of the turn. But he was fast as well, thanks to Quidditch, as I knew, that's why his ability to react was ridiculously good. He was able to escape my counter attack, but only by quickly throwing himself to the floor. It had been a close call, the spell grazed the ends of his hair, fizzling out, but apart from that he was unharmed.

It continued blow upon blow, in quick succession. Again and again I was tempted to cast a spell nonverbally and I think a few times it might have happened in the heat of the moment, but it was an exciting duel. Harry was an impressive, powerful fighter. Where he was otherwise only average in class because of his lack of interest and laziness, here he was a born warrior. I loved to see how flexible, agile and supple his body operated. I must have given a similar performance, the way we danced together like this.

Physically I was not inferior to him, thanks to my excessive training, and he was in good shape thanks to Quidditch and so we exchanged hex after hex, spell after spell, in rapid succession. We were permanently and constantly in motion. The Room had erected a protective glass wall in front of the group along the outer wall, thus Harry and I didn't have to be considerate of anybody during our battle and we fell into such a rage that I forgot my intent and gave him as good as I got and more. We didn't give anything away for free, Harry treated my as an equal opponent. The room was filled with a blur of colours from the different spells and curses, the sparkling and flashing reminded of a mirror ball.

"Avis," I threw at him and small birds shot out of the wand tip to confuse him. Harry reacted immediately with an Aguamenti, which drenched my poor birds thoroughly and robbed them of their attack momentum. I jumped out of the way quickly and sent a Babbling Curse at him, so that he could only talk nonsense. Sadly, Harry escaped by a hair's breadth and the curse crashed into the stone wall behind him. He answered with a Leg-Locker Curse, which I could only avoid with a daring dive that ended in a roll. Phew, that had been close, and before I could get to my feet again, the next, colourful beam was coming my way, directing way too many batlike, winged nuisances at me. I was still sitting on the floor because I hadn't managed to rise in time, an extremely bad position to defend from.

"Ring of fire," I chanted quickly and a flick of my wand erected a burning barrier around me. The flames of the fire soared high, scorching the little beasts Harry's hex had conjured. They burned mercilessly and I got the necessary time to get to my feet again. And not a second too soon! He attacked my ring of fire with a freezing charm, which modified my flames in a way that they could no longer do harm and thus let every spell pass. I had to end the spell. In next to no time I sent a Stupefy, which manifested as a red beam shooting out of my wand. Harry parried competently with a Protego and my stunner visibly bounced off his shield, then he instantly countered with a quick Petrificus Totalus, which I could block with a loudly yelled Salvio Hexia. The safe room encased me and repelled his Oppugno birds as well. Unchivalrously fast he followed up with an Impedimenta which broke the safe room and I was once again operating in the entirety of the training hall.

My Levicorpus found its target and, totally unanticipated by Harry, he was abruptly hoisted into the air by his ankle. Skilfully he cast the counter-curse Liberacorpus in the same second and dropped ungently to the floor, but rolled lightning quick to the right and with a smooth motion he was back on his feet, therefore the Incarcerous I had sent after him missed. He conjured a hex deflection as protection and thus repelled the Rictusempra expertly. We got faster and faster, so that the world was reduced to a sea of colours and the blood was pounding in my ears. It was fascinating to duel this way, but I reminded myself that this was Harry and I had to hold back and just then the decision was taken from my hands.

I didn't manage to dodge the next spell shot at me and it hit me in the middle of my chest. At first I was frozen with fear, but then I realised what had happened, I had been hit with the Tongue-Tying-Curse, and I was able to continue fighting! Which brought a horribly distorted smile to my face and that apparently frightened Harry, who had started to beam confident of his victory. That was something I had learnt from my Sensei, you should never get your hopes up too soon! And thus my body straightened and I started a surprise attack and sent a nonverbal freezing charm at him, which he escaped only through a daring roll forwards. He quickly overcame his initial shock that I was now casting nonverbally and prepared his counter attack. He shot a Stupefy at me, which I blocked once again skilfully with the Protego. This prompted him to lift his eyebrow in recognition, as it was a strong shield, despite the wordless magic.

Harry's stunners had a lot of power, which he and I both knew. Now I flung the Confundus Charm at him to make him disoriented. And my acting made him confused enough that I indeed hit him. But Harry spoke the spell which counteracted this particular charm that swiftly that he actually managed to disarm me with the Expelliarmus. That caused me to applaud him after he had caught my wand and I had realised that he had won.

Wow, I was massively out of breath! Harry and I had not given the other anything for free, but it had been a good duel. I had not shown everything I was capable of and the duel had been limited to white spells, nonetheless it had been fun.

We were facing each other, squatting slightly, and were bracing the hands against our knees, to calm down our breathing and heartbeat. The duel had been straining and truly nerve-racking. But we hadn't been injured, which was too sweet, though highly unrealistic if it had taken place in the real world. However, this was only the beginning.

Harry, too, was still breathing heavily in front of me, when I looked up, but grinning openly, as I must have been smiling. He threw my wand back at me and I catched it and wordlessly cast the counter-curse against the one paralyzing my tongue. Harry wiped the sweat from his brow, the duel had been really exhausting for the both of us. The DA members could now join us again as the glass wall had vanished and walked towards us while we were still recovering.

"That… that… that… Harry… Hermione, was incredible, world-shaking!"

"Yes. From where… how… Where did you learn that?"

"That was awesome... "

"I have never seen something like that before."

"Will we be able to do that as well someday?"

"Yes, can you… can you both teach us? That was so impressive!"

Harry started to laugh and I was chuckling as well.

"Easy, guys. Calm down, everyone!" Harry called loudly and racked his hand through his unruly hair, disturbing it even more. "That has been a very challenging duel, but why shouldn't you be able to learn how to fight like that? That's why we demonstrated it for you, so that you can see what it is we can offer you to teach!" Harry dangled the possible award of this training in front of them.

"Hermione!?" He spoke quietly to me now. "You didn't tell even me that you are this good. Since when are you able to cast nonverbally?"

"Yes, we only learn that in the upper classes!" Terry interjected, the oh so smart Terry who could never shut his mug. I would have liked to kick my own ass in this moment.

"By exercising… It's actually not that difficult," I claimed succinctly and brushed a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"That was a really tough duel!" Neville exclaimed in awe.

"Yes, Hermione, we didn't hold anything back. Thank you!" Harry complimented me, clearly happy and I smiled contently at him.

"My pleasure, Harry. Anytime!" I answered and touched his arm to pat him, as I was proud of him.

"What could I teach you?" he now asked solemnly.

"A lot. You won! Besides, one does not stop learning," I shared my own belief. The duel did more than thrill the DA. Every one of them saw the next fighter in himself or herself now. We inspired ambition in them with our show battle. Now the training could start for real. The members looked at Harry like an eighth wonder of the world, idolizing him. I mean, he was the Boy-Who-Lived. But I was also aware of the looks I got, which were nothing like the adoration Harry was receiving. Instead, they were full of fear and apprehension. Why?

I had fought exactly like Harry, he had even won. They could not know that I had not exhausted my whole repertoire. I pondered what could explain these reactions. Ron was standing in the back with a very pale complexion, keeping a low profile. I could guess what thoughts were plaguing him. He knew who couldn't keep up with us on a large scale, which didn't particularly faze me. I had worked hard for these skills, but he couldn't comprehend that! That constant exercise was necessary to master them was beyond him.

And thus the others followed Harry's instructions without further complaints, and worked hard and achieved much. It was revealed that it was truly necessary to start with this simple charm, as many were showing deficiency already. After four long hours of intense training the first signs of exhaustion became visible and we ended the training for the day. I had helped Harry supervise the exercises and participated in several demonstrations, as nobody volunteered to train with me. Everyone was afraid that they would have no chance against me. Which was in no way unfounded. Especially in groups it was always glaringly obvious that I didn't belong, always a misfit. But hey, I was used to it.

I could observe how Harry tried to help Ron, and how Ron reacted very dismissively. I knew, Harry had realized the problem Ron kept postponing, which was perfect for me. Thus I signalled George and Fred to stay behind, which they confirmed immediately with a nod of their heads and so we waited and were the last who remained.

"Can you two tell me what problem the others have? They don't even look at me anymore," I exclaimed in frustration and disappointment. "I mean, Harry fought the same." I looked at them questioningly.

"You truly don't know it, do you, Hermione?" George asked with visible bemusement and I shook my head unhappily.

"You looked like an amazon, a warrior princess, ready for anything, capable of everything. Your hair was flowing around you, it was really impressive! Not that the others are actually aware that you are ready to do anything. However, your demeanour did command a lot of respect from everybody! I mean, you were very impressive, your whole fight was. Harry amazed me as well. I always knew he was good… but that he has that much talent surprised me, in a really positive way! How was he different? Well, he looked determined for sure, though not as ready to go as far as you… I mean, your ring of fire was genius, but truly scary and we can only tell that now because we know you so well! The others have an inkling at most, a vague idea that you are dangerous! But we know it one hundred percent and it shows when you fight, Hermione. You didn't pretend, you rather restrained yourself, which is a frightening prospect in itself! I think, you had to struggle enough… not to hurt Harry?" George's intense gaze was locked on to me, the question obvious in his eyes. I turned my head away in shame, because he was so excruciatingly right.

"I mean, it was a battle amongst friends. The others will ask themselves what havoc you would wreak amongst your enemies even limited to white spells. Although we certainly know that you would resort to dark magic as well in a fight for life and death!" Fred stated seriously and both pointed out to me that I had to consider what kind of impression I made on others.

"Yes, I used a lot of my concentration on restraining myself and to prevent me from doing something stupid," I confessed. "And it was difficult for me, because normally I would hold nothing back when I fight!"

"Didn't I tell you?" he addressed Fred who nodded in confirmation.

"Don't worry too much. I mean, you have always appeared a bit scary to most of them! And you told the members of the DA about the Proteus charm that you used a while back and now this battle. And to top it off you used nonverbal spells as well, something many of them will never be able to do in their whole life. Combat spells are some of the most difficult spells in existence and to manage them with enough power to prevail in such a duel frightens a common witch or wizard!" George clarified further.

"Most people are scared stiff by ingenuity! Why do you think we act so over the top, so chaotically? It's just to fool them into thinking us harmless jesters," Fred interjected smartly.

"Yes, great, now all of them are scared of me even more," I fretted, for I should have controlled myself more.

"Yes, though never mind! Once your reputation is gone, you can boldly carry on! And don't compare yourself to Harry. Everyone expects incredible, inexplicable performances from him!" Fred uttered next, laughing freely. Sometimes I really appreciated the way he saw the world.

"But the fight, woah, brilliant. But now you should rest. The things you accomplished in the last few days must have taken their toll on you. Please rest. You won't help anybody when you break down. We will leave you alone now, Beautiful!" George hugged me.

"Wait a moment," Fred said and made a strained face and a bedroom appeared. "So, and now rest. We will keep the world at bay!" He pulled me out of his brother's embrace and lifted me up as if I weighed nothing, then carried me to the bed and laid me down gently.

"Thank you," I whispered to him, moved by their words and gestures and snuggled into the gloriously soft bedding.

"Sleep tight, most beautiful." The Twins tiptoed away quietly while I dozed off. I jerked up again when I suddenly remembered that it was Saturday and I was not able and didn't want to sleep for hours because "I have to get to Draco!" He would be waiting for me. It was shortly before seven o'clock, but when I went to sleep now, I wouldn't be able to raise again at ten to stumble down to the dungeons, to Draco.

"Forget him. We will find a way to tell him that you are too tired to get to him, but that he shouldn't worry…!" George offered.

"Oh, good. Please tell him, I will be in the Great Hall in the morning, okay?" and slumped back into the pillows.

"Now relax. You need that once in awhile as well!" Fred stated thoughtfully. I agreed with them, because I could still feel yesterday's combat training and the duel today in my bones. I mean, I was only human, no machine and thus I didn't care about anything or anybody at the moment, not even Draco, and so I sunk into a deep, restorative sleep.

* * *

 **Review Answers:**

 **lun27:** We hope so too. I guess we'll be getting there one day. ^^

 **ptrool:** Hahaha, I see what you mean, and I totally agree. But rules are rules. Thanks for your review. :*

 **Keither:** Your review made us all so happy. Just had to share it with everyone! Thanks so much for loving the story. I'll let you know how you can get the smutty ones. But I'll always let you know when there's scenes being cut out. :) In regards to Neville: He'll be worth the read. It might not be as amazing as other fics. But he won't be under appreciated either. If you want to read a good Neville fic, then Aivy suggests the fic: Dumbledores Army and the Year of Darkness. ;)

 **Important to all:**

If you want to read the full smutty and uncut version, you can find the fic with the title:

When Hermione Fights (gasp what a surprise)

On AO3 or Wattpad. (I suggest AO3 though, I can't stand the colours of Wattpad^^)

 **Much love and a good new year to you all!**

Cate and Co. xxx


	51. Slytherin Chiefs

We're back again!

Have fun! And thanks so much for the many new favs.

* * *

 **Slytherin Chiefs**

As expected, I saw Draco on Sunday morning in the Great Hall. He gave me a friendly, but covert nod, which meant that the Twins had been able to tell him yesterday that he didn't have to wait for me. I quickly finished my coffee and rose again, signalling him that I wanted to speak to him now and tried to make him understand that I would be waiting for him. A brief, barely perceptible tilt of the fair head told me he had understood. So I waited near the portico, from where the large gull-winged doors of the Great Hall were in sight and only minutes later Draco headed towards me in a rapid pace.

"What are you doing here, Mudblood? Out of my way!" he hissed and in passing he pointed to the end of the corridor. He strode purposefully towards one of the classrooms which was unused on Sundays and I followed with some distance. Today I wore a green, simple college dress with a high collar and long sleeves. A winter dress made of a warm, woolen fabric, because today, on a Sunday, we didn't have to squeeze ourselves into school robes. When I closed the open door behind me, I found myself in an embrace so fast, I couldn't even blink. Arms pulled me tightly to a male chest covered by a form-fitting black pullover made of the finest material, topped with a longer cut jacket. It fit him very well and fortified his noble appearance.

We stood in the classroom and held each other tightly until he pushed me away slightly and let go, just to cup and hold my face with both of his pale, well-groomed hands, whereupon he leaned towards me and laid his lips over mine with infinite gentleness and tenderness. That sent an incredible tingly feeling into my stomach, as if thousands of bees were buzzing inside me. The kiss started slow, so that at first only our lips touched each other chastely but then pressed against each other more and more passionately, which caused an indescribable feeling of happiness inside me! When his tongue began to caress my lips with passion, I forgot where I was and opened my lips with a pleased, throaty sound. I could feel the small smile on his lips when I welcomed him. Our tongues began to dance with each other. We started out slowly and quickly build up to a passionate finale in which our tongues fought a hot, fierce duel. When we parted, overwhelmed from the kiss, my legs were as soft as pudding. Draco had to hold me with one arm around my waist, otherwise I would've lost my footing. Additionally I pulled myself close to his body.

"Draco, you're so passionate today!" I tried to regain my balance.

"You didn't turn up yesterday, Malfoys can't handle that well!" he whispered into my hair, caressing my neck with his hand.

"How did they inform you?" I asked curiously and eagerly.

"They stopped us in front of the stairs to the dungeons and offered us their products, saying that they were generous enough to allow Slytherins to participate in their ingenuity, because money is money, no matter where it comes from and that it wouldn't stink! Then they started talking about themselves in third person, very confusing! But the next thing they did was to complain that they were very tired and that the earliest one would be able to see them again would be the next morning, and that we should quickly grab their products now, before they were gone, since one shouldn't be hopeful of seeing them before tomorrow and they were staring at me intensely the whole time. I would have to have been brain dead not to understand with that amount of emphasis that you wouldn't be able to come that night!" Draco explained extravagantly and made me giggle because of the mental picture I got. His description was really hilarious.

"Draco, you should become a comedian, seriously! I'm sorry, but I was too exhausted! First the martial arts training in London, my Sensei..."

"I told you, I want to know when you leave the castle...!" he hissed downright angry and kept me at a distance to scowl at me.

"You know that I always have martial arts on Fridays!" I said perplexed.

"I want you to let me know with the coin, that you're leaving Hogwarts whenever you do, and when you arrive well, inform me as well, is that too much to ask?" he growled, his fingers now buried in my shoulders, shaking me with slight annoyance.

"Oh, of course I can do it that way if you want me to," I tried to reassure him with my cooperation, raising my hand to his smooth cheek and looking at him apologetically. "Won't happen again, I promise," I promised solemnly and pulled out of his grip. I went to a desk and sat down on the top. "Where was I? Um... He taught me a new discipline. I still feel sore today. And then we formed a secret defense club with some students here, in which Harry teaches us offensive spells. Yesterday we had a really tough duel! I think most of our classmates are terrified of me now!" I told him with a certain mischievous satisfaction, forgetting the brief, slight disappointment of yesterday.

"Good!" it came indifferently from him.

"Uh, what do you mean?" I was confused.

"It's good that they're afraid of you! One has to be afraid of you. Most of them are also afraid of me, one is naturally scared of Malfoys!" he said quite arrogantly, as ever, standing proudly in front of me.

"Draco, I'm sorry to tell you that, but the Gryffindors aren't as scared of you as your Slytherins are!" I said cynically, trying to put him down to earth.

"Oh, you're mistaken, my Mudblood! They are scared! Everyone in your tower! Only you, the weasel and Potter are not! But everyone else, even the Twins have the decency to not joke in front of me, ask them!" he offered nonchalantly and I frowned thoughtfully, my legs swinging back and forth. He was right, I thought. Draco had never been a victim of their sometimes very gross jokes, even though otherwise Slytherins certainly were among their favorite targets. Did the lions really fear and respect Draco? I started pondering, I knew that all the girls, from all the houses, fancied him and the boys saw him as a constant threat and competition! But scared, of him directly? Um, maybe? Or was it because of his constant group of followers, I asked myself. I would have to observe that in order to be able to judge!

"But you know that such groups have been banned by Umbridge?" he interrupted my thoughts.

"Oh, that Bitch...!" I started to rant with contempt, but was harshly interrupted by him with a sweeping gesture.

"Hermione,... don't say that...!" he stated sharply, looking at me chidingly and showing a certain disapproval about my statement on his noble features.

"What do you mean Draco?" I frowned, perplexed about his words.

"That word, don't say that, that's beneath you. Did you read the books?" he asked indignantly and only answered my question in an evasive way.

"I was just about to tell you about that. We've discovered a room, it's something really awesome, but I'll have to show you to truly do it justice. When do you have time? It's on the seventh floor! Oh, there are so many books in there, you can't imagine. And yes, I've already read your first book, but not the second, why?" The enthusiastic flow of my words ended with confusion.

"Good, then internalize what you've read. When I'm at yours for Christmas, you need to have internalized the books!" he ordered quite harshly and I only nodded.

"And regarding your room, it's going to be difficult the next few days. I'd say we ought to do that after Christmas. It won't be long until we can get out of here," he said, rather annoyed, but then grinned mischievously causing me to reach out for him. I was still sitting on top of the table, so my face was the same height as his chest and he stepped closer, looking down at me with a tender look in his eyes whilst his hair fell in front of his face. I reached out to ruffle through his gorgeous hair, which made him grin.

"That's how we'll do it then. I'll have my first detention with Snape tomorrow... after dinner..." I groaned in suffering, because I was _so_ looking forward to tomorrow.

"Afraid of Severus?" he asked, grinning viciously.

"Oh yes! His moods can be devastating!" I replied, being realistic, but was also sorry for myself.

"I'd have to agree with you, since Aunt Bella is out of prison, his mood has gotten even worse than it was before!" Now Draco pitied himself very much.

"Why, what is she doing?" I asked curiously.

"Annoying him with her shrill voice and her crazed behaviour, as he says and and I quote verbatim... this woman has nothing but 'stirred dementor breath' in her brain!" he cited scathingly while stroking my side with gentle up and down movements, which made me purr pleasantly.

"Poor Snape!" I breathed sympathetically, as I continued to enjoy Draco's touches.

"Not just Snape, it gets even worse! Father has written that he has given them access to Lestrange Manor. He's the secret keeper and he did that very quickly, as he couldn't have suffered them in our home any second longer without using an Avada, or so he said. He only wasn't sure if he'd turn his wand on himself or on Bella!" He shook his head sadly, thinking about his relatives. It perfectly personified the saying: you can't control who your family is.

"This woman seems to be pretty good at making both their lives miserable!" I bravely suppressed my malicious joy at this realization.

"Yes, and my fear of going home isn't lessened in the slightest by that!" he grumbled sadly.

"If I hear it that way, I can understand it," I said sympathetically, before his hand went into my hair and he pulled my head back so that my throat was exposed and I stared at the ceiling.

"Draco, what..?" I asked, irritated and swallowing visibly. I could feel by the stretching of my skin that my throat moved. Immediately I placed my hands on the tabletop, as I had to support myself so that I could keep my balance in this very uncomfortable position. He dominated me and wanted me to submit to him, but why? I could hear him take a deep breath, and I was a little confused about what had caused his abrupt change of mood.

"What's going on with you and Potter, that he's allowed to touch you like this...?" His voice was stern and menacing. I couldn't see him anymore in my rather uncomfortable position, let alone being able to move.

"Draco stop, what do you mean? Harry just touched me, he often does!" I reacted defensively. He pulled on my hair a bit more so that I could feel the pull on my scalp and the pain made me hiss quietly.

"Ouch, Draco, that hurts.." I complained about his rude treatment.

"I've never seen him touching you like this. Does he want you? Is something going on between you two?" he hissed, his voice dangerously soft.

"Draco, Harry doesn't want anything from me, I can promise you that," I said urgently, because this was ridiculous and his threats were unnecessary.

"You may be sure of your feelings, but can you put your hand in the fire for him, too?" He growled angrily. That made me think, no, Harry didn't want anything from me, I was very sure.

"Let go of my hair now, otherwise I'll get very angry!" I said provocatively, but he didn't let me go, which made me groan in annoyance. "Even if you don't like it, Harry is like my brother and I'm ninety percent sure that Harry sees it that way too!" I informed him regarding my relationship with Harry rather gruffly and brusquely. I could hear a deep growl in response.

"Never forget that he is your brother, Mudblood!" And now he put his mouth abruptly to my bared throat, I could feel his lips against my skin and how he started kissing along it. He also used his teeth and nibbled and bit my bared, exposed throat, which made me moan even in this uncomfortable position. His caresses on this sensitive and now unprotected spot caused goosebumps over my entire body! Eventually, he blew gentle kisses onto my jaw and lifted my head slightly. He finally released it from the uncomfortable position and kissed me at once passionately on my mouth. I wrapped my arms around him and we started kissing each other fervidly again. My and his arousal grew enormously. I briefly saw stars, it was like we had lost our inhibitions.

When I pulled back and saw his red-swollen lips, I could see in his eyes that I looked the same! His thumb stroked my slightly bruised lips. His eyes were filled with lust.

"You look like you've been thoroughly kissed, Mudblood," he already confirmed to me very satisfied.

"You too, Pureblood. Unfortunately I have to go before the boys start a search party!" I replied and shrugged regretfully. He too sighed heavily.

"I, what?" I squeaked as he grabbed my hand and pulled me from the table recklessly, and only stopped at the door to kiss my forehead again as always, sending a comforting shiver down my back.

"You don't have to be jealous of Harry, honestly," I explained again, conciliatory.

"Malfoys are never jealous. I just don't like it when another touches you like that!" he replied irreconcilable.

"I see... Take care!" I said cynically and opened the door, peering outside and around me. What a scandal and outcry of indignation it would be if we got caught together, I didn't even want to think about it!

"I rather think, you should be the careful one. _I_ am not getting constantly injured!" he retorted and I couldn't really decide if he made fun of me or was worried. I looked at him appraisingly and disappeared.

For the rest of the day, I was hanging out with Harry and Ron. Ron hadn't managed to calm down about the duel, but Harry and I both did our best to make it clear that the only thing he could do about it was to improve his own fighting abilities and that we weren't to blame that we were so good at it and he wasn't. I was painfully aware of the looks we got from the members of the DA when they were watching us, the trio, eating, and noticed as well the anxious glances they gave me. And I could see Draco, who took all this in again attentively. I think he would have been able to uncover all our comrades only by their overt glances. He gave me a cheeky, reassuring look at the end of dinner and then immediately put on an indifferent, icy mask, telling me with this that I should wear one too. It made me smile, because it was his way of reminding me that I shouldn't care about their opinion.

Now, on this Monday evening, I stood in front of Snape's door to his private office, as he hadn't been in the potions classroom. Did I feel uneasy? Probably not. After all, I had shared the most intimate interactions possible with him; but I didn't really feel well either, because I knew he thought we had a score that had to be settled. At the same time, I didn't bear any grudges against him anymore about what he had done in the tower. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose! One shouldn't take anything too seriously. Otherwise you would always run around with a grumpy face. I forgot, did one ever see him with a different expression?

So I worked up my courage and knocked because I didn't want to give him the chance to say I was late. My knocking echoed from the door and a very friendly "Come in" answered in the usual amiable tone. Yes, he was good at it. You knew right away that you were very 'welcome' and that he was looking forward to seeing you. I tore the door open and briskly entered the room.

"Professor, sir!" I said respectfully, nodding politely to him and walked to his desk, behind which he sat like an egomaniac judge and looked at me from behind his mask.

"Miss Granger, on time!" he snarled coldly.

"Sir?" Sentences as short as possible, then he couldn't use them against me. But he just stared at me disdainfully with his arms crossed in front of his black clothed chest. That these Slytherins knew no colors. Like Draco, he always wore black. It was difficult to find fitting labels for them: black, night black, jet black, ink black, dark black. Well, I couldn't think of any more shades of black that nicely described the colorful appearance of the snakes.

"Shall I start, sir?" I dared to ask the cheeky question.

"Did I say anything, Miss Granger?" He hissed sarcastically as usual.

"No, sir!" I said abashed. One could only lose, he seemed to be ill-tempered.

"Then, why do you think you could start, Miss Granger?" he replied cynically. Oh no, did he have to play his psycho-games with me now? I couldn't stand it.

"Excuse me, sir?" I said neutrally, but I thought: _why else was I here?_

"Are we unapproachable and tight-lipped today, Miss Granger?" he snarled sarcastically, one of his black brows raised calculatingly.

"Never, sir!" I tried to stay calm, because I stood above his nature. _Just don't react to his insults and scorn, that's how you'll irritate him a lot more,_ I told myself.

"Good that you agree that you aren't unapproachable, because if you were as unapproachable as you are just now, how could it be that I saw you leaving the Slytherin's common room just a few days ago, a little before six in the morning?" He spoke openly and full of irony, making fun of me, his dark eyebrow staying in place. "What were you doing there?" he asked predatorily.

"I had lost a book and was looking for it. It's not forbidden to be out shortly before six, sir!" I sounded amiable but irritated. Why did he have to sneak through the dungeons exactly when I, a lone girl, was sneaking around as well? I think that's where my unfailable luck came in!

"Are you sure you didn't get lost and mistook the snakes pit for the lions' den?" he asked dryly, and I wondered if he didn't have a sense of humor. Argh, why did this man always aggravate me so? _Don't listen to what he says, go deaf,_ I advised myself and gave him a mild smile.

"If you say so, sir, then it must be right." I watched as his chin shot up, giving his nose a special emphasis. I mean, he had a hooked nose, aquiline nose or as high-bred people said, a Roman, aristocratic nose. The busts of the ancient Romans had all such a conk. _Exactly! Distract yourself with his physical attributes. No, wait, stop! Definitely wrong direction._ When I thought about the size of his nose… _\- !_ _Just don't think about it!_

I was here to re-brew the potions I'd stolen and nothing else.

"Miss Granger, how come you think that you can talk to me like this?" He still sounded calm and controlled.

"Not at all, sir. Of course, never, sir!" And then I realized that I was still standing in front of him. Gosh, wasn't he finished soon?

"Did you do it with Draco? Have you gone too far?" he asked, astonishingly unemotional. I could only just prevent my mouth from opening in indignation. Professor Snape asked me, his student, such a personal question: whether I had landed in bed with Draco. What was going on here? I was speechless for a moment and eyed him in bewilderment before I found my voice again.

"Sir, I do believe that's none of your business!" it came harshly from me.

"I see that differently, Miss Granger." He now banged his hand down on his desk, so that the objects on top of it shook. _Um... pretty sharp blow,_ I thought to myself. Was his hand hurting now? I hoped it was; my spite got the better of me. But everything he could do, I could do, too. I didn't simply put up with such questions.

"Oh, stop this neverending 'Miss Granger', it's annoying!" I shouted now into his pale face, my temper going a bit overboard, but this everlasting, disapproving 'Miss Granger' got on my nerves.

"Miss Granger, how dare you...?" He hissed furiously, staring me into the ground.

"This is all a stupid game. Should I brew now or not, sir?" I exclaimed angrily, not backing away, for he didn't scare me. I was going to stand my ground.

"If it's really so important to you, please!" He took all emotions out of his voice and talked now quite nonchalantly and very quiet. He really wanted to annoy me. He shooed me, like a troublesome fly, to the only workspace the room offered. This man suffered from mood swings, from 180 to 0 in one second.

"I think you know best what you have stolen," he breathed silkily. Vicious git. How he said it like that, from above, quite the master!

"Of course, sir!" I graciously expressed through my clenched teeth. What he could muster of self-control, I could muster too, and better. And so I stayed friendly, stood a little taller and went to work, setting up a healing potion skillfully and with routine.

"Oh, I wanted to let you know about Potter. I could drop the hint at an appropriate moment, and Professor Dumbledore wants Potter to get Occlumency lessons after the holidays," he suddenly said out of the blue and I jerked my head up.

"But...," I looked up from the slowly bubbling brew inside the cauldron, because this would be far too late. Why did the old man want to waste so much time before teaching Harry?

"Don't interrupt me, Miss Granger!" he snarled and I answered with a devoted roll of my eyes.

"Did you just roll your eyes?" he asked predatorily, looking at me like a dangerous feline seeing its prey, sitting behind his desk, watching me.

"No, of course not, sir!" It was wonderful, this exchange. If I didn't have to endure it, I would laugh about it. However, like this, I just felt sorry for myself.

"Miss Granger, you forget who you are talking to. I'm neither the mutt, as I thought I had already made clear to you, nor my immature little godson!" he said softly with a threatening undertone.

"Of course, I never forget who you are, sir. But you underestimate your godson. You should take him seriously, sir," I advised quietly, stirring in the cauldron like mad, being rather angry.

"I don't think you're in the position to advise me!" he declared now quite snobbily.

"Of course not, sir!" My mockery went crazy.

"Stop with this 'of course'!" he snapped at me loudly, apparently I had exhausted his patience or at least had strained it heavily.

"Then you stop with your endless 'Miss Granger', sir!" I actually dared to tell him. Sometimes I was exceptionally brave and exceptionally stupid, but I couldn't help it. He aggravated me incredibly, so I talked back. It was like a compulsion, a dangerous, idiotic compulsion, but still it was there!

"You're an unbearable woman. What Draco finds in you is beyond me!" he told me unflatteringly and threw up his hands in a helpless, uncontrolled gesture, which made me frown. Unusual for Snape. He was otherwise very sparing with his movements.

"Umm, ask him?" I merely replied, looking at him ill-humoured. "So, it's finished. The base is completed. It has to simmer." Then I threw the ladle moodily onto the shelf. He cocked his head and looked at me very appraisingly.

"And what are you trying to tell me, Miss Granger?" he asked with consternation.

"I'm done!" I said curtly.

"Well, that's still my decision to make, don't you think, Miss Granger?" It came from him very maliciously and a desperate... "Ahhrrr," escaped my lips, while I slapped my hands onto the countertop. I was allowed to see a mischievous lifting of the corner of his mouth when he saw my frustrated reaction to his stubbornness; it seemed like he enjoyed annoying me and that I was helpless about it.

"What are you trying to articulate, Miss Granger?" His voice dripped with conceit. I was close to go for his jugular. Wait, he may have had similar thoughts since our last conversation, most likely! Was this insight reassuring me? Not at all, it only fueled my temper more.

"That was an almost orgasmic exclamation, because of the joy that I have succeeded with the base!" It came ironically from me and I grimaced a smile. His brow furrowed at my cheeky answer, unfortunately inappropriate because he was my teacher.

"What did you say? Where is your respect, Miss Granger?" he hissed softly, threateningly.

"I have the greatest respect for you, Professor!" I emphasized very clearly and seriously.

"Then show it and leave your cynicism at home. It's not yours to use!" he informed me brusquely.

"But you're, of course, allowed to use it, sir! It suits you so much better!" Couldn't I shut up just once?

"There. You do it, again, Miss Granger. That's unacceptable. If you go on like this, you won't get out of here, ever!" he said venomously, his voice greasy, grinning at me nastily.

"Oh, Professor, is that a promise or a threat?" I answered provocatively, but also with a lascivious tone. I seldom knew anybody who shoveled his own grave as eagerly as I was doing just then.

"Miss Granger, is this the famous Gryffindor bravery, or your own abysmal stupidity, trying to goad me?" he whispered softly through his clenched lips, so that I could barely hear him. His face was a shade paler and looked even unhealthier than usual. I think I was just claiming all of the self-restraint that he could muster to avoid approaching me like Sirius did. Why did I always have to enrage the men in my environment? Stupid, just very stupid, he was an opponent I would still be inferior to.

"No idea, sir, but your statements almost scream at me to answer you, sorry, sir!" I chickened out, as I had noticed his inner struggle to maintain his composure. I couldn't help but grin. My statement and amusement didn't seem to trigger any reaction except that he didn't move. He sat there, as if he had swallowed a broomstick. I didn't dare to move from behind my counter either. But then he got up with a jolt and strode with his robes billowing to the door of his shelf.

"Come along, Miss Granger!" he ordered abruptly and opened the passage, leaving me behind speechless now. Okay, I once again would go to his private rooms. Why? What did he want now? But well, I had the courage, so...

He was already sitting in his chair and had his red wine in front of him and in front of my seat, on the small table, there was also one for me, as I noticed in amazement. I sat down and carefully picked it up to gently raising my glass towards him, what he replied appraisingly and so we drank silently and kept our eyes on each other. He had beautiful eyes, in his pale face, they were like black gems and the most attractive thing about this man. The atmosphere was relaxed and tense at the same time.

"How am I supposed to punish you? If I know that nothing means anything to you, I couldn't hurt you with anything?" He suddenly raised his voice and I could hear slight resignation about this fact, in his otherwise neutral statement.

"I could chastise and beat you, and I think, no, I know you'd endure and accept it! You wouldn't even complain to the other professors, so it wouldn't be a punishment. I can make you brew all the potions in the world, but you already do. That is an exercise for you, a voluntary extra task, not a punishment. I could subtract you so many house points that no one could ever make it to black numbers. I know they haven't mattered to you for a long time, as well as the opinion of your house, should your housemates get mad at you. Thus, this isn't a punishment either," he took a deep breath and continued to speak almost devotedly.

"I could punish Potter and Weasel because of you, but most likely you wouldn't even feel sorry for them, thinking that the two idiots should learn more anyway. So you would approve rather than see it as a punishment. It's hard to stop you from disappearing, thanks to your spell, and I can't keep you away from Draco because he doesn't allow it. So tell me, Miss Granger, how can I punish you?" he asked pragmatically, taking a sip of wine, seeming totally relaxed.

Wow. I sat there, flabbergasted, and took another sip of wine too; his words had to sink in first. He was right, with everything he said, that man was really good. He couldn't hurt me with any of these actions, nor hit me in any way. He had seen completely through me in regards to this, I realized in astonishment.

"You're right, sir!" I was shocked by this sudden revelation and realization. He just looked at me with his head tilted.

"I know!" he sighed uncharacteristically heavily. Oh, now I felt guilty because he didn't have the opportunity to punish me anymore. Hello, Hermione, be happy. Yes, but I had really annoyed him in the snakes' common room. And he was my lifesaver who had helped me many times. I was indebted to him and I was sorry to see him sitting there so stubborn and even though he didn't show it, he was unhappy that I always slipped away between his fingers.

"Shall I show you another spell?" I suddenly offered in consolation and shrugged, because I had a real crisis of conscience. Then it tore him out of his thoughts and his eyes opened in surprise, threatening to pierce me.

"What do you mean, Miss Granger?" he asked indignantly, as I slowly got up to go to him, sinking down on the carpet in front of him and kneeling at his feet, leaning against the bottom of his chair. He leaned forward, slightly surprised, so that his chin-length, smooth, and dark hair hung into his face as he looked down at me.

"Miss Granger?" He asked perplexed and wanted to touch me with his hand, but stopped halfway.

"Please listen, Professor, and please don't interrupt me. It's one of my well-kept secrets that I want to reveal to you here! The spell I put on you is a joke against that one! I have been working on this spell for two years. It has been completed in the summer holidays. It works and is fully operational. I had a guinea pig. Stop, that's not right, rather a test beetle," I giggled nastily for a brief moment and he gave me an unreadable look, but remained silent.

"For this you need - different to the Credere Tacientiae that you know - well you need no consent for this to hex someone, the only thing you need is... blood!" I confessed in a whisper. This made him take a breath with a hissing sound, since it was obvious now that I was actively practicing dark magic, which he had probably only suspected so far, but hadn't really been able to prove. And now I had frankly admitted it.

"The blood of both and no, it doesn't have to be given voluntarily...," I licked my lips nervously, because I was only too aware of the intense gaze of these deep lakes.

"You cut yourself and your opposite, for example in your hand and then you hold the others hand tightly together to allow the blood to connect, meanwhile aiming your want on your hands and reciting Impetus Impedive, which means 'preventing an attack and securing loyalty'! That's the correct movement," I said industriously and showing him the movement.

"I invented the curse so that the bewitched person can't harm me in any way, nor attack me directly. The spell would respond immediately and sent the cursed person into a coma from which the person can no longer be awakened. Unless I would take the person from that coma," I went on, biting my lip in uncertainty, wondering what he would think about it, but continued, drawing small circles on my arm-rest with my fingers, so that I wouldn't need to look at him. "Understand, sir, this is an inseparable bond, like an Unbreakable Oath! Just a little modified, you can see that it has worked, because white smoke appears around the hands, so the ritual is completed and sealed!" I ended my explanation.

I was finished and kept my head down, not daring to lift it because I didn't want to see his reaction. It was deathly silent; no one would've guessed that two human beings were in this room, with this absolute silence. Suddenly I could hear a faint rustling and soon felt a finger, which touched my chin gingerly and lifted it gently but surely, so that I had to lift my gaze and look at him for better or worse and saw his usual emotionless facial expression, this mask of indifference, but there was a definite sparkle in the obsidians that stood out strongly.

"Miss Granger, that's an impressive achievement. Two years you say? Then you started in your third year with such studies?" it came from him appraisingly. He shook his head slightly. "Unusual for a little girl, since this is the very dark, forbidden and dangerous kind of magic. I don't have to tell you that, right?" he whispered softly but very velvety, still holding my chin almost gently, thus I stared fixedly at him and didn't move a muscle. I could see him take a deep breath and his chest lifting under his frock-coat. "You are a very weird child..." Which made my lips twist into a thin line, I had outgrown that name, my dear, dear Professor, when he realised himself that this was very wrong, because he started again.

"No, that's not true, a strange and fascinating young woman! That fits better! This spell is ingenious, though what made you want to do it in your third year, based on what intention?" he asked, intuitively correct, tilting his head to the right and looking at me kneeling in front of him in intense contemplentation. In spite of his long, slender finger, which was still under my chin, I began to speak, feeling encouraged.

"I've always been interested in developing and exploring. From there it's just a small step to creating one's own spells!" I explained coldly.

"Truthfully, Miss Granger: Who did you try this nasty little spell on?" he asked now, slightly predatorily, but also with real, wicked, glittering interest in his eyes.

"I can't tell you that, sir. However, I can reassure you that the person isn't at Hogwarts and is an adult, so that person knows exactly how to behave to not fall prey to the curse," I conceded and could see something almost like amusement shining in his eyes.

"You shouldn't be underestimated, Miss Granger! With what did I earn your trust for you to provide me with the specifics to this ingenious invention?" He continued to dig for information. I wriggled away from his finger, jerking my head to the right, causing his finger to land in my open hair and, to my surprise, he took a strand of it and rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger. A gesture that made me swallow!

"Sir, I owe you a lot and you do a lot for me, I'm grateful to you. I'm not an ungrateful bitch, no, certainly not. Your words earlier, they are all correct! I felt obliged to give you something, even though it is difficult for me and I feel uncomfortable...," I laughed hoarsely.

"That's my way of asking you for forgiveness for what happened in the common room of both houses and that it was too late to keep me away from Draco!" I confessed apologetically and again didn't look at him.

"I understand!" It came coldly from him.

"No, you don't understand. I'm sorry!" I exclaimed a little outraged that this guy always had to be so stubborn.

"No, I understand, you think you're in my debt! But you're not, Miss Granger," he said dismissively. This man was hopeless, you wanted to do him a favor and what did he? He picked it apart until every petal was off and it looked so different to what it should. I was about to scream. He managed so well to make me crazy. I didn't know what to do to get through this shield of ice, and then it happened so fast that I didn't know how I managed to move so quickly. I straightened my back while still kneeling in front of him, putting my hands forward, grabbing his head and pulling it towards me while approaching him at the same time, putting my lips onto his. I resolutely closed this venomous, sarcastic mouth with mine. I could see his wide-eyed, shocked eyes. I'd never before experienced that emotion in Snape, but I liked doing something that shocked him and threw him off track, doing something that could break that shield of ice.

I began to caress this hard, unyielding mouth, but looked him in the eyes unflinchingly. In them I could see a restless flickering and as the tip of my tongue playfully stroked his unexpectedly soft lips, he unconsciously - as it seemed to me - opened his mouth, which was enough invitation for me to conquer his mouth and slip my tongue into it. My eyelids closed slowly but surely, as I enjoyed tasting him and I gave myself completely to the kiss. I didn't release his head, but now I could feel his hands searching for their place. He put one firmly on my back and pulled my whole body closer to him and his other hand firmly gripped my neck and held me tightly, which made him tore the lead from me, becoming the superior in our hot duel of tongues. Now he plundered my mouth ruthlessly, which made me elicit hoarse, tiny sounds of enjoyment. My hands fell away from his head and I clung to his frock coat. He was demanding and unyielding. I moaned lustfully, which made him pull me even closer to him, so that now you really couldn't fit a leaf between us. I gave myself to him and turned off my oh-so-intelligent mind, only the regret remained that he would never kiss Minna so enticingly.

Why _did_ I kiss him, after the sensual kiss with Draco? I didn't know, really! The only thing I knew was that it was very different from Draco, not to compare, and that I didn't feel sorry in doing so. When I could feel his teeth biting hard in my lower lip I was torn from my trance, and I opened my eyes and yelped in unexpected pain! He had bitten really hard! I pushed myself away from him and landed hard on my arse on his carpet. I looked up at him, still lying stretched out, breathing heavily. It seemed he had come to his senses. So I straightened up on my forearms. Even my school skirt had slipped up dangerously far up my thighs through this action. I must have given a very inviting picture as I was lying in front of him and he sat in his chair and stared down at me with clearly accelerated breathing, because the events hadn't passed him by without a trace.

I too was breathing heavily. What had I done here? I had kissed Snape for the first time on my own initiative, or rather for the first time approached him of my own volition. Why? I mean, I had Draco, but like he had said very nicely, that was family! And at that moment, it had felt right and damn good. I licked with the tip of my tongue slowly over the slightly bleeding bite at my lower lip and licked up the blood lasciviously, which he'd left on me. I could see his eyes following this movement almost compulsively and I could see the lust in them was clear as day, desire and arousing excitement. But honestly, did I really want to go through with this? Here I was his pupil, his ward, not a whore, and getting intimate with my teacher as Hermione, could I do that? What would Draco do?

The same thoughts seemed to wander through his mind, even though his lustful gaze wandered greedily over my body and I didn't let him out of my sight. I could see how he was fighting, too. He summoned all his self-restraint and discipline to stay strong.

"I think I should go, sir?" I breathed questioningly. I had made it sound like a question and swallowed down my own feelings and looked at him. He pulled himself together, casually crossed his legs and leaned back in a decidedly succinct manner.

"I think so too, Miss Granger!" It came coldly out of this positively hot mouth. Should I be angry that he had bitten me? No, that had been necessary to bring me back to my senses and probably him too. Though the professor was never gentle, very different from Draco. I pulled myself up and smoothed down my skirt, reached for the glass and drank it on empty on ex, I needed that now, and then a nasty idea came to me of how I could irritate him and I smiled wickedly into my glass. Because let's be honest, the game was far from over.

"Oh, Professor, I hope you don't think I've done that out of pity. You kiss too good, that was pure selfishness!" I said very cheekily, which gave me a quick turn of his head and he raised his eyebrow calculatingly.

"Don't forget about your detention next Monday, Miss Granger!" he said sardonically. But he had taken them unexpectedly equanimous, the words I had said ambiguously.

"Of course, sir!" I gave him a wicked look and walked slowly and leisurely through the rooms, until I stood in the corridor of the dungeon and couldn't suppress my chuckles anymore. It hummed inside me. Thanks to the wine? Thanks to Snape? Thanks to his kisses? Who knew that?


	52. Hogsmeade

We're back on track! ^^

Thanks so much for the reviews. And I hope you enjoy.

Warning: Explicit Scene for this chapter has been removed, you can find the full version on: AO3 and Wattpad with the same title or just ask me. ;)

Translated by: Aivy

* * *

 **Hogsmeade**

The next morning I woke with a smile on my lips and during my run around the snowy Quidditch patch, where my breath condensed into small, white clouds in the freezing air, my thoughts drifted back to the day before. In my mind the encounters with Draco and Snape replayed again and again in an infinite loop. If the icy wind hadn't colored my cheeks already, they would have been red with shame and from the butterflies in my stomach, 'cause, hell, they both knew how to kiss. I myself couldn't believe it. First the heavenly kiss with Draco and then the kiss with Snape that I had initiated. What the hell was driving me to carry things so far with two men on the same day. I mean, I was no slut, right? Was it slut like to kiss two guys on one day?

Arrg, my thoughts moved in circles. Damn it! At first I had only wanted to shut Snape up, feeling furious and helpless, as he had been driving me mad. And apparently nothing better had come to my mind as to seal his mouth with a kiss… But, shame on me, I had enjoyed it immensely. If only he would kiss me as Minna! I regretted this circumstance deeply.

I drifted off into a dream world.. He was no handsome man, not like Draco! Who was sometimes almost too pretty to be real. Snape though was impressive, charismatic in his whole demeanour and attractive in his own way, but not handsome, not beautiful… Mh-hm, I think my behaviour had turned the good professor's world upside down, at least I hoped so. I loved nothing more than to make him speechless.

And then I breathed in deeply and felt the piercing pain in my lungs when it was filled with cold December air. Ow, that hurt and called me back from my daylight dreams.

Today it was freezing cold and now I was on my way back, covered in sweat and out of breath. Meanwhile I pondered how right he was with his analysis that it was impossible to punish me! He was an excellent observer and took stock from his collected knowledge with precision and without mercy. The resulting insight had not pleased him and when he presented his observations to me, which I had never given thought before, they didn't appeal to me as well, as it portrayed me as quite... Yes, well, as what? As a not very nice, friendly or kind person. What should I do with this new perspective which he had disclosed to me? I knew, I had to analyze such a critical perception of myself and draw the necessary conclusions. In this dangerous game we were playing here thanks to the permanent danger to be nearly unpunishable or unsusceptible to blackmail could be worth one's weight in gold or better yet worth one's live.

There were so many fronts one had to think about and fight on. Here the Dark Lord, there the Order of the Phoenix, the ministry, and then Hogwarts with its professors and students and at last the people I was most closely attached to, like Harry, Ron, … Snape and Draco. I had to think about all of this unhurriedly… but then I had arrived at the showers and had to clean up for classes.

When we had all gathered, well wrapped up against the cold, we set off for Hagrid's hut across the grounds, which were covered more and more in snow, as we had Care of Magical Creatures today.

"I don't know for sure, but I have a bad feeling because of the Bitch. Do you think she is going to inspect his class today?" Ron inquired distressed at the thought and looked around slightly chilled through.

"I'm certain. Now that he is back to teach. She is through with everybody, only Hagrid's missing!" and groaned quite hopelessly, as I couldn't imagine our slightly awkward and clumsy giant handling this evil woman well.

The class had arrived completely when Hagrid joined us. His wounds still hadn't healed and if I weren't mistaken a new one had been added, for his nose hadn't been looking that crooked the last time, had it? Or were I seeing things?

"Hagrid isn't looking good, he has new… Is that a broken nose?" Harry whispered into my ear, which Draco complemented with a venomous glare, whereon I gifted him with an appeasing roll of my eyes. This totally not jealous Malfoy was hard to bear.

"We're working in here today! C'mon!" Hagrid beckoned us in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. When we got close to the tree line we could see a still bloody carcass of a slaughtered cow on the white forest floor, rapidly turning red and brown through the dead cattle's blood. "How fortunate that it's so cold," I mused not without irony. In the summer the dead meat would have been swarmed with flies and the stink of decay would have been repugnant.

The reactions happened as expected.

"Yuck!", "How disgusting!", Gross!", "I'm getting sick!", "Why do we have to look at that?", "This dumb, blithering idiot. That's the worst of taste…!" Such it went back and forth with outrage. Lav and Pav were close to a screeching fit thanks to the bloody sight. _Please don't,_ I grimaced in dread of the things to come. I mean, it wasn't pretty, but bad? Bole's dead body had been bad. That here, though, that was live. After all I hadn't met any vegetarians in the school. Did they think the food grew solely on trees?

"Easy, kids. That's just a cow, nothing bad! We will go just a little bit further into the woods. Keep together and follow me!" Hagrid kept his calm, bend down and threw the dead cow easily over his shoulder and trudged confidently into the forest.

The way the blood now dripped over his shoulder onto his scraggy coat had something positively disgusting and even I wrinkled my nose over the fact that he obviously didn't care. A look the right, yes, Draco looked very nauseated. But Harry tried, showing solidarity to Hagrid, not to appear too grossed out. We stopped on a small clearing, the snow still gleaming white and pristine. The tree's limbs hung low with their heavy loads of snow and the wan sunlight shining through the branches made the snow sparkle and glitter. Hagrid deposited his macabre burden in the middle and started to lure something with an odd, shrieking cry.

When I already spotted them: Thestrals, who trotted slowly out of the thicket of the dark woods, drawn by the carrion and Hagrid's call. Immediately I tore my eyes away from the animals. I knew them already. And I put an expectant, clueless expression on my face, letting my gaze run over the waiting class, bored, and took in the reactions of the others with idle curiosity.

I believed a knowing look flashed over Theodore Nott's features, but Neville regarded the winged horses with wary recognition, too. Draco once again showed a slippery, smug and most of all annoyed expression. He didn't betray the least that he could see the creatures, though he had to, as he had watched when people were tortured and killed, but he wouldn't disclose that to the rest of the class. Consequently, he used the same tactic as I, to let nobody notice how much one truly knew. And above all I was allowed to see the telltale twitch at the corners of his mouth when our eyes met before he announced:

"What are we doing here? There is nothing here… This half-witted oaf!" He should pursue a career as an actor. A mutter of agreeing voices arose, as the clearing appeared deserted to the students who couldn't see. Well, and Harry was not really good in not letting anything on. I am sure he couldn't get his head around the fact that the animals he had seen in front of the carriages at the start of the year actually stood before him now in the forest and were presented to the class. As brave, courageous and gifted he was in fighting, in moments like this I dearly wanted to stomp him into the ground, questioning his common sense, only because he was too lazy to pick up a book. I shook my head in resignation.

When the skeleton like creatures had reached the dead cow, they pitched into the feast Hagrid had served them. Which prompted very diverse reactions from our classmates, as to them the meat was suddenly torn up while levitating, and that had to be a truly terrifying sight and resulted in frightened exclamations and scared students taking cover behind the backs of the strongest. Hilarious!

"Quiet, class! What you can see here are thestrals. Unfortunately, or thank goodness, not everybody can see them. These animals are very useful, not only do they pull the carriages which collect you from the train station each year, they can take you everywhere you want and find the way themselves! They look like…!" Hagrid was interrupted abruptly.

„Chrrrr…" Oh no, this was distinctly Umbridge's annoying habit to call attention to herself. Probably she was afraid that she would be overlooked otherwise because of her short size.

„Eh, yes, please?" Hagrid was shocked out of his explanation.

"Whhhaatt aaarrree yooouuu doooiing heeerrre?" she asked extremely loud and pretended to talk to an idiot hard of hearing and understanding. Hagrid in his good-natured thick-wittedness responded to her mean game and answered her questions with clumsy gestures to emphasize his statements, which didn't help to make him look more intelligent. I could just expel my breath in an angry huff. She laid trap after trap, twisting everything around, which made me furious. This conceited toad. Only because she didn't like half-humans, this racist bitch.

"If I assess that correctly, you can only make the subject matter accessible to the class by communicating with the help of your hands and the mutual understanding isn't easy as well…" she summarized with a drawl and noted something down on her clipboard. I turned around and disappeared quickly, as I could no longer bear to watch the farce the toad was performing.

The week went swiftly. Wednesday we held another DA meeting, in which Harry let us practice shield charms to defend against the Expelliarmus! It ended like always, very successful! Harry was a great teacher and the members did well. It was a pleasure to see how everyone improved.

And then Saturday had arrived, Hogsmeade day, and the day on which I had planned to buy my presents. So I stood alone in the Forbidden Forest now and adopted the look of Minna before apparating to Hogsmeade. I stepped onto the market place heavily mummed by my black winter cloak, both against the cold and to not get recognized.

Oh, it was packed when Hogwarts opened its gates and the mass of students descended on the small magical village. It was a mad house! It was funny to walk through the crowd and see all the familiar faces without anybody paying heed to me. There, back there I could make out Ron and Harry, who were in high spirits, going straight to Zonko's, laughing freely. They should savour the day and treat themselves. I didn't begrudge them that.

Meanwhile I was making my way determinedly to the less populated, darker part of Hogsmeade. Here was where the Hog's Head was situated as well, but it was not my target today. When I turned a corner, I saw Draco who sauntered through the alley with his Slytherins in tow. _Yes, if one was part of the snakes, one felt drawn in by such shady places._ It seemed my irony made itself known.

I could observe when he halted for a short moment and looked at me calculatingly when I passed him. However, I left him behind unheeded. I had things to do and entered Dervish & Banges, a speciality store for magical instruments and tools. Here I scored and stocked myself up with christmas presents. I dug systematically through the chaotically arranged assortment of products and found more than one treasure in this treasure trove. I was elated. Why were the best shops always hidden in the most dubious alleys? When I was happy to have this task completed and left the dingy shop, I lost my hood. I had pushed it back a bit inside the shop and now I stood on the front steps with my face clearly visible. I closed the door behind me and quickly stepped down and pulled my hood up again to continue on my way.

And here we were again by the aforementioned luck and that I, even if I enjoyed it from time to time, belonged rather fell into the category of the fortuneless. Because I couldn't even blink before a - oh wonder - blackclad Professor Snape stood in front of me, grabbed my upper arm roughly and dragged me through the snow less than gentle.

"Mr. Snape?" I cried out, startled, and stumbled gracelessly in his wake. Only a couple of students were watching us, preferred Slytherins, though they were looking exceptionally stupid as their professor hauled a woman in a black cloak in the direction of an undisclosed destination. He didn't mind them and I didn't care as well, as I had different problems at the moment. Not to trip at his speed, for example. I tried to wind out of his unrelenting grip, as he was hurting me and not responding.

"Mr… ?" I protested, when he sent me an intense look out of icy, dark eyes over his shoulder.

"Be quiet, Miss Cale, and come along!" he hissed angrily and I was left speechless. Uh-oh. Well, say something, wasn't I lucky? I didn't even think about the fact that he could visit Hogsmeade as well and I expected even less to cross his path.

He wouldn't want… Or would he? I mean… No, he wouldn't. Right? To catch me on the hop like that… I mean, he couldn't assume I would jump whenever he called, not even as a whore. I mean… I was unsure about a lot of things at that moment. It didn't help me to muse, as he dragged me on mercilessly. Okay, now I spotted Draco as well, he stood near the Hog's Head and talked with some other boys. They all turned around to us in surprise and I was allowed to witness when an abrupt spark of realisation alighted in Draco's eyes.

When he saw us, Snape and me, like this, something happened that I hadn't thought I would ever experience outside of intimate situations: he erupted into honest, roaring laughter. He held his head with one hand, laughing loudly and couldn't stop, which earned him widely bewildered glances from his companions. Normally you wouldn't catch a Malfoy acting this undignified in public. But he didn't see everyday how his godfather trailed a woman like a sack of potatoes driven by his sexual needs, without knowing who it was he was desiring so desperately.

I shot Draco a heartfelt, venomous glare, which he unfortunately couldn't see as my hood shaded too much of my face and Snape wasn't paying attention to our surroundings anyway. He headed for the pub of Dumbledore's brother without regard for anything else, kicking the door open with brute force and storming towards Aberforth.

"I need the small booth for a short time," banging a hand full of coins on the counter with his left hand, for his right was still holding me in a vice like grip. I was getting my breath back only slowly because of the total astonishment that had overcome me, when the barkeep nodded already in agreement and I felt myself jerked forwards ruthlessly immediately. Help! From Draco, the giggling monster, I couldn't expect any, the wretched ferret. Snape opened another door forcefully, shoved me into the small room and slammed the door back closed. I flailed my arms to keep my balance. When I had succeeded I turned around to my kidnapper, incensed.

"Mr. Snape. How dare you! What is this about!? This assault?" I snapped back the hood so I could stare him down in outrage.

"I am sorry, Miss Cale, if I made the … decision for you. Only, I have little time and wanted to seize the opportunity when I spotted you by chance!" he snarled with unbelievable arrogance and didn't look intimidated, merely, impatient.

"I see, only that you seized my arm instead!" My voice dripped with irony.

"As I said, I apologize for my temperament, I will compensate you adequately!" he dismissed my objection and I gritted my teeth at the huge amount of ignorance on display. I gritted them so hard it hurt. Only because of my 'job' I should accede? I didn't like the taste of that. I couldn't believe it, he wanted to fuck. I should spread my legs for him, here, now. It was enough to drive me up the wall… I was incredibly angry!

"Mr Snape. If you had asked, I would have told you that, unfortunately, I don't have the time to offer you my services!" I declared politely, albeit I didn't sound very friendly and turned determinedly, almost indignantly, to the door.

"Miss Cale, now that I have you here, I won't let you go! You will be late only by a very short time," he remained uncompromising. Great, very great. Could you believe that? I didn't have a will of my own anymore! He didn't leave me the time to contemplate further or to protest against my fate, as he embraced my waist with both of his strong hands, claiming my body and pulling me relentlessly towards his own, pressing his lower body against me, so that I could feel that indeed he wouldn't take long, as aroused as he seemed already.

Gulp. What should I do? He had in fact always been polite to Minna, though I knew as well that he was not a nice man if he didn't get from a whore what he paid her for. What else could I do but accept my fate. Thus I grasped the clasp of my cloak obediently and opened it, so that the garment could fall to the floor. At once he understood it as it was meant, my capitulation to the inevitable.

~~~ **Deleted Explicit Scene** ~~~

"Miss Cale…" he said, when he slid out of me and straightened his attire. I closed my legs quickly, as used as I was lying on that table. "As always a pleasure to meet you," he stated soberly and began to search for something in his cloak, and I used the opportunity to slide off the table and dress myself again. It was time for the payment. How I hated that part.

When I had made myself presentable again, I looked up and he placed the purse distinctly and visibly on the table and turned away.

"Until next time, Miss Cale." And gone he was. I slumped down on the chair. Why? Why did things like that always happen to me? I would bet my fortune that Draco was waiting outside… I was not in the mood to move, a considerable amount of me was hurting and my head was starting to ache as well.

* * *

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 **DutchScorRoseFan:** I can see from your name that you're probably Dutch and love Scorpius and Rose. ;) Good choice. Thanks so much for your review and I'm glad that the translation isn't painfully horrible. ^^ That's what I love when it comes to FF that it's all around the world. ;) I'm glad you like it and I hope we can pull you in with us even more.

 **Ash:** I'm sorry to hear that you find it a bit dull, it's maybe like a series, some times it's really dull because it has to build up to something. I dunno. But maybe you'll like it later on. Who knows. Thanks for your honesty, very much appreciated. :)

 **Lots of Love to you guys,**

 **Cate and Co. xxx**


	53. Confrontation

Thanks so much for being a part of us!

Enjoy an uncut Chapter. xxx

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 **Confrontation**

Thus I stepped into the street, my head held up high proudly and spotted Draco, casually leaning against the opposite wall. He'd pulled up a leg to brace himself upright and crossed his arms over his chest, so he seemed very casual and relaxed. His head was tilted slightly and his hair, appearing even whiter through the snow, was being blown gently into his face by the wind!

He displayed a face that was rarely seen in the many masks of a Malfoy: A terrible, dirty smile twitching on the corners of his mouth, while his eyes sparkled with amusement when he saw me in person! His smile became a broad grin, and his body shuddered with suppressed giggles. The amusement Draco offered made me unbelievably mad. Where was the pity, or something? I was outraged. The guy had dared to secretly watch me having sex, which was absolutely unacceptable! I walked towards him like a fury, which seemed to amuse him. Haha, hilarious, ferret!

"Hello, are you alright?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Very funny, Draco. Did you like the show?" I glared at him as I approached, my arms crossed angrily.

"Well, well, so grumpy? The way you... you two did it, the satisfaction should make you purr like a kitten!" he snapped playfully.

"Funny. Nice to know that you liked it so much that I had the professor between my legs!" Man, was I in a bad mood! I was sore, it was cold and this wasn't funny at all. I had gone shopping here unsuspecting of anything and then had been taken by a raging professor and once again had a full purse in my pocket, bah...

"What's wrong? It wasn't that bad." He looked now seriously curious. "I ... it looked like you had your fun, really!"

"Not bad? Not bad?! In what world do you live, Malfoy? I go shopping, then I get roughly tackled, taken to a room and have to fuck, whether I like it or not. I was dry! Okay? I'm sore, he's not tender with... he's not nice to hookers!" I hissed furiously at him and looked ashamed aside, thinking of the kiss between Snape and I, and I thought I was almost sure that he would be different to Hermione than to Minna. Not that I thought he'd be tender then! No, of course not, for as I said, Snape was never a nice man, but he would make sure that I, too, would find my pleasure, I firmly believed that.

"And then, to top the whole thing off, you are playing voyeur and laugh your ass of," I said beaten, throwing my hands up. "Did it really cheer you up this much?" I didn't see him pushing off the wall and was taken by surprise when he pulled me into a possessive, capturing gesture, hugging me tightly. I let it all happen to me, perplexed.

"Shh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, please believe me! Only seeing Severus like that, how he pulled you behind him, so driven and not even knowing who you are, that was a picture for the gods! I think he doesn't want to realise that you're Hermione. Because then he would be seized by his morality and he would have to let go of you, so he plays blind deliberately, I know him too well. But all the more exhilarating was the act of how he took you! This is so unusual for him, the only other person that makes him lose his composure like that is Father! You must have provoked him very badly on Monday, that he lets himself be so overwhelmed, not even I see that often! And it is impressive how you see it through this! Forgive me laughing at you, darling!" he breathed apologetic kisses on my short, blond hair.

"Why have you been watching me? My heart almost stopped!" I now said, my tone sad and reproachful.

"I can't think what came over me. I wanted to see it, sorry, even though I have to say, it was a memorable show! I'd like to just grab you and take you, because it has really aroused me! But I can wait, I have the control for it. It should be the right time!" he whispered passionately into my ear and I put my cheek to his chest.

"You really don't mind? I can't believe it, seeing me with him like that!" I whispered in disbelief.

"Well, what do you want to hear? I'm not like the others! I know when you can't change some of the situations you're in and with Severus... oh, let's face it, it's just sex! I have to tell you, if it was Hermione I would mind much more, because there would be more behind it... but like this, as being this person, whom I hardly know myself, it only bothers me a little. I'm a Malfoy and I would've liked to join in. And I told you, I'm not nice!" he chuckled again into my short hair and I experienced his wicked side, which was probably not unlike mine.

"You're impossible Draco!" I declared, hitting him on the chest. He caught my fist and kissed it affectionately. "I... we argued during detention and then I kissed him, for real, to shut him up," I confessed softly, licking my dry lips and peering at him from under my thick long appraising eyelashes, not knowing how he would react to my confession.

"I know, he told me the next day, to make me realize what a bitch you are...," Draco confessed very relaxed and I flinched back a little shocked over these sneaky snakes. First Snape, who played both ends against the middle, and then Draco's emotional coldness, it was enlightening.

"What? Oh that viper!" I hissed angrily. He just ran to Draco to tell him that I - that we got close to each other and rubbed it under Draco's nose. I couldn't believe it! If I hadn't intended to confess it to Draco, he might have taken it as an abuse of trust. But not with me, dear professor, I could play those games about honesty as well. Draco laughed loudly again.

"You'll still have to practice that. A viper, he'd be happy to hear that. Well, we _are_ snakes, don't forget that," he mocked me, but then he pulled my hood over my face, wrapped his arm around my shoulder, told me: "Come along," and walked leisurely towards the castle.

"I wish he would kiss me while we were... well, you know!? He's a good kisser!" I told him pleasantly. If he could laugh about me like that, he had to go through that now, too. Besides, this was my less than subtle revenge about him having the nerve to enjoy himself so much over my troubles.

"Hey! What are you telling me with this? I can kiss a lot better and anything he did there, I can do as well and, believe me, much better!" he said cockily. I would've liked to contradict him now.

"Yeah, well, Draco, about you kissing better... uhm, I can't say anything about that. Maybe you should kiss Snape too and then form your own opinion. His kisses are very different to yours, but whether yours are really better, I can't answer that!" I shrugged coldly. You needed to take him down a peg too, once in a while. "And to your quality of performance in bed I truly can't contribute anything. Maybe we should ask Pansy?"

"Are you trying to challenge me?" he growled, pulling me closer, but he didn't really seem upset with me.

"Never, Draco!" I said not quite seriously, the corners of my mouth were twitching. He could be really funny in his Malfoy-pride.

"That's better!" He pulled me even closer to his side and breathed a kiss on the top of my hair, which was still blond.

"Hey, Draco! Wait for us!" We heard the demand voiced behind us all of a sudden. He didn't let go of me, but still held me close to his body, turned his head, though then he quickly looked at me and whispered: "Even if it hurts, become Abraxina again!"

"Uh, who?" I said, perplexed at his request.

"Well, the one you turned into once before in the common room!" I understood and started to change quickly. The others were still a bit away. The pain was intense again. However, it was a good exercise, so I didn't want to complain and when I finished I asked him:

"Abraxina? How did you come up with this name?" He then flipped my hood back to study my transformation and yes, to admire her too, as his grey eyes told me.

"My grandfather's name was Abraxas! If I ever get a daughter, I would give her this name and you look exactly like a Malfoy," he explained. Wow, Draco was able to surprise.

"Thank you for making up names for my disguises! Was your grandfather named after the Abraxas horses?" I asked curiously. The Slytherins Zabini, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle had reached us, but Draco deigned to ignore them for the moment, which they accepted wordlessly and kept a certain polite distance.

"As always correct. Yes, his father started our Abraxas stud farm. He loved these animals, so he named his firstborn after them," Draco explained snobbishly, and that could really only be done by Malfoys. "How do you like the name?" he smirked mischievously.

"Pretty. The name is suited for a Malfoy."

"I knew that you'd have the right attitude," he grinned, pleased now, and pressed his lips firmly on mine and that in front of the others who were close to us and watched us. He became more demanding, he devoured my lips more and more eagerly, which elicited a soft groan from my mouth. Above all, it seemed to me as if he wanted to do right what Snape had done wrong and refute my assumption after my statement earlier. Our hot kiss, as we could hear, made the Slytherin boys laugh dumbly, but we didn't care and we ignored it. We all suddenly turned around when we heard and perceived something different.

"But that's disgusting, Malfoy. Are you into incest now? She looks just like you!" Ron's voice carried obvious disdain and much disgust. He approached us together with Harry, Neville, Dean and Seamus.

"Do we even know her?" Dean said contemptuously and now the snakes came up close to me and Draco, flanking us protectively. It was unfamiliar to be on the other side of this hostility and to experience what it was like when Harry and the Gryffindors stared at the Slytherins in such a nasty way. _But Ron, don't talk that big. If you pursue this topic you might burn yourself,_ I thought grimly thinking about the twins, but I remained silent. Draco still held me tightly in his arms, glaring at the five Gryffindors.

"Oy Weasel, you're just jealous that I am able to hold such a girl in my arms and you're not! Who even wants you? Believe me, no one!" Draco spat arrogantly and earned malicious laughter from his boys for it, which made Ron red with anger.

"Don't be smug, Malfoy, I don't need that kind of hooker you have in your pit!" the Gryffindor hissed. All right, I stiffened at these words as they brought the previous happenings only too clearly back to me, which was unpleasant to me and the bag of gold weighed only heavier in my pocket. Draco, of course, felt that I stood motionlessly in his arms, and lowered the corners of his mouths. He was angry. I think Ron aggravated him again, because he had distracted me so effectively from the experience in the Hogs Head Inn before.

"Where is your Mudblood?" he hissed and I jerked slightly when he mentioned me, which made him turn to my face and he quickly gave me a brief kiss on my mouth, whereupon some surprised faces appeared on both sides. Nobody had thought of me until he had deliberately brought me into the game. Then he glanced again at the group of lions and now really started, because the Gryffindors looked confused, of what I had to do with the matter.

"And should you have the hope of holding her in your arms, I unfortunately have to teach you better, Mudbloods don't like red!" It came wickedly from Draco and it shocked me. What was that? He wasn't supposed to say that, he was going to reveal us! What was going on with him, where was his fucking jealousy when it came to Snape? With Snape he would be dying of laughter. But with Ron and Harry he went crazy and became a time bomb.

The people addressed were so speechless after his words and how he still provocatively caressed me before their eyes, that they hadn't yet responded to his insolence.

"You like that, don't you?" I whispered, asking. Only the snakes around us understood my words. I thought Draco always found the point that hurt, and then he used it mercilessly with no ifs or buts. He was not nice!

"It's too funny, isn't it? Look at their dumbfounded faces, they don't show any intelligence!" he said softly. Harry seemed to have caught himself and now knew how to use his voice again.

"Don't call Hermione that, you ferret!" Harry exclaimed very angrily. "And what do you even assume to know? You know nothing!" Harry raged.

"Why? I don't know, she just doesn't seem to mind when I call her that. And I know more than you!" he hinted to what we always called each other.

Oh, heaven! Draco could be so impossible, but his manner made me laugh mockingly. He was right, it had always meant less to me than to Harry and Ron, who had always obsessed badly about the insult.

"You think that's funny, right? When this pompous, arrogant creature discriminates and insults other people!" Harry got fed up with my amusement and looked at me angrily. His eyes flashed ominously behind his metal-rimmed round glasses. Oh, Harry, when will you finally learn that Hermione doesn't need any help? But it was also very informative to experience the situation from this perspective, because I had to realize to my displeasure that it wasn't the Slytherins who had sought this confrontation, but us, the good Gryffindors and only because Draco and I had kissed each other. So far, none of the Slytherins had said anything except for Draco. And unfortunately, I also had to realize that we were in no way inferior in terms of toxicity and malignancy. Let's face it, we didn't care.

"Don't talk to him darling, he's unworthy of you!" it came sternly and absolutely blasé from Draco and the way his stormy grey eyes looked at me as well he had meant it ambiguously. He still didn't like it when Harry came close to me! I just didn't understand him, when his godfather fucked my brains out, he got a laugh attack, but when Harry whispered something into my ear, he saw red. Malfoy should be your name! The worst part was that I could live with that. I had changed so much in the last months that I could live with it, if I was completely honest. My morale allowed that, I could even live very well with it, what did that make me? But the young men wanted my attention again and so I turned back to the action.

"Are you forbidding your women to talk? Let's see how long they can put up with that? How can you even like someone behaving like this?" it came venomously from Ron, who had adopted an unhealthy shade of red. "Who is the real unworthy one, who crawls on the ground in front of others on all fours?" Harry now said ambiguously in his allusion to Draco's father, when he stood as a Death Eater before the Lord.

"Oh, right, I forgot that your Mudblood can never shut up." He grinned nastily now and I covertly rammed my elbow into his side - Hey, that was mean! - which made him give me a dirty smile from above that made me roll my eyes. I really shouldn't forget I was dealing with a Malfoy here. Unlike my boys, who obsessed over these fights and were very upset, it seemed to amuse Draco and match his humor, which was deeply black. Nobody would believe me, but this man was funny, laughed a lot but always hid it, and was blessed with a very idiosyncratic, dark and dry sense of humor. He had to have it inevitably when Snape was his uncle.

"Who are you anyway? I have never seen you at Hogwarts!" it came boldly from our black-skinned Dean and I could see his scanning eyes, and that he actually really liked what he saw, whatever he wanted to say on the contrary.

"I can easily believe you that you know nothing and see nothing and now fuck off! You aren't welcome here. Go to your beloved Mudblood," Draco said haughtily, waving at them as if chasing away annoying mosquitoes.

"Who do you think you are? You don't own everything Malfoy, we can stay here as long as we want!" Harry pointedly took a few steps towards us.

"That's not true, I already own everything that matters!" he gave me a big compliment and roamed his hand possessively over my neck to seize me there gently. This man was incredible, he loved the big, provocative performances. Even his Slytherins around us held their breaths as he made a statement that wasn't a little thing. It warmed my heart, because of earlier and the snakes knew who I was, after my unforgettable appearance in their common room. Draco once told me that they called me the Untouchable because Draco had made me 'untouchable' in his speech in front of his house. The fact that he now admitted this in front of strangers was probably really surprising for the guys behind us.

And for myself too as I still wondered what Draco saw in me, why he had sought me out and had initiated that bond, this relationship with me! But I was glad and I wasn't the type to pick on it, though I found it interesting myself. Blaise, Nott, and Co. had to be careful for their eyes were threatening to fall out, and the Gryffindors looked very pissed off.

"Thanks, Draco, you can be so charming if you want to be! Shall we be on our way? This kindergarten bores me!" I replied snobbishly, worthy of a pure-blood Malfoy. I wanted to get away from the lions, the situation was worsening.

"Who are you? A Malfoy?" Harry's questions were charged with distrust. He stepped even closer.

"What's it to you, Potter?" Draco asked coldly.

"One always has to be careful with you and your ilk!" Harry hissed furiously.

"Potter, are you slightly paranoid? I'm going back to the castle!" Draco said and made a dramatic gesture.

"With an unauthorized person? Who tells us she's not a Death Eater?" Harry put in suspiciously.

"This is too stupid for me, come on!" Draco ordered and on his command our very silent group set into motion. Harry then pulled out his wand and pointed it at us ostentatiously. I was shocked. Was he always so uncontrolled and aggressive? Poor Slytherins, if they had always been approached by us in this way... Even though they weren't innocent either.

"Tell me Potter, what do you want?" Draco now rolled his eyes, annoyed over so much heroism, while his entourage, just as all the lions, had now drawn their wands, only Draco and I hadn't.

"You won't smuggle anyone else into our school. I won't let that happen!" Harry said firmly. _Sometimes Harry can be quite heroic_. Even my thoughts were not free of deprecation and I shook my white-haired head slightly, one could almost feel embarrassed for Harry.

"Abraxina, darling, do you see now what I'm always trying to tell you? Potter and Co. are such idiots, it hurts," Draco said soberly, dryly and matter-of-factly, and didn't make it any better with that. He looked desperately at me, which made me press my lips together, because I was on the verge of a hysterical laugh attack.

"There's no one with that name in the school," Neville announced.

"Send Zabini and the others away, let them go on. I don't want that when we're gone the Gryffindors grab them and question them about us or me!" I whispered quickly. I had a plan, I wanted to disapparate us and get back to Hogwarts via the secret passage to avoid this nonsense.

"Command them, they'll follow any of your orders," he said generously as Harry and Ron excitedly discussed how to stop us. I turned to our bodyguards.

"You, go to the castle quickly, we don't want them to get their hands on you, they outnumber us..." Zabini interrupted worriedly.

"But what about you?"

"Don't worry, Draco and I will disapparate as soon as you're gone," I showed him a typical Malfoy-smile. "Go now!" I ordered quietly but strictly and they nodded obediently and started to turn away.

"Do you know that it makes me totally hot, when you're like that!" he whispered so close to me that his breath grazed my skin and gave me goosebumps. The Slytherins retreated slowly and unobtrusively.

"Hey, the poisonous snakes want to get away!" Seamus exclaimed already and excitedly pointed at us.

"Oh, your oh-so-faithful snakes are leaving you, what a bunch of chickens!" Ron said spitefully to us, which made Draco snort in disdain.

"Since you're outwanded now, talk, what are you planning?" Harry demanded, looming threateningly in front of us.

"Potter, you never learn. Not everything is always as it seems!" Draco said ambiguously. We should talk about bad and good luck again, because Zabini and Co. were still within eyeshot in the background when a figure with flowing robes quickly walked toward us. And believe me, I really didn't want this person near me right now, but, as I said regularly, I was blessed with fortune. I wanted to burst into tears or cackle aloud. Wasn't it enough to be confronted by Harry and my house mates? No, Snape did have to rush to our rescue. My head slumped forward and Draco pulled me protectively into his arms, but thanks to this closeness, I could feel that he enjoyed it all and he was laughing again, as his chest was vibrating. A jester like him wasn't easy to bear. Well, I too had to admit that all this was a bit ironic.

Zabini, Nott and the two fatties also halted their retreat and came back to us and we could see that Snape wasn't alone. Parkinson and Bulstrode came running after him.

"We've seen that the idiots threatened you and brought the professor," said Parkinson eagerly. Should we be thankful for that? I guess so. Only I was more in the mood to trash her, when I saw him again, only this time recognizable for him and thus I had to deal with him as Hermione.

"What's going on, Mr. Potter?" he thundered already.

"You should ask Malfoy and Co. They want to smuggle a stranger into Hogwarts and we stopped them!" Harry said so stupidly smugly that my stomach turned and his boys nodded excitedly and approvingly. Snape turned his attention to the Slytherins and found me in the arms of Draco, who released me so that Snape could inspect me. And of course disapproving recognition immediately reached his eyes. I could read an amused glint in his eyes, the humor of the situation didn't escape him, just as it did with Draco, who was now beaming at Snape. It was too funny, I, Hermione Granger, had triggered this chaos and stood on the wrong, the 'evil' side.

"Glad you're here, Professor Snape. These Gryffindor idiots don't recognize Abraxina and threaten us. Please help us, sir!" Draco said incredibly slimy. I should register myself and everybody here in a theatre class, we all belonged on a stage, I decided silently. Snape's dark eyebrows almost reached his hairline when he heard the name Draco had forced upon me. He had to know what it meant as close as he was to the Malfoys.

"Well, Potter, you and your friends are utter imbeciles. How dare you threaten these Slytherins. Abraxina, come here!" he suddenly ordered and I looked at Draco in shock. I didn't want to end up in Snape's arms yet again, and Draco knew that, as he had sensed very well that I had enough of Snape today, and thus his hand moved reassuringly to mine, holding it tightly, and he joined me next to the Professor.

"What do you wish, sir?" I breathed.

"Would you explain to these students why they don't know you?" he snarled and seemed to enjoy the situation more than just a little. This man was a sadist.

"Of course, sir. I'm not going to this school, I attend Durmstrang, where the Christmas holidays start earlier. I am currently visiting Draco, thanks to your generous permission, sir," I made something up from thin air. This was the first thing that came to my mind, though I certainly knew that their holidays started sooner than ours, thanks to Viktor. I also knew why the professor had left the explanation to me, since he had no idea what Draco and I had told everyone else and he didn't want to destroy our lies with rash inventions of his own, he was really very clever. But we were too. Because of that statement, Harry and Ron looked quite uncertain. Their faces were now pale.

"But... but..." Ron stuttered nervously.

"Yes, I'm all ears, Weasley. What do you want to say? Do you really think the castle is so unprotected that you have to take care of it?" Snape sneered wickedly and humiliated the boys.

"But Malfoy behaved suspiciously," came their baseless defense.

"Gentlemen, no one else is to blame for your excessive paranoia. You will have to spend the next few days until the holidays in detention with Filch, starting at eight o'clock, for drawing your wands here in Hogsmeade, and now leave, just get out of my sight! Understood?" he hissed through his teeth, annoyed.

"Thanks, Severus," Draco whispered as the beaten lions returned to Hogsmeade with their heads down. After the shock they certainly needed a butterbeer.

"Abraxina? Are you crazy Draco?" Draco was now reprimanded by Snape as well.

"Why? I like the name," he protested.

"But you can't just give her that name!" waving his hand in front of my face.

"Why not?"

"What are you doing here with Draco...?" Snape whispered, so that the snakes wouldn't hear.

"Draco and I wanted to have a nice day in Hogsmeade as well," I offered, which was a wonderful alibi for Minna as well. Man, I almost had to be careful that I didn't get confused.

"Mhmh, both of you should be more careful when you dare to leave the castle!" He straightened resolutely.

"Mr Zabini, oh, all of you, get yourself back to the castle," he now shooed us out of the village and went back to resume his supervision. Nott, Zabini, Crabbe, Goyle and the girls started to laugh.

"Have you seen Potter and the weasel? The professor is hilarious!" they all said nastily.

"We saw that they stopped you and then we saw the professor and asked for help. I hope it was okay Draco?" The cautious question came from Pansy, who walked behind us and thanks to our coats Draco and I seemed like one single person.

"I think to know that Abraxina would've preferred her method, however I found this solution better and more entertaining. Well done, Pansy," Draco praised. I could hear Bulstrode whispering something:

"Lucky you, apparently he's in a good mood!" The chubby girl sounded very relieved. What were they all thinking about me and Draco? Then I heard whispers behind us again, as the boys brought the girls into the loop and told them everything in detail.

"Was it bad?" Draco asked caringly.

"No, otherwise I wouldn't be able to attend classes at all. It was not bad, so soon afterwards, just unpleasant, that's all!" I admitted honestly.

"Sorry if I offend you, but how can you bear the weasel and his cohorts? I'd try to kill myself!" Draco said seriously.

"You seem to have a lot in common with your father!" I laughed mockingly, alluding to Bellatrix and Lucius.

"Haha, just you laugh. We Malfoys just don't like to be surrounded by annoying idiots. Is it our fault that we're so sensitive?"

"Shall I feel sorry for you now?" I said coquettishly.

"Yes, please," he begged, feigning sadness. "Are you coming to see me tonight?"

"I'd love to, but I still have a lot to prepare, next week are the holidays," I made my excuses and pulled away slightly.

"Oh, that reminds me, I can't go to Diagon Alley until the twenty-third."

"Why?"

"Because the night before is the Ministry's Christmas Ball and father wants me to attend," he explained businesslike.

"That shouldn't be a problem. I have to go now, not that I run into McGonagall. She'd certainly react differently than Snape." I pulled him to me and smacked a cocky kiss onto his lips, which made the other two girls almost pass out.

"See you then, darling," he exclaimed, and then I disapparated and ran up the secret passage way to get to the tower. This day was exhausting, I just wanted to lie down now. My bed was calling me loudly. After I undid my transformation, my face hurt immensely because this time I had been 'Abraxina' for quite some time. How did Draco come up with ideas like that?

Draco saying that he'd go to the ball had been a surprise.

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	54. Last DA Meeting of the Year

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All original and non-cut chapter.

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Translated by Aivy.

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* * *

 **Last D.A. Meeting of the Year**

The next days went by in a rush. Outfitted with gloves and a heavy woolen scarf I was strolling through the arcade with its high vaulted ceiling and Gothic lancet windows, which had no glass inserts and thus let in the cold and fresh December wind. Where the dungeons were humid, dark and cold, the upper floors were draughty, bright, and freezing cold as well! Nonetheless, I enjoyed the view of the snowy inner courtyard with its stone gargoyles hanging from the rooftops, which guarded the space with their ugly, demonic, grotesque faces, braving the elements.

Further out, at the horizon, I could spot low clouds gathering, which would bring new snow to the highlands. This winter scenery, in which everything was so muted and silent, invited me to review the last few stressful days and carefully think through my next steps. I was leaning against a stone pillar by one of the windows, the wind blowing sharply into my face, reddening my cheeks and bringing tears to my eyes. In spite of that, I was enjoying filling my lungs with air so clear and pure.

Thanks to the Room, I had learned how to perform the Disillusionment Charm perfectly! It was nice to see that one could achieve anything through hard work. The Twins had fallen in love with the Room more and more too, and could now cast this difficult spell as well! Unbelievable, but true. They had worked seriously with me on the practical part and had been totally focussed on the task, no laughing, no mischief nor any fooling around. It hadn't been easy, as it took a lot of concentration, just like my transformation into 'Abraxina' - sometimes Draco had positively absurd ideas - in order to maintain the spell's effect and remain completely invisible. It was cool to stand in front of a mirror, seeing how your own reflection started to slowly distort and then, in the blink of an eye, vanish from view completely, even if you knew you were still standing on the same spot. Yes, I loved magic, and all its facets.

Fred still had problems remaining invisible. His thoughts strayed too often into spheres I wouldn't follow him into for sure. When I remembered how one time a head of red hair had appeared and nothing more, I had to laugh out loud, which made a resounding echo in the passageway I was standing in. Since last Sunday I hadn't had a chance to speak to Draco, and thus I had filed away the whole incident with Snape and him under 'done'. From my point of view the whole Hogsmeade incident was a thing of the past. Let's be honest, things were seldom as bad as they seemed at first glance!

If I made a drama out of it, then it would become one, and if not, then not! Therefore, I didn't care, I determined very coldly and controlled. The only thing still mesmerising me was the realization that we Gryffindors were not as innocent regarding house enmity as we always claimed to be. It's really astonishing to notice how perceptions changed when you were part of the other side. Though it was hilarious how slyly the snakes wriggled out of a situation like this, while the lions with their hotheadedness dashed headfirst into the hunter's trap, which made them seem ham-fisted occasionally. Harry and Ron were so aggressive and pigheaded in the way they handled confrontations, which didn't cast them in a very kind light. However, I think Harry was very much influenced by Ron's antipathy against Malfoy in that regard!

At least that was what I hoped for. When Ron became fixated on something you should just save your breath instead of trying to reason with him, but I had still hope for Harry. A fine example of this was during Third Year, when he had given Sirius and Remus the chance to explain themselves. Nonetheless, those were dreams of the future, as far away as the moon, or perhaps even Jupiter? I addressed myself to a more important topic. Today would be the last D.A. training of the year and tomorrow the holidays would begin. I hoped to catch Draco on the train ride home, as I wanted to tell him something after his revelation that he would attend the Christmas Ball at the Ministry, or rather something I _had_ to tell him. I turned away with a shrug and resumed my walk at a slow pace after I had internalized the beautiful, dreamy view. Today I felt a slightly melancholic.

Harry and the Weasleys would spent the holidays at Grimmauld Place, and that inevitably brought Sirius to my mind.

Sirius. We hadn't talked for month, as after Umbridge's hand appeared in the fireplace, trying to grab him, no further attempts at conversations with him had taken place. Did I even want to talk to him? Thusly engrossed in thoughts I only heard the click of my heels echoing loudly from the nearly a thousand years old, well-trodden stone tiles. Oh, why did I waste thoughts on Sirius? I had other worries. I was near to the Room of Requirement. Today a revision of all spells we had learned to that point would be taking place, Expelliarmus, Stupefy, Protego, and the most advanced students would show if they had mastered the Patronus as Harry wanted to give the members fodder for the holidays to keep their curiosity alive. This promised fun. However, there was a matter that worried me: my own patronus. Unless Harry, Ron and Ginny were afflicted with sudden, severe amnesia, they would undoubtedly recognize my magpie as the bird appearing in the Blacks' kitchen a while back and that would lead to very uncomfortable questions, and thus I planned to remain as good as invisible as soon as we got to that task.

"Hermione, you arrive late!" Harry greeted me, his excitement clearly apparent, turning to me. In spite of his school uniform you could notice that he was growing up and losing the ganglyness of young boys.

"Sorry, I... the books… Is everybody here already?" I replied, diligently divesting myself of scarf, gloves, and coat.

"Yes, I think so. But good that I caught you just now. I want to demonstrate the Patronus with you," he stated and my blissful state of mind was crushed.

Stop!

That was not how I had planned it. When Harry reached this subject matter, I shouldn't stand in the front row, but in the far back, or anywhere really, except were all eyes would be on me! Right, I won't even mention my luck. Since the summer holidays I could write a paper on the matter and it wouldn't increase my mood, be sure about that!

"Come on, the others can't wait to see it!" Harry was positively hyper and clasped my clammy hand, pulling me relentlessly into the middle of the training hall. The D.A. formed a wide circle around us and I was allowed to look into the expectant faces of our members, where anticipation and excitement reigned. Only Fred and George shot me slightly worried glances with their sets of brown eyes. I gripped my brown wand tightly and took a deep breath. I would do it, wait and see what happened, and I was now determined to face up to the yelling that would ensue. _Hey, when I can stare death in the face, I should be able to handle Weasleys gone wild and an enraged Harry,_ I told myself, trying to bolster my courage.

"Well, everyone. The Patronus calls a guardian in form of an animal, who can protect you against dementors or lethifolds, but those are negligible! It is the top of the art to produce a corporeal patronus, as most only manage a white, glowing mist, which protects you temporarily, but insufficiently!" Harry explained in detail, spinning around once to check the attention of his pupils. Inside the closed circle I felt slightly, but really only minimally, pressured.

"Now comes the most difficult part. How do I perform the spell 'Expecto Patronum'? For that you need the power of a very strong, very happy memory. And here comes the problem: you have to maintain this feeling of happiness inside a frightening, possibly perilous setting and this is very, very difficult!" He looked around solemnly and encountered excited expressions. I was staring as well, though for different reasons!

"As I said, only the corporeal patronus is able to chase away one or more threatening creatures. And now I have talked enough, I can see how impatient you are to discover what your animal looks like. But please, don't be disappointed. I, too, did need a long time until I mastered the spell, and to produce a patronus you need a lot of concentration!" Now he stepped back and towards me.

"On the count of three, Hermione!" he already proclaimed determinedly.

"But Harry, why do you assume that I can perform the charm ad hoc?" I murmured defensively.

"Please, Hermione, don't take me for a fool. Don't tell me you are not often here in the Room and practice like crazy," he whispered back at me and showed me his teeth. "For that I know you too well. I am bursting with curiosity which animal you have!" he said conspiratorially. At his statement I swallowed down something very bitter and gave him a false smile.

"So, let's start," he declared and drew his holly and phoenix feather wand and shouted loudly and clearly, " _Expecto Patronum_ " and we all could observe how a gigantic, white stag with impressive antlers materialized out of the tip of his wand and burst forth. It was beautiful to watch as it cantered around the room.

"Wow," "Amazing," "Can I do that as well?" "How will my animal look like?" "So pretty."

This were the questions and exclamations sounding throughout the room when Harry demonstrated the charm successfully.

"Now it's your turn, Hermione!" he addressed me excitedly and turned to me with a cheerful expression. I admitted defeat once more and accepted my fate, concentrated and reached for my happy feeling. I saw myself when I learned that I was a witch, when I found my first and second wand and when I performed my first spell and already I was filled and flushed with an incredible feeling of happiness that made it easy for me to call on my guardian.

"Expecto Patronum," I shouted fervently and could see a glowing bright animal bursting from my wand and diving excitedly through the room. Everybody stared at my animal in awe, me and the Twins included. The three of us exchanged looks of incomprehension. Here, in front of us, a large, silvery otter was gliding through the air, looping and hunting his own bulky tail playfully. Come again? I mean, what did I have in common with an otter? Where the hell was my beloved magpie? I could identify with it. I mean, be honest, that animal suited me, but an otter? I felt offended. An otter!

I mean, the animal in itself was cute and sweet, but nothing like me! Considering my luck, I might have lost my magpie, but how did that happen? I knew everything written in the books about the patronus and it was explained that it took life changing circumstances to change the shape of a patronus. And nothing like that had happened to me, apart from Bole, Snape and Draco. However, Draco was a viper and no otter! And I doubted sincerely that Snape had an otter as his patronus and I wouldn't associate him with such an animal in any way. A bat, any kind of snake, a cat of prey or something else big, but not an otter. And elsewise lately no feeling of mine had come even close to unsettling me and even the two men just mentioned hadn't shaken me enough to warrant a change.

"Boah, well done, Hermione!" "Congrats," "You are really good!" "Such a cuuuuute animal," was the commentary to my successful spell, though it bounced off of me as I was occupied with the questions of the phenomenon, unanswered questions, and that was something that I wasn't able to stand. The gears were turning inside my mind, the hard drive of a computer was nothing against it. On the other hand I should be happy. As mentioned, my magpie would have led to questions. Thus I smiled around thankfully, made a happy face for the outside world and didn't led on about the conflict inside me.

Now Harry started the lesson and shortly the hall was filled with a glowing mist from failed attempts of our members and shouted incantations resounded around the room. I retreated more and more into the direction of the Twins.

"Most beautiful, what happened to the magpie?" Fred inquired when I reached them, while regarding his white smoke soberly.

"If only I knew, guys, I didn't expect it!" I stated and looked at them with wide eyes and both of them grabbed me at the same time. One grabbed my right upper arm, the other my left one and I was dragged into an alcove, which closed around us. It happened so fast, I couldn't even blink, and just like that the three of us stood in a small separate room.

"What… what happened here?" I asked. Both let go of me and exchanged a high five beaming with delight.

"Nice, when we can take you by surprise once in a while!" Fred declared at once, wound up, but his tone was still devious at the same time.

"We only created a separate room for us, in addition to the hall. We practised with the Room of Requirement lately and learned a lot about it. It's a bloody cool thing!" George explained in an ecstatic manner, spreading his arms happily. "And we thought here you could satisfy your and our curiosity what has happened to your poor magpie. Right?" He now grinned at me insidiously. And I reciprocated it, as it was so chaotic over there with all the mist, that nobody would miss us for a short while. What would I do without the Twins? One had to become downright sentimental.

"I figured, I mean… I am no expert on this matter, but perhaps it's the wand?" Fred wondered now and scratched his head in thought and made me look at him with a jolt. Right, was that the explanation? I had been so appalled by the intolerable otter, that I hadn't had the opportunity to think it through. Could that be the explanation?

"That thought might not be half bad!" I let him know and drew my white wand out of the invisible holster on my left arm. I aimed and yelled "Expecto Patronum" and my glowing corporeal patronus shot out of my white wand and flew agitatedly around the alcove.

"There you go! I find it much more beautiful than the otter!" both of them declared.

"Looks a lot more delicate. Though why... Can you give us an explanation, Hermione? Why do you have two and I don't even manage one!" Fred enquired, slightly sulky, and stared at the floor. Meanwhile I giggled in relief. It was a good feeling that I hadn't lost this little companion on the way. It suited me so well. Next I pondered unhurriedly what I knew about otters and what they stood for, chewing my lip in the process. Yes, right, they were resourceful, dynamic, eccentric. I couldn't think of more than that.

"Oh, er, excuse me, I was lost in thought for a moment. I'm just so happy. I too like my magpie more. I believe it has to do with the two wands. One is a purely light wand, I have never used it for dark magic. My real wand, however, with which I feel well connected, is so different to the brown one. So I think that this explains the two patroni!" I explained and reasoned further.

"Most of the people acquiring a second wand get one similar to their first, but my second one has nothing in common with my first wand, absolutely nothing, do you understand? And that's why I have a patronus for each wand, funny, though I guess the magpie is more powerful?" and looked at the white wand in my hand.

"Maybe, it was stronger, more silvery than the otter. Do you really think it's so easy to explain? Wouldn't everybody have a different patronus with another wand, then?" George added for consideration, sounding excited.

"Mh-hm. Unfortunately I am no wand maker and those keep their experiences and findings always to themselves, but I believe so. Say somebody has beech and unicorn hair for his first wand and the second is made of cedar and unicorn hair, then the patronus shouldn't change much!" I swept a few stray strands back into my plait.

"That sounds logical!" George acceded thoughtfully.

"And now look here…" I held up my brown wand. "Vinewood with dragon heartstring, a light wand…," put it away and raised the white one. "... whitethorn with thestral tail hair, very dark. Even the maker was astounded that such a powerful and first and foremost quintessentially dark wand chose me. I believe with such significant differences it's only natural." I weighed both of them thoughtfully and calculatingly in my hand.

"What is so special regarding pale wood?" Fred inquired and nearly crept into my wands.

"It doesn't get along with light materials, which is why it is part of black magic. Draco is very proud of his hawthorn wand, as white wand wood chooses only very powerful wizards," I explained visibly proud myself.

"Cool! I want a second wand, too!" Fred shouted, already decided. "I truly want a second one as well," he now looked at his brother pleadingly, who just then started to formulate an answer and considering the way he looked it was not a positive one, when I interjected.

"Then we will get you one during the holidays. When exactly will you arrive at mine?" I asked them. When Fred wanted a second wand, both of them should get one, full stop, I had decided.

"The day after Christmas. Mum won't let us go to Lee any earlier, as it is a family holiday!" George rolled his eyes, annoyed.

"Good, I'm looking forward to it. However, I think we should go back, not that somebody notices our absence," I pointed out apprehensively. Thus the Twins sandwiched me again and only seconds later we were back again amidst the noisy scenery of earnestly practicing students. I now helped Fred and George with words and deeds, though nobody managed a corporeal patronus in this lesson. When we set out to return to our common rooms in small groups Cho and Harry were dawdling. We cracked up as the Twins were making lewd jokes at Harry's expenses and Ginny was looking as if somebody had forced her to eat lemon drops. If she continued to pull such a face she would get wrinkles while still young.

At night in front of the fireplace, which transformed the common room into a warm, cosy nest, we snuggled down into our armchairs and couch and I embraced the opportunity to pump Harry for information.

"Well, Harry, talk. What did you have to discuss with Cho?" Meanwhile I beamed at him mockingly. If he could force me to show my corporeal patronus in front of everybody, I would tease him with his love life.

"Er, er. Now… Nothing?" It came convincingly from a boy gone red, who had directed his gaze down in embarrassment, combing through his hair insecurely. _Yes, right, Harry, I believe every word you say._ Maybe I should offer him acting lessons.

"Pray tell, mate, have you cracked her?" Ron enquired extremely sensitive, which made Harry even more shy. I glared at Ron.

"Ron! Only a klutz like you can be so sensitive. Just as well that no girl yet had the honour to be cracked by you!" I spit venom at him. I mean, really, 'cracked'. _I will crack his head right now._

"Of course not, Ron," Harry said soft-spoken. "I and her, we had a conversation and she… she… oh, I don't know, she suddenly started to talk about Cedric and then she started to cry…" He now took his glasses off with a frustrated expression and ran his hand over his tired eyes, looking deflated. He groaned, "I tried to comfort her and then, then we kissed…" He broke off. Considering that had been his first kiss, as I knew, he looked too much like a wet blanket, not like a young man in love who was happy about his crush kissing him. I didn't like the girl at all. No, that wasn't right, I was indifferent about her, that's more like it. I didn't like the way she treated Harry or rather her overly emotional behaviour. I mean, she was beautiful, an exotic beauty with long, black, silky hair and her delicate, Asian figure. However, when the character was flawed, all the outward splendor didn't help.

I wasn't fond of people suffering so openly, wallowing in one's sorrow. It didn't achieve anything, that was my attitude. I was pragmatic here and Cedric had neither been a stranger to me nor unfamiliar. It had hit me hard, but I was not one to cry and do little to nothing, like dear Cho, I did more, but tears didn't help in the slightest, they only managed to upset Harry for nothing at all. Was I too hard on her? Because I was an emotional cripple and not capable of such feelings of grief and least of all over such a long period of time? Imagine the girl had to live through the things I had experienced, she would break down… or worse. I wished for Harry to have a loving, but strong personality at his side, he would need one considering the position he would have to take on sooner or later, and not some delicate flower. Yes, the plants came into play again. You can guess by that alone the deep affection I held for Cho given my ability to nourish and cherish my plants.

"Blimey, mate, that's not good at all, is it?" Ron only looked consolingly at Harry.

"Oh Harry, never mind. You're not at fault, she isn't crying because of you!" I explained, groaning loudly. The stupid cow might manage to bring Harry to blame himself, as he was very quick to do so.

"Really?" He looked up hopefully. "Do you truly think so, Hermione, or are you just talking…?" he doubted me immediately.

"Really, Harry! Cho is a delicate, sensitive young girl, who is totally unable to cope. And I think she is not ready for a new relationship. She likes you, but she knows you need strong personalities around you and she isn't one. And she is sad about that and hence the loss of Cedric impacts her all the more!" I offered slyly. I had to open Harry's eyes, this girl was not right for him.

"Bloody hell! If that's so, do you think she isn't over Cedric's death? I don't think that's bad… But she can't mourn him forever, right?" Ron said something clever for once and got Harry to raise his eyes

"That's right, Ron, I think she is still grieving for Cedric and naturally she wouldn't withstand the reactions of the other students, as emotional as she is."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked. Oh wow!

"What would everybody say when she gets together with Harry, who had been present when her boyfriend had died. That smells fishy and requires a strong woman with high self-esteem, who knows what she wants. And Cho doesn't measure up in my opinion. I'm sorry, Harry!" I looked at him sadly and he gave me a wistful smile

"Alas, Hermione. I believe you are right with everything. Even if it hurts to admit, but I think you are right. I mean, as early as Fourth Year everything that could go wrong went wrong and now it really is, how did you phrase it? Fishy. Though it is hard to accept that nothing will come off it."

"Sorry, mate," Ron gave him a sympathetic slap on the back. I started to giggle, as I wanted to lift the spirits, which got me a couple of funny looks.

"What...? I am sure, Harry, you will find the perfect lid. There are a lot of pretty girls here and you look decent yourself and have good chances. Talk to Sirius during the holidays. He should be able to help you with the right way to approach the female kind!" And I knew that mentioning his godfather was always able to raise Harry's spirits, and thus he started to laugh, albeit restrained.

"That's an excellent suggestion. Thank you both," and he hugged us tightly. Thus we went to sleep, but it wouldn't be a quiet night.

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	55. The Eye of the Snake

Aloha!

New week, new chapter!

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* * *

 **The Eye of the Snake**

I was still in the now deserted common room and had been working through the last pages of the second book Draco had given me when I heard excited noises from the boys' dorm. Then Neville sprinted down the stairs at a rapid pace and with a lot of noise and dove past me. As I was on my own, he didn't see me at first. When he spotted me eventually it made him jump and stumble for a brief moment. If he hadn't had such a fearful expression on his face I would've laughed at his bright red pajamas with the moving mandrakes, as it was I ignored this unusual sight.

"Hermione, Merlin, you startled me!" he said in shock, clutching at his fast-pounding heart.

"Neville, what's up, what happened?" I asked worriedly, shrinking the book and quickly putting it away.

"Harry..." he stuttered breathlessly and I interrupted him harshly.

"What about Harry?" It came impatiently from me.

"I have to get McGonagall. He was dreaming, he couldn't see anything anymore, and now he's throwing up too!" he said quickly.

"Go quickly to the professor!" I shouted, already sprinting up the stairs to the dormitory, and threw the door open and stormed into the room. A totally distraught and hysterical Harry, who looked terribly green in his face with cold sweat pooling down his forehead, was curled up on his bed. His sweaty hair stuck to his head and his pajamas clung soaking wet to his body. The sight was pitiful, but so were his friends in their total helplessness over Harry's situation. Dean and Seamus stood close to each other, whispering helplessly, and Ron? Well, he spouted something about Harry having to calm down, that he had a dream and a fever. But given what Harry had told us about his aching scar and his visions, I couldn't imagine that it was only a dream. He looked so bad, there had to be more to it.

"Harry, Harry, calm down, that was only a dream...," I heard Ron still persistently trying to persuade him, "a fever dream..."

I acted and did the necessary thing first, which the accumulated manhood present wasn't capable of, I thought contemptuously. I swung my wand, dried his pajamas with a Seresco, let the sour-smelling vomit lying beside his bed disappear with a Scourgify, and with a determined wipe the windows opened. Boys were so incompetent in crucial situations. I mean, they were all wizards, young men that were capable of using magic, and no children, but no, we just don't do the simple tasks...

"Hermione!" It sounded relieved but also very shaky.

"Harry, calm down, you must try to calm down,... here drink!" I had quickly conjured a cup of water and ignored Ron, Dean and Seamus, turning my attention to my problem child. I sat down on Harry's bed and helped him take a sip, which he managed to swallow with difficulty.

"What happened?" I asked calmly, stroking his now dry, tangled hair out of his face. The boys stood there like stuffed dummies and watched us and my attempt to bring order into the chaos.

"Ron's dad... I can't see anything, Mr. Weasley..." whined a very grown-up Harry, which I meant ironically, and I reached out to his bedside table and put his glasses on for him.

"Better?"

"Oh yes, thanks... I dreamed and then... Arthur is hurt, Mr Weasley is hurt! Blood, blood, there was blood everywhere..."

We were interrupted because the door was pushed open again and McGonagall stormed in, dressed in her tartan dressing gown.

"What happened here?" she asked our group sternly. "Mr Potter, what happened here?" The old teacher sounded imperiously as ever.

"I, I dreamed that... Arthur Weasley, was in a dark, dark place and he's injured... badly hurt. If we don't help him, he'll die!" he shouted in panic. I could see her facial features becoming tense, certainly Dumbledore had told her about Harry's dreams and feelings towards Voldemort. Had I not always said that the old fool's scheduled Occlumency lessons were too late? Idiots, all of them.

"Come along, Mr Potter, we're going to Professor Dumbledore!" she ordered. "And you go back to your beds!" She looked at the three boys.

"We'll come with you!" I said, helping Harry up, and Ron was standing on the other side to help him up too.

"Miss Granger, what are you doing in the boys' dormitory at this time of day?" she asked angrily as we made our way to the Headmaster.

"I fell asleep over a book in the common room, and when Neville stormed down the stairs, he quickly told me, and I ran up, dried Harry, cleared the vomit, and opened the windows, Professor!" I said quickly and clipped.

"Mm-hm... well done, Miss Granger. Even though I disapprove of you not being in bed at such a late hour," I could hear her say with austerity. And then we were already standing in front of the big, grey gargoyle guarding the access to the headmaster's office.

"Cockroach clusters," said McGonagall, and the entrance opened. Harry was still weak so we were glad the spiral staircase moved us up. We could hear a lot of different voices behind the door to the office, talking to each other lively in spite of the nocturnal hour, and the professor knocked loudly and determinedly to make them aware of herself and us, which caused all sounds to fall silent immediately. We entered quickly and found a lone headmaster sitting at his desk, in his round office, intriguing. Here were most of the items that were also in the Room of Requirements, with the addition of Fawkes, that flame-coloured bird the size of an eagle, who was sitting on his golden perch, as reported by Harry.

Fawkes glanced at me calculatingly with his shrewd eyes and visibly tensed, huh? Did he feel the dark magic clinging to me? I was kinda suspicious of the bird, however, it was suspicious of me too, considering the way it followed each of my movements with those dark round eyes. How lucky that nobody paid attention to me! That wouldn't have been good at all, if Dumbledore realized that his pet didn't like me.

"Professor McGonagall. What can I do for you and your companions?" he asked, putting his fingertips together and looking thoughtfully at us over the top of his hands.

"Well, Mr Potter here..." She was hectically interrupted by Harry.

"Ron's dad is dying! He is badly injured, do something!" he exclaimed worriedly, got rid of us furiously and rushed to the desk in panic. He had to support himself on the desk top with both hands to remain standing.

"Please, Mr Potter, tell me everything in detail," he requested, in a friendly but reassuring tone. "Tell me."

"I, I was dreaming... It seemed so real. I was in a long, dark corridor and the snake - a snake slid toward Mr Weasley and he got bitten three times. He's bleeding, and not lightly. Quickly you must help him!" Harry asked desperately, while I was allowed to observe how Dumbledore looked everywhere, just not in Harry's face that was close to him. _Odd,_ I thought to myself.

"Tell me exactly. What did you feel?" he demanded now. "Harry, please tell me, were you the attacker? That would be important," he insisted further.

"Sir, yes sir, I was the snake..." His voice failed. "And I felt happy...," he whispered so quietly it was almost impossible to understand him. Now we were allowed to experience how the old professor responded with lightning speed and we also learned from where the voices from before had come from. Ron's face was snow-white by now, as it seemed to dawn on him that Dumbledore took Harry's vision seriously, and what it would mean for himself and his family. Meanwhile, the professor stood in the middle of his office and conducted is orders swiftly and firmly.

"Dear Headmasters, I ask you to help me!" And thus we identified his dialogue partners. The sleeping paintings of all the former Headmasters opened their eyes and waited for his instructions. "Everard, alert the Ministry of Magic to find Arthur. Dilys, I ask you to see how badly wounded Arthur is," he begged a wizard who was already scurrying away and his second assignment went to an older, friendly-looking witch. _Not bad, such a communication system,_ I thought to myself.

"Fawkes, my dear, warn us when Professor Umbridge is about to come, go!" he now sent the phoenix away and it disappeared. Very nice. I felt very much unnoticed from one second to the next. Now he stroked his long white-silver beard and looked into one of his magical instruments. But as soon as a snake of smoke emerged from it he was interrupted when Everard entered his portrait again.

"Dumbledore, I triggered the alarm and Weasley was found and carried out, seriously injured," he said quickly, handing over the word to the newly arrived witch.

"He was carried right past my portrait in St. Mungo's, and I'm so sorry to say that he didn't look good. Not good at all...," Dilys finished her report compassionately. I pressed my lips together. Ron sat down unbidden on a small wooden stool, suddenly emotionally drained, realizing that his father was fighting for his life. I rested my hand reassuringly on his shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly. I, too, was shocked that poor Mr Weasley was about to die, as it seemed. I was sorry for him, for his family and I hoped the best for them. I was worried, but on the other hand, since the returning of the Dark Lord I knew that there would be casualties and you always had to expect the inevitable. You hadn't thought I would bother with my parents otherwise, right?

"Professor, would you please make haste and get the twins and Miss Weasley?" Dumbledore asked McGonagall. She nodded at him with a stony, rigid expression that expressed her concern but wordlessly turned and rushed away to complete her task. During this time, he reached for an old cloth, which was on one of the countless tables and began to turn it into a Portkey. He did all this nonverbal, which impressed me. I should work on that too. I could tell that it had worked by the blue light appearing on the cloth.

"Mr Black, may I ask you to go to Sirius and tell him that Arthur was injured and I'll send the children to him? Molly will come to him to Grimmauld Place, please," Dumbledore asked a rather gloomy-looking contemporary politely, who reluctantly left his painting, grumbling. Within a minute he reappeared.

"My good-for-nothing great-great-grandson gives his consent," the picture said nasally and contemptuously as one of Fawkes' red feathers appeared in the air and slowly but surely sailed to the ground. At that moment, the Headmaster's office door opened and McGonagall came in with the rest of the bewildered-looking Weasleys; Ginny and the Twins. The funniest thing about the whole situation was that everyone but Dumbledore and I was running around in their pajamas.

"All right. Then we can begin. We have to hurry, come here and touch the Portkey," he pointed to the cloth. Harry and the others immediately did as they were told, seeming to be in a trance, only I was still standing off to the side.

"You too, Miss Granger, come quickly!" Dumbledore looked at me urgently with his bright blue eyes, I looked at him now with surprise and disapprovement.

"Why, please? I'm at my parents' over Christmas!" Honestly! I mean, I really didn't want to go there!

"You'll get there later, but for now you go with the others!" he said sternly, thus suppressing any objection from me. Great, really great, that's what I call luck. Really I mean, I help Harry and where do I end up a few seconds later? Can you believe that? With Sirius!

And also totally unprepared. Well, wasn't I lucky? I had wanted to talk to Draco on the train. That was all such rubbish, it was beyond words. My talent for improvisation was required here!

I resignedly stepped up to the others now and touched the Portkey. The professor counted to three and soon after I felt a tug on my navel, which pulled me into the transporting whirl and thus we landed ungently on the floor of the kitchen in the Blacks' townhouse. I was just able to regain my footing, so did the Twins, but everyone else lay sprawled around us like overturned dummies. I swallowed hard and raised my head. I was rebuilding the wall around me, slipping into my ice-cold persona. I wouldn't show anything, not the slightest bit, that I didn't want to be shown. I could do that, oh yes, but wasn't it scary sometimes how fate played with us, confronting us with less than nice facts, creating terrible circumstances.

Sirius sat in his chair at his place at the head of the kitchen table, looking at us sadly. When he beheld me his expression turned to shock and he stared at me with huge disbelieving eyes.

"Hermione, you came as well?" were his first words, whispered aghast. Hello, this guy was an idiot. Harry was supposed to be the main person here, not me.

"Hello Sirius. Dumbledore has taken the liberty to send me along," I replied frostily, helping Harry to his feet as he was still weak-kneed and now terrifyingly pale again. What had happened? He had caught himself before while the Twins were helping their siblings.

"Harry, how nice..." began Sirius, but after a glare from me he paused.

"Harry, my dear, what is it? I had thought you were okay," I asked him worriedly and he cast an insecure look at the redheaded group. "We'll be back in a second, make some tea!" I ordered harshly and left bewildered faces behind, only the Twins responded immediately as requested by me, and I pulled Harry out the door.

"Tell me what happened. What unsettled you so much?" I just knew him too well for that.

"Hermione, I don't understand. What's happened to me here?" he looked at me with tears in his eyes. I took a deep breath. I had to tell Harry more about it, otherwise he'd sooner or later perish because of the adults' secrecy. However, before he learned some of my truths, not all but a few, he would have to get a good night's sleep and a chance to digest what had happened.

"We'll talk in detail tomorrow morning in the library, okay?" I asked, which made him nod sadly as he sniffed. "And now tell me quickly: What has happened, what made you so confused again?"

"I, I, you saw Dumbledore wasn't looking at me?" He looked at me inquiringly and I nodded in confirmation. "Now, when we all had the Portkey in our hands, we looked at each other. We had direct eye contact and, and I don't know, but it was scary... I felt an incredible hatred for him. I, I would've liked to bite him, like Arthur..." He looked around in confusion. "Do you understand that?" Good question. To some degree I just figured some things out and the result just raised more questions again. Which, I thought, didn't let the old professor appear in any great light. Why didn't he do anything to protect Harry from Voldemort? His only effective move was not looking at Harry and avoiding him? What kind of tactic was that? The 'If I don't see you, you won't see me' tactic? Very effective... Was I getting angry again? Yes, damn it! I just wanted to bite him myself when I heard that. This old fool... ahrrrr! And thanks to him I was here now too...! But I didn't care for now, I would get along with Sirius somehow. I had to take care of Harry.

"Harry, are you listening to me? I'll most likely have an explanation... You are not going to like it, though I think if you hear it, you may agree with me. But only tomorrow. I want you to have a good night's sleep. And now listen again: It's not your fault. Don't look at me like that! You didn't start this attack..." Now he interrupted me:

"No, Hermione, I was the snake, I bit him..." he yelped like a beaten dog. I rolled my eyes. Harry was pathetic. I grabbed him by his shoulders and shook him, annoyed.

"Harry, please apply your existing intelligence, please. That was Voldemort. Start using your brain, damn it, you're connected to him..." I spoke plainly just now after all, otherwise he would indulge in his wildest theories in bed, and tapped my forefinger onto his lightning scar less than gently.

"But now try to repress any panic reactions and pull yourself together. We both will talk about it tomorrow." He looked at me with his mouth open:

"Oh my God, Hermione, you're right, but how...?"

"Tomorrow, Harry! Now pull yourself together and give them a short summary in there and then we'll both talk tomorrow. Can you do that? They're worried about their father." I saw him fight with himself and the way he tried to control his confused feelings and thoughts and repressed them.

"Yes, of course, you're right. Tomorrow we'll talk about this and now to the others...," he said now with determination and, once again the boss of his own senses, he stepped through the door. Phew, thank goddess, I had been able to get him back on track. Though now I also squared my shoulders, because I would have to face a fight in there as well, and stepped self-confidently through the door.


	56. Rose Cottage Here I come!

Aloha!

Here we are again! Translated by me, but a very big thanks to my Right Hand: Aivy and to our Beta: GG!

This Chapter couldn't have been finished without you two.

Enjoy guys. xxx

* * *

 **"Rose Cottage" Here I Come!**

When Harry and I entered the kitchen again, everyone was sitting around the table with gloomy faces and steaming cups in front of them. Ron remained silent, worried, and everyone else was too, looking up at us expectantly. Only Sirius kept giving me a curious, sad and uncertain look.

"Harry, what happened there?" Ron asked in a strange, hoarse voice. We sat down quickly, Harry next to Sirius and I next to Harry, the Twins were magically sending us two hot cups of pleasant-smelling tea.

Sirius watched it all with a frown, but said nothing more, just watched us patiently. When Harry grabbed my hand and held it in a vise-like grip after Ron's question, Sirius opened his eyes wide and air blew out of his nose. It didn't seem to please him, the kind of closeness between me and Harry. He reminded me a bit of Draco, an observation I would find truly amusing if the situation hadn't been so sad. I gave Harry an encouraging smile. Harry cleared his throat noisily and evidently took up his courage and started.

"Well, I was dreaming. All of a sudden I was in a long, dark, windowless corridor and there was your father and the snake, digging it's huge fangs into his skin three times. It wasn't nice and I don't know why I dreamed that. I wished I knew, it was so real and apparently it really happened, because the Headmaster's portraits said the same thing." He looked away from his teacup and looked up. "Ginny, George, Fred I'm so sorry, but Arthur was brought to St. Mungos quite badly injured...," he explained and looked concerned around the room. Ron hadn't said anything for a long time, he was just resting his head on one hand.

Desperate tears ran over Ginny's pale cheeks and she stared with red eyes around the room. Even the Twins were positively white around their noses, and their freckles could be seen even stronger than usual. They were very serious and calm, but also very controlled. I think they knew, since the Order had been established again, how much danger the members were in, and they weren't naive about it, it was life-threatening for any member. Sirius looked stunned and dismayed at Harry when he had finished his story.

"We have to go to St. Mungos!" exclaimed Ron, suddenly agitated, and he almost jumped up from his chair.

"Ron, calm down, I don't think so..." Sirius got interrupted by Ginny.

"Yes, Ron, I want to go to Dad!" she said with a strangled but demanding tone.

"No, that's not possible. I can't go with you and you can't go alone!" Sirius tried to say it sternly. He was looking a little pale as well, but otherwise quite good, in his dark blue shirt that matched well with his pale grey eyes but also underlined his authority, which he now applied for the very first time to make a decisive appearance. I agreed with him. It was pointless, we couldn't do anything, and so I stayed silent. Harry didn't get involved in the altercation. It was better that way, as he sat there, oblivious to his surroundings. The Twins looked at me questioningly, eyebrows raised, and I understood their glances. They wanted my assessment, possessing the knowledge that I knew more about the circumstances than Harry had openly told everyone else, hence I shook my head. I thought the idea of storming St. Mungo's was wrong. They accepted my verdict and drank synchronously out of their cups. Thus they didn't make any kind of claim and Sirius only had to deal with two Weasleys.

But he had noticed our interaction and looked at us piercingly. He knew from the past that the Twins and I were much more connected than everyone generally thought. Sirius was also privy to their great secret which he had kept to himself.

"I'm really sorry, but you stay here. Stop it now!" It was getting louder and Sirius hit the table with the palm of his hand, and thus gained the attention of Harry, who had dived into his own thoughts up until now.

"What...?" he asked, surprised. No one was able to answer him, because at that moment an owl knocked on the kitchen window with its beak and Sirius opened it with a swipe of his wand. And the little owl immediately dashed inside and directly over to Sirius, who took the letter quickly, almost hectically in his movements. You could positively observe how Sirius' features relaxed when he read the content.

"Well, the letter is from your mother! Arthur is alive. She says she will stay with him and you should remain here, where you're safe, and Molly will contact you as soon as possible!" He summed it up for us and looked around with a mild smile. George and Fred let out their breath.

"That's good, he's alive, that's very good," they both said at the same time, sounding very relieved. Ginny sobbed loudly and howled heartbreakingly into her handkerchief, causing Ron to comfort her. "Thanks, mate...," he whispered fervently to Harry across the table, as he sat opposite him and now stared at him again.

"...Tha... thank you, for what? What do you want to thank me for?" Harry asked, absolutely confused, ruffling his own hair.

"What for, Harry? I'm not completely stupid, without you, Dad would've lain in the corridor and slowly bled to death, without you he would be dead, Harry..." Ron exclaimed, upset at Harry's guilty demeanor. Finally! Whenever I gave Ron up as a hopeless case he did something brilliant like that. He was a true friend, he didn't condemn him for him being different. And he saw behind the scenes, maybe for the first time in his life, and drew the right conclusions.

"Without you, he'd never have had a chance..." His voice broke with emotion and he buried his face in Ginny's fiery red hair.

"He's right, Harry, without you we wouldn't have a father anymore. Don't be so hard on yourself, we're glad that... that you saw it and could get help..." The Twins stood up determinedly, patted his cheek and ruffled through his hair encouraging. "It's going to be okay, little brother, promise... We're going to bed. Alright, Sirius?" They asked if it was okay, but they, too, seemed unsettled by the events.

"Yes, of course. You'll sleep in your room, as always," Sirius pointed with his hand and the two quietly left the kitchen.

"Harry, you should go to bed too!" I told him and squeezed his hand, because he hadn't let me go yet.

"You should all go to bed!" came the stern order from Sirius. And, as the good kids we all were, we rose up at once and went. We climbed the stairs like a funeral procession and Ginny went into our room. I accompanied the boys and put Harry and Ron to bed, saying goodbye to both of them with a kiss to their foreheads.

"Sleep well, you two!" I didn't receive any proper answer, just a murmur. They were very far away. Afterwards I headed purposefully to the library. I didn't work all the time to need little sleep for nothing, it was useful in crisis situations. Now more than ever, I didn't want to and couldn't think of going to bed. Quite honestly, I needed a drink. And thus I entered the Library of the Blacks, which not empty - as expected - and walked briskly to my chair. I took the glass of firewhisky already provided for me and took a larger sip. Already I could feel the sharp tingling from the liquid running down my throat and enjoyed the burning and the spreading peaty taste. I closed my eyes with relish and exhaust.

Wow, what a night! I was here again!

When I opened my eyes, I looked in a pairs of smiling faces.

"Thanks. How nice of you to think of my needs!" I greeted the Twins and toasted them and we drank together once again, taking a big, soothing sip.

"I'm glad about Dad, that he might survive!" Fred said hopefully and waved his bulbous glass back and forth.

"You should be..."

"What is really behind this whole thing?" the more thoughtful George inquired solemnly. "What does that have to do with Harry…? The dreams?" He stared into my face and wanted the truth.

"But only under the seal of secrecy!" I told them and both nodded to me, "In the attack back then on Harry, as a baby, there must have been a connection created to the Dark Lord's spirit. And I think it's not only on his side, and now, since the lord's physical again... Well, anyway, Harry has told us that he feels his moods and has weird dreams. And you know yourself that the Dark Lord is a parselmouth..." I rubbed my tense neck.

"And you mean to imply that the Dark One controlled the snake, and that's why Harry experienced everything from its point of view?" George concluded with wide eyes, "That... is that good, or not?" he stuttered and looked uncomfortably across the room.

"That's crazy! Poor Harry. But thank goodness, because as Ron said, father would be dead otherwise!" Fred said crisply and took a generous gulp, which was just what he needed.

"What are you planing to say to Harry? Because I don't think the 'grown-ups' will tell him anything, when I think about how worked up they get over this shit!" George said agitatedly. He reached for Fred's thigh, caressing it as if to reassure himself.

I answered only now, after some time had passed, because so much had gone through my mind:

"Everything connected to the visions. He must know what all of this means. And no, George, the connection isn't good at all, because he can't defend himself. Later if he could, maybe? His Occlumency lesson begin only after the holidays, far too late, I think," I shifted angrily around in the chair.

"Everything is going to be fine. You'll help him, won't you? And then it'll be okay, we won't let Harry down. But now tell me, what is it you want do do? You didn't want to come here, right?" George asked worriedly, trying to distract me, knowing that I was angry.

"I'll leave latest by noon tomorrow. As I've planned everything so that I would get things done right away after arriving with the Express, nothing holds me here." I shrugged, even feeling sad, for Sirius' sight wasn't as easy to endure as initially thought. "Sirius will look after Harry and that will be much better than any comfort I could offer Harry."

"You realize that you have never told us what has happened between you two. You gave Sirius the cold shoulder in the kitchen, didn't you?" came the question from a demanding George. I knew that they were good spies, but the target of their reconnaissance really wasn't appealing to me.

"What good spies you are!" I crossed my legs and looked at them coldly.

"We want to know now what happened then and we know that you tried to distract us that time. You won't succeed anymore!" Fred gave me a devious look that didn't allow any discussion. They could be very unyielding, if they wanted. I allowed myself a tortured groan. Did I actually have to deal with Sirius' screw up back then?

"Guys, it's the past, not important anymore. Sirius and I had a fight, that's all!", I tried to wiggle myself out of that matter half heartedly.

"Well, my name isn't Ronald! For Sirius, the way he looked at you, there's nothing in the past! And I don't believe you. You're so obstinate, more has happened than just this! Oh, I don't know, talk!" George insisted. Only very few people got to know the Twins like that, though those who did and had the misfortune to face their serious side, like me, should pity themselves, as I just fervently did.

"Oh, you can be so annoying," I said in frustration, rubbing my temples.

"Always, beautiful!", Fred grinned at me wickedly.

"I had two appointments that evening, first the Beetle and then, I met... had to meet a man and we had sex!" I spelled it out and admitted my offense. However, I had generously omitted that it was with Snape, it didn't matter here, and I took another sip.

"Afterwards, I came here because I wanted to talk to Sirius to tell him that we, that I wanted to end our arrangement! I don't do two-timing. I just never got that far!" I said sadly as I thought back to the scene in the kitchen.

"With whom did you have sex?" Fred's question was fueled by intrigue and curiosity.

"Fred, I don't think she wants to tell us that! What happened that you never got to it?" George took control and looked at Fred chastisingly.

"You're relentless, George. He smelled it! Stupid of me not to think about it, but since I wanted to tell him that it was over anyway, I didn't waste any thought on it. What a mistake that was..." I licked my dry lips.

"Well, Sirius has a temper and is a hothead! Jealousy... oh, I don't know, he just lost his cool."

"What do you mean by 'lost his cool'? What are you trying to paraphrase?" George insisted adamantly, leaning forward.

"George, we came to blows, it wasn't nice! He looked worse than me. Satisfied?!" I hissed now and took the next sip. More such nights and I would have an alcohol problem. I didn't feel the burning any more, too bad!

"You mean he started beating you?" Fred said softly and incredulously.

"Beating? He gave me a few slaps!" It didn't matter to me and I relaxed back into the chair, made myself comfortable and tried not to think about the fun Sirius and I had had.

"Got it!" both said disapprovingly and tensed somewhat and had a strange, grouchy, rarely seen expression on their identical faces. Before we could continue our conversation, the door suddenly opened and Sirius sauntered in in a decidedly casual manner.

"Ah, Hermione, should I be surprised to find you here instead of in bed?" he said smugly and walked to the bar to take care of himself. I was still lying relaxed in the chair and refused to brace myself. I had expected him to appear. The Twins, however, were a bit agitated by the latest news. They were holding themselves back, indeed unusual for them, but were staring daggers at Sirius.

"Alas, with you it would be questionable in which bed you'd be lying right now, wouldn't it? One would have to start looking, isn't that so?" He spoke viciously and drank his drink greedily, he wasn't that calm after all.

"You would know, wouldn't you, Sirius?" came the cold but succinct retort from me and I looked at the Twins pointedly with the clear request to stay out of it.

"Look at me when I talk to you!" Sirius snapped abruptly when I dismissed his accusatory insinuations so casually. He had liked to ignore the Twins from the start on, but scowled at them now. "You two are leaving, off with you, leave us alone!" he demanded impertinently.

"No, Sirius, we won't leave you alone with Hermione!" George said determinedly, jerking his head up firmly.

"Sorry, Sirius, that's out of the question," Fred now said seriously and looked at him appraisingly and rather unfriendly.

"You told them?" He now directed his question specifically to me. I still refused to look at him and so I simply nodded in agreement. "Then tell them to leave," he told me, now much calmer.

"Forget it, Sirius! We won't leave. Even if Hermione wanted it, we would stay," they both declared very stubbornly, crossing their arms at the same time in front of their chests.

"Oh, why do you all have to be so stubborn?" Sirius growled angrily, making me chuckle briefly, despite the tense situation.

"Look who's talking!" I still smirked and now looked at him, examining his appearance. He looked up, into my eyes and suddenly he approached me determinedly, which made me tilt my head. He sank into the chair next to mine. When I gazed into his grey eyes, to my astonishment, I could see that they weren't unlike Draco's light-grey eyes. It seemed to me that I liked grey-eyed guys, I thought cynically.

"Hermione, we have to talk," he said, his tone astonishingly pleading and his expression stern.

"Then talk, I'm listening," I offered no less neutral, as being forced unprepared into his presence unsettled me a little. I realized I quite liked this man, which was no miracle, otherwise I wouldn't have let him come so close to me.

However, it looked like he gave in, as he groaned once before he started:

"I must apologize, I should've never, never, never allowed myself to raise my hand against you, I'm deeply and immensely sorry. I'm not a man that beats women... I never was!" He said it quietly though sincerely, while he looked seriously into my eyes and I believed him and thus I nodded slowly.

"But...," he started to speak when I interrupted him.

"I knew there would be a but," I replied ironically, rolling my eyes. The Twins were so calm that you would've thought they had made themselves invisible or even stopped breathing, because they apparently didn't want to disturb our discussion. He frowned at my sharp-tongued reply, but I hadn't been able to hold it back. I hadn't thought that he would initiate a heart-to-heart talk with me, as I had judged Sirius to be too proud for that, and his unexpected apology seriously rejoiced me.

"But, I hope you can see that your behaviour wasn't right, even though my reaction was exaggerated and inexcusable!" Sirius said with a raised head. That was the the Pureblood in him shining through and that was alright with me.

"Sirius, I'm not angry with you, I can understand you! I'm not innocent either. I was sad that it ended so ugly, but let's forget it," I offered generously, already thinking about Harry and that it was important that we both had a base on which we could deal with each other.

"Thanks," he said, genuinely relieved, but also infinitely sad as he took a quick sip, and then suddenly asked, "Who is it?" As I had just been drinking myself, I almost choked on it. The Twins looked quite uncomfortable as well due to his question. Because they knew it was Draco, and Sirius would never in his life approve of him, as we all knew.

"I don't think that's of interest!" I told him coldly and evasively. He no longer had the right to ask such intimate things.

"Wrong, Hermione, I want to know! Tell me, who has replaced me?" he demanded, being very stubborn. _Men and their pride_ , I thought to myself, I couldn't tell Sirius the name of the one I had sex with from time to time, nor of the one that actually made me break up with Sirius. Because that would have resulted in naming Snape and Draco and I didn't want to bear the consequences.

"There's no one right now!" I answered brusquely; it was the best answer. I got up briskly, wanting to leave, because this would only turn into a never-ending cycle, but Sirius grabbed my wrist and stopped me in my tracks, which made the Twins start and want to intervene as I tried to free myself from his grip.

"Call your watchdogs off!" he said hoarsely while he stopped my attempts by tightening his hold, scowling at the Redheads, and I indicated with the other hand that they should sit down, at the same time ceasing my struggle to get free.

"What...?" I whispered softly. Sirius strained my nerves, for his touch brought back memories, and I have to say, I thought it was unspeakably sad that we were so distant towards each other nowadays.

"I don't believe you, my beautiful liar!" he explained, his voice low and hoarse, and he gave me his charming grin, with which one could fall in love, and so I smiled back, without wanting to, because his words were almost caressly spoken.

"What I still want to know: Are you playing with Harry, as close as you two are now?" He asked now sounding concerned. I sank back into my seat, because I understood his concern quite well and I allowed him to be worried.

"Sirius, don't worry. You and me both want what's best for Harry! Just trust me, I would never betray him! Promise! And whether Harry replaced you? No, I wouldn't be the right woman at his side. Well I'm right as a friend and a confidant, but not as a lover. I swear you don't need to worry about it!" I said solemnly, almost fervently, because I wanted to take the worry away that was writ large in his face.

"Really, Hermione, I don't think he'd be able to handle you." His voice was faltering and his concern most palpable.

"I think so too. Additionally I have no sexual feelings for Harry. I see my brother in him, no more and no less," I patiently justified myself to him and now carefully removed my wrist from his grip. At least now I knew that I didn't feel anything anymore when he touched me, which was good, the formerly usual tingling sensation hadn't shot through my body.

"I believe you...!" he said now much calmer and I turned again to go to bed. It was almost four o'clock and I wanted distance.

"Good night," I finally said goodbye and rushed out the door.

The next morning at seven, after my run, I sat fresh and prepared in the library and waited for Harry, I had worked through the book Draco had given me in bed a bit, then went running. I had then cleaned myself and my clothes and now waited patiently with a cup of coffee in front of me. Eventually the door opened and a head of tousled dark hair slid in, giving me a shy, slightly weary smile.

"Hi, I couldn't wait any longer," Harry said nervously and sat down on the sofa.

"I was already waiting. Have you calmed down?" I took his hand and caressed it lightly, running my thumb over the back of his hand.

"Mm-hm, yes, after what you said I figured some things out myself..." He pulled his lip between his teeth and bit down on it nervously, rubbing his scar with his other hand. "You said we're connected, which is true, otherwise I wouldn't know when he's happy or angry! And I couldn't have been the snake after all, could I? That was him and his mind in the snake, and I was in his mind through my dream, that's why I saw it..." He rattled down his thoughts, uncertain about his reasoning, looking at me to see if I was agreeing with his theory and I did.

"Good Harry, go on, so far we're having the same thoughts!" I told him and he gave me a relieved sigh.

"Well, and when I looked in Dumbledore's eyes, it wasn't my hatred but Voldemort's... shit, Hermione, he's in my head!" he exclaimed angrily, pulling his hand away and tugging at his hair ineffectually, but well, I could understand such a reaction, who wanted someone else in one's own mind and then especially this person? Nobody! And so I gave Harry the time to let this nice little realisation sink in

"All correct. I think that there's almost nothing left to add. I don't know, no, I asked you to go to Dumbledore because of the emotions you received, which you didn't, but I think the more time passes, the stronger this connection becomes and I don't think that only _you_ can receive something from _him_ …," I concluded so that he would understand the meaning behind my words.

"What, what? You mean he can read me too? That would be - that wouldn't be good... not good at all, right?" He stumbled from one shock into the next and looked shaken.

"I know, and I think the professor will teach you Occlumency now. Here," and handed him two books that I had picked out for him from the Black library. "These are books that should cover the subject and prepare you for the lessons, because, Harry, it won't be easy. It's not an easy-to-learn technique! You need to learn meditation and the like, though I think if you could control it and could protect yourself from it, maybe you could use the connection," I tried to make the strenuous learning of this art palatable, firstly because of Harry and his laziness and, secondly, because I had firsthand experienced how hard and frustrating it was to learn the art.

"Oh, how do you know this Occlus... so well?" he asked me, confused.

"What don't I know, Harry?" I answered in return.

"You're right. Well, I'll seriously focus on this topic. Because I don't want that guy in my head, absolutely not! However, I still need an opinion or your assessment. So far we haven't told Dumbledore anything about my visions, and even if Sirius has dropped it, the professor hasn't looked at me since the hearing at the Ministry. My thought: If he didn't know about my intensive connection to Voldemort, since we didn't tell him, then why his behaviour?" he concluded, slightly confused, but I understood what he meant and why he had difficulties to get over it. Yes, from where had the old man gotten the suspicion that Harry would feel hatred at the sight of him, or rather the Dark Lord?

"Good question, Harry. Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for that and that just brings me to the next question: Why the hell - if he suspected something - didn't he start helping you protecting your mind much earlier?" I asked no one in particular, really disliking the implications of that question.

Harry took a deep breath.

"I'm glad you think so too, Hermione. And yes, it's weird. What should I do? I have such a bad feeling." He put his hands on his stomach. Understandably, because one could easily get a stomach ulcer from this.

"I think skepticism towards Dumbledore is quite appropriate, the way he behaves. And all the rest, it'll find itself, we can't rush things," I concluded judiciously, and suddenly a young man hung around my neck and almost suffocated me.

"Thanks, Hermione, you understand me. We will we do it that way. It's such a shame that you aren't with us at Christmas." And he stroked my back.

"But Harry, it's only for two weeks, don't fret. And you'll have Sirius to distract you. Don't worry too much, we can't change anything anyway. Comfort Ron and Ginny! And now let's have breakfast, you must surely be hungry!", disentangled myself from him and took his hand. We went into the busy kitchen, because today nobody wanted to sleep in, and sat down and served ourselves. Everything was very quiet, almost silent. We talked little and waited anxiously for news. And eventually, we heard the front door and when the door to the kitchen was pushed open, I saw a small, plump woman with red hair enter and in the blink of an eye a small, just as red whirlwind threw herself around her mother's neck sobbing loudly.

"Easy, my girl," Molly said soothingly to her daughter and kissed her hair. "Arthur got over the worst!", she exclaimed shakily and sobbed in relief.

"Thank goodness!" I heard Sirius say with relief and we all beamed at each other, reassured.

"Some people will join us this afternoon and then we'll all go to St. Mungo's!" she explained. Perfect, I'd talk to someone then.

"Do you know when our things will arrive from Hogwarts?" I asked.

"Oh, yes, of course, dear. Minerva will bring it when she comes with the others." Now she went to the Twins, Ron and Harry and all of them were being hugged with relief. Wonderful, I hated that. I would leave if I could, but the wardens wouldn't allow that and so we waited and the time stretched long, while I was just too aware of Sirius' thoughtful, sad and uncertain glances he constantly aimed at me. I didn't know what he wanted from me and I would be really happy when I managed escaped this stressful situation. When we finally heard noises again we looked at each other with relief, because it could be really annoying sitting around like this. Life filled the kitchen when McGonagall, Tonks and Moody came in.

"I can finally hand over your suitcases, here," the professor pulled out six shrunken trunk cases from her coat.

"Wonderful!" we all exclaimed enthusiastically and grabbed for ours.

"Are we going now?" Ginny asked excitedly.

"Bring your bags up and then we'll go!" Molly rejoiced impatiently. And so everyone dashed up the stairs, only I remained seated, which brought me surprised looks.

"Miss Granger?" McGonagall said dryly.

"I want to ask if I should take the bus to get to my parents, or which way did you think I'd get there?" I asked annoyed.

"Oh, I totally forgot about that," the professor said in surprise.

"No, you can't take the bus!" screeched Molly, who was even more protective than before and gave me a slight headache. Man, I was looking forward to the quiet of my cottage.

"Side-by-side apparition?", I offered and looked around the room.

"Acceptable, Miss Granger. I still remember where you live! Then let us set out immediately," the professor offered.

"Thank you, Professor. Sirius, thank you for the night... And Mrs Weasley, please wish your husband all the best from me," I said quickly and politely. I walked out after the professor as Sirius was only giving me a long look, but didn't stop me. I wasn't sure, but I had the uneasy feeling that Sirius had seen more in me and our affair than I had and thus I was glad to escape the house. However, I didn't want to deal with this thought anymore. Harry and the Twins were already in the hallway, saying goodbye to me warmly and the Twins whispered to me that they were looking forward to the 25th. I saw Ron and Ginny on the stairs and waved goodbye to them, following the professor outside. We apparated and arrived in front of my parents' house. It looked a little uninhabited, as my parents were skiing in Switzerland like every year, but the dear McGonagall didn't have to know that.

"Nobody seems to be here, Miss Granger," she observed, looking at me with concern.

"Well, I guess nobody informed my parents that I won't arrive by express and they probably left to pick me up already. They always go shopping a bit before that, so they leave much earlier," I lied coldly and smiled into her stern face.

"Oh, we didn't think about that, but I can't leave you alone now," McGonagall said worriedly.

"Yes, you can, Professor, it's not a problem. I'll call my parents on the phone and tell them I'm already at home waiting for them," I told a slightly overwhelmed McGonagall. "Mobile phones are like old phones, only that they're so small that you can carry them around to be reachable anytime, anywhere. Ask Mr Weasley, he should know about mobile phones," I offered as an explanation.

"Oh, well then, that sounds fine. Then I wish you and your parents a merry Christmas, Miss Granger," and the old hen was gone, I thought viciously. My mood had reached a new low, now that I didn't have to be strong for Harry anymore. It wasn't good that I hadn't been able talk to Draco anymore, that would've been very important.

I wondered how he would react to tomorrow night. I knew that he would be so engrossed in his family affairs by now that I couldn't reach him. I looked at my parents beautiful town house and immediately apparated and now stood under the huge, old tree opposite "Rose Cottage", which I entered and with a few cleaning spells I tidied it up. After changing my clothes, I sat down to think about the next steps. First, I had to go grocery shopping. When Draco and the Twins arrived here, we would need some food stuff, but that wasn't important right now, I would do it tomorrow morning. I was running out of time and had to get some few necessities for tomorrow evening that were more important and so I planned to go to London to Harrods.

Unfortunately, Harrods had lousy opening hours, usually weekdays until 6pm and Sundays until 7pm, but thanks to the holiday season it was kept open until 8pm so I had almost five hours to shop and I would need them, too.

At half past eight I almost collapsed under the load of bags. But I was very satisfied, I had gotten everything and so I had a nice evening in front of the fireplace and read a novel for a change, able to enjoy the absolute solitude and tranquility for once that was never granted at Hogwarts.

* * *

You might wonder why the Rose Cottage is in "-", there's no special reason, the author just likes it like that. :P

 **Review Answer:**

 **SjRodgers:** Here you go, your thoughts have been answered to where Hermione is heading. xxx

Mahalo guys.

xxxx

Cate and Co.


	57. Ministry of Magic and the Ball

Aloha, it's freaking cold out here!

Big Thanks to my Betas.

Enjoy. xxx

* * *

 **Ministry of Magic and the Ball**

On the next morning, the twenty-second of December, I welcomed the day with a long run, which I enjoyed heartily, through the Wiltshire countryside, despite the freezing cold, after which I set out to get the groceries.

Shopping could wear one out pretty easily was my summary when I carefully, so as not to burn myself, slid into the old, filigree bathtub. I had oils and herbs in the water as bath additives, which would help to make my skin especially soft and fragrant. Tonight I wanted to look perfect, and the dolling up would take the rest of the day. I coated myself in a seductively scented body lotion using Ambra I had specially purchased from a very expensive shop. Afterward, I painted my finger and toenails with a light rose colour and smoothed out my hair magically. I had turned it into a shimmering mass after several rinses and cures.

Then, I started beautifying my face. Primer, make-up, eyeshadow of a delicate grey-silver tone, black eyeliner which emphasized my eyes, mascara to accent my thick eyelashes even more, a little rouge, all in all very beautiful. The face I saw in my compact mirror had softly drawn contours and looked very delicate and dainty, I liked it. Now, all I wanted to do was tame my hair into a set hairstyle, and thanks to magic, I had succeeded and smoothed it down cumbersomely. Using my wand, my long hair now fell over my shoulders, and shone in a soft, light chocolate brown and was draped in a teased knot around my head. But it wasn't tightly combed back, no, rather it was loosely hanging around my head, and I pulled out some long strands that played around my face and neck. I curled these strands, so that they gently fell down in playfull corkscrew-curls and underlined my romantic appearance.

Now things looked even better, and downright beautiful... I didn't know I could look that way. This was better and different by far when compared to the Yule Ball in my fourth year; now I was looking at a very beautiful young woman, whereas before I had been merely a pretty girl. Glancing at the clock, I noted that I had one more hour to prepare, so I started to put on the dress. I carefully took it out of the garment bag. It was overwhelmingly beautiful, and would look good on me. When I was finished dressing, and stood in front of the floor-length mirror to admire it, I concluded that I liked it a lot, and found myself continuing to turn around myself, looking at every angle. I was curious as to how the men would react to it tonight.

Lastly, I put the lip gloss onto my lips, which had a light, rose shade which made them shine seductively. Grabbing my chiffon stole and purse, I left. I quickly walked down the stairs, took my dark winter cloak from the hook, threw it around my shoulders and left the house and apparated to the central apparition point of the Ministry of Magic. Once I arrived, I looked around with interest, for I had never been here before. I had read brochures about the Ministry, but seeing it myself was exciting. I went over to the built-in wardrobe desks to give them my cloak, straightened my stole, draping it around my shoulders, and headed for the designated meeting place. Once there, I walked over the polished, dark parquet floor, the clack of my silver stilettos loud in my ears and my long dress playfully stroking my ankles. I absorbed my surroundings and stored in every detail, there were countless golden ornaments and lattices decorating the corridor. There was gold everywhere, on the peacock-blue ceiling, in the door frames, and covering the many open fireplaces that lined either side of the black stone wall. The gold and the black created a nice contrast of color.

It was bustling with people, despite this late hour and from the fireplaces many noble and sophisticatedly dressed wizards and witches emerged, who joined the stream of arriving guests. When I saw the magnificent, grand hall of the Ministry directly in front of me, which was many stories high, due to the Ministry being underground, I was amazed at its sheer size. In the middle of the impressive hall stood a round fountain. This must have been the "Fountain of Magical Brethren", which as I knew was a sign of the incredible arrogance of the magical society. It portrayed golden, life-size figures, and in the middle of the whole monstrous decoration stood a pretty pair of magicians, surrounded by various magical beings. A centaur, a goblin, and a house elf, who all, to my grief, were looking up at the couple of humans, admiring and adoring them. _How populist,_ I thought to myself.

 _Disgusting,_ I thought, _just as where the jets of water are coming from._ For the couple it came from the tips of their wands, while for the centaur water gushed from the tip of his arrow. The goblin had water coming out of his hat, and finally the poor, poor house-elf had it spurting out most despicably from its bat-like ears. How awful! Had I already said how much I loathed something like that? Mind how the magical community really thought about each other, then this was its biggest lie. The centaurs didn't recognize wizarding law, and who could blame them? They despised us, and didn't want anything to do with us. The goblins fought for centuries against the domination and patronage of wizards, where they were in the right. And the house elves, my favorite subject. Their submissive attitude came through their enslavement, nothing else, and was despicable. You could see the ignorance of wizarding kind which one had to fight against in the abstract monstrosity they had built themselves, indulging in self-adulation, and the way they were masterfully ignoring the Dark Lord. But alright, I could get het up about it all day, but nobody would pay attention to me if i did so, so I saved my breath and shrugged after completing my examination of the hall.

Here I stood, at the meeting point and watched the going-ons around me. I liked watching my surroundings, because that was the best way to find out the most things. When I saw a young, self-confident, dark man approaching me purposefully with a wide, beaming smile, I returned it and was truly glad to see him. He looked good in his smart, black tuxedo, slightly different in style from Muggle ones, and wore a shiny black cloak that left one shoulder free, very neatly showing off his strong, well-toned body.

"Hermione! Nice to see that you're early. You're beautiful, a real feast for the eyes! How are you? I've missed you," he said flatteringly and took my hand, pulling it to his lips to kiss. He breathed a tender kiss onto my skin and looked at me with sparkling eyes.

"Viktor," I replied in delight, shaking his hand. "I'm fine, it's so nice to see you again. Thank you for thinking of me as your partner for the Minister's Christmas Ball, that was very nice of you!" I said, linking arms with him.

"I always think of you!" he flattered, and if one saw him like that, you wouldn't believe it, but he had something intellectually sexy about him. Yes, Viktor was my partner for today and I had wanted to tell Draco about it, but now he'd see it tonight, and that would be fun, I thought sarcastically and sighed resignedly. We walked to the elevators that were in an adjoining room next to the hall which once again, just guess, had gold for safety bars! The elevator brought us to the top floor, where not only Minister Fudge's office was located, but also the festive rooms of the Ministry of Magic, which opened their doors only for special occasions. As we approached the gull-wing doors that led to the ballroom, I grew a little nervous, but I refused to show it. Keeping myself very straight, and going onward with a proudly stretched chest next to Viktor Krum, who was a personally invited guest to this Christmas ball that Fudge hosted today.

Actually, I had wanted Rita to get me an invitation in order to get access into the Ministry, but that had been taken care of when, one morning at breakfast, Viktor's letter arrived and stopped my other efforts.

We had lined up in the queue outside and now we had our great performance, because the couples only entered the ballroom one after the other. The hall shone in the light of thousands of candles, and the ivory-colored marble brightly reflected their light. The numerous, extravagant ornaments were held in even more lush gold. Someone clearly had too much gold in mind, where the black and gold in the hall had offered a harmonious picture, here it was almost blinding.

I was well dressed for the occasion however, my chest was embroidered with large, round silver, with both light and dark green sequins which flattered my cleavage, and small, green, spaghetti straps held it in place. Underneath my chest was a ruffled, moss-green band, dividing the dress into two parts, as in the Imperial style. The rest of the dress fell loosely and gracefully down my body. The delicate, transparent chiffon complimented my body in long strips of fabric, alternating mind green and moss green. It was a romantic dress. However, in order to not show too much skin, I wore a stole of the same fabric, and in the same colors, which ran into each other, around my shoulders.

My outfit was underlined by silver, high heeled stilettos and a small, silver bag. I looked good and that's how I was able to present myself confidently. Just as the ladies of wizarding society glittered and flashed, I was also very noticeable in my distinguished, reserved elegance. I had deliberately left out jewelry of any kind and on the arm of the black-haired, handsome, famous Bulgarian, we gave an imposing image.

Thus we walked very confidently into the ballroom and I could feel the looks of those present directed to me, as I wasn't unknown. People recognized me as Hermione Granger, the best friend of the boy-who-lived, Harry Potter. Yes, Fourth Year had done a lot for my popularity, thanks to Rita! But even if my appearance here would make the press with me as Hermione Granger, I didn't care, as my parents had allowed it in my lively imagination! And Viktor, as the adult, had picked me up, so I've already got my excuse as well. Nobody could forbid me to go to a ball with a friend. I had spotted Rita Skeeter at the back of the stairs in a greenish iridescent dress that looked dangerously like the chitinous exoskeleton in her bugform

Well, at the sight of her I couldn't think of anything other than 'dung beetle'! Wow, but to everyone their own tastes, and I gave her a gracious incline of my head and when she recognized me, her eyes went very large, she stiffened visibly. _We've got to work on our acting skills a little bit, Rita,_ I thought to myself, noting that if I had a suitable opportunity, I would be teasing her with it. And there, on the right, Minister Fudge personally greeted his guests with his wife at his side and an overbearing and pompous demeanor as usual. Fudge, a dumpy man with grey hair, today wore a tuxedo and a grey cloak over it, appropriate for the occasion. His wife... we'd better leave that. She looked like a Christmas tree, wearing a glittering red dress and too many diamonds, but as I had said, we'd better leave it at that, I would risk getting blind if I looked at her any longer.

"Viktor Krum, how delightful that you were able to accept my invitation. I'm very pleased to welcome an internationally known and famous athlete! And your enchanting escort is... uh, Miss Granger!" He had called out less than gallantly when he caught sight of me. We had seen each other a couple of time up close at the tournament, but never talked, but he recognized me.

"Pleased to see you, Minister," I said politely, bowing my head in front of him.

"Is Mr Potter here, too?" he asked curiously, looking past me.

"I'm sorry, Minister. No, I don't think Harry got an invitation. Viktor was kind enough to choose me as his companion!" In pointed out curtly and moved the corners of my mouth into a restrained smile. I could see a head of the typical Weasley-red hair behind the Minister, and thus Percy Weasley, who whispered the names of the incoming guests in case Fudge didn't know them. Percy still displayed an extremely pompous behaviour and looked at me disapprovingly through his thick horn-rimmed glasses.

"In that case: Welcome and enjoy the party!" Fudge said jovially and gesturing with his hands. We said goodbye and I linked my arm with Viktor's again and walked with him down the stairs into the hall below. Just then, I caught sight of the Malfoy family, which were standing out from the festive crowd with their unique, white-blonde hair, attracting attention with their appearance, which was very imposing just from the way the three stood, as if the world belonged to them and lay at their feet. It was probably necessary to practice this blase appearance in order to do it so convincing that it didn't look ridiculous, so that people actually would believe them that they were of a better class than any other earthlings and almost wanted to go down on their knees in front of them.

The head of the Malfoy family stood aloof in a royal stance, looking like he had just stepped out a painting in his perfectly tailored tuxedo. He wore a deep blue velvet cloak on top of it bearing the crest of the Malfoy family. It was made of elaborate silver embroidery, depicting a large ornate 'M', which was entwined by fine, floral patterns. He held himself very straight, he had loosely gathered his long, silky hair that flowed over his shoulders into a ponytail bound with a dark blue velvet ribbon. His face was beautiful, as was Draco's. In this regard, the Malfoys were blessed, one couldn't question their good looks. Father and son looked remarkably similar when they were standing side by side.

They were nearly equal in size and stature, both seemed to be in good shape and you could see that they knew it, too. Lucius Malfoy had an aristocratic, distinctive profile, a perfect face, and smooth skin, distinguished by its noble pallor, and his eyes, which were of a darker grey than Draco's, looked around with an expression of contempt and boredom. The way he held his walking stick confidently, which, as Harry had told us, contained his wand, an impressive, detail-loving piece. The ebony cane was topped by a silver serpent head with emerald eyes and an aggressively opened mouth.

All in all, he offered a sight for the gods, if only his no less impressive son wouldn't stand beside him, whose hair was shorter but caressed his face. He wore exactly the same exquisite robes as his father, and his velvet cloak wore the same crest. I had to chuckle about this partner look. And then not to forget Narcissa, slim, tall and blonde with expressive, cold blue eyes, she was a beautiful woman. Though she didn't have the same pure white-blonde shade her men had, she possessed beautiful shoulder-length, shiny blonde hair that she wore open. She only wore two white gold combs in her hair shaped like snakes and studded with sapphires, to keep it out of her pretty face.

Her face was in no way inferior to her husband's. Smiling didn't seem to come naturally to her and she looked at what was happening in the hall with a disgusted, arrogant expression. Her well-formed body was dressed in a tight, long, white silk dress with silver accents on the half-length sleeves and the décolleté, which had a submarine cut and left part of her shoulders bare. For such a flowing dress you couldn't have a gram too much on the hips. The choice of color gave her something almost ethereal as graceful as it appeared. As accessories she wore a white gold necklace with large sapphires and her rings and bracelets picked up the theme again. She made an impression and showcasted that openly, too. They were a truly impressive trio. The proud man, in whom one could see his long line of ancestors, and his wife didn't let anyone forget that. This man here was the right hand of the Dark Lord, surrounded not only by the smell of money and influence, but also by the breath of danger.

"Come along, I'd like to greet Draco. I've always got on well with him at Hogwarts," Viktor said, ignorant that he was in danger of running into a knife he couldn't see coming. However, he didn't give me a chance to speak and pulled me toward the Malfoy family. Hence it came as no surprise that they quickly became aware of us, the couple approaching them. Huh, wasn't that going marvellously once again? I could see Draco's eyes narrow in suppressed rage, a storm brewing inside them as recognition flashed in their depths. Otherwise the super cold mask was perfect. Mr Malfoy looked at us expectantly, as he had recognized me as well, even though I had thought to notice a short flicker of emotion in his grey eyes, and his wife looked at us as if we were cockroaches, which in her eyes we actually were.

"Mr Malfoy, I'm Viktor Krum. I just wanted to wish your son a nice evening, as we had always gotten along well at Hogwarts," Viktor said politely, performing a pureblood-greeting and bowing slightly to Malfoy, which seemed to please him as he raised the left corner of his mouth and nodded slightly.

"Pleased, Mr Krum. May I introduce you to my wife, Mrs Malfoy, before you turn to my son?" Viktor took the offered hand of Narcissa and kissed the air above her hand, not touching her skin.

"And your companion, Mr Krum...?" Draco's father asked with a raised eyebrow although he had long before identified me as The Mudblood.

"Of course, Mr Malfoy. May I introduce you to Hermione Granger?" Viktor gestured in my direction in an introductory way.

"Miss Granger, finally I meet you face to face!" I could hear Lucius deep, pleasant sounding voice that still contained coldness, while also revealing a trace of interest that showed briefly in his grey eyes, too. I sank into a deep curtsy, following the Pureblood-rules that Draco put so much emphasis on, and that I had learned from his books, holding my upper body straight as though I'd swallowed a broomstick and slightly bowed my head, which he observed with something probably close to astonishment. I felt a bit idiotic performing this submissive, old-fashioned gesture, but I think I didn't do anything incorrectly. I could see how a hand suddenly reached for mine. He had leaned down to me, as I was supposed to remain in the pose until I was greeted. Yes, I had learned everything from Draco's dusty tomes. And you could be sure, I never forgot and excelled in implementing the things I had learned.

I could imagine that many would wonder where I had gained the knowledge about this ancient greeting between Purebloods, because this was the correct, perfect conduct in the nowadays not-too common version and I had learned it from books borrowed from the Malfoy library. In contrast, the books from the Blacks' library said that a quick curtsy was enough. And let's be honest, which young girl who hadn't grown up in those circles would know such rules of behaviour and especially me, a Mudblood despised by this snobbery society. Or could you imagine Lav or Pav doing something like that? No? Good! Me neither.

So he took my hand, pulling me out of my submissive position with a fluent motion, and raised it to his mouth and breathed a flawless kiss onto the back of my hand. I looked deeply into his stormy grey eyes, which were locked onto me. It felt like all the noises were fading into the background in this moment when we stared at each other. He still had my hand in his and held it in front of his chest.

His keen gaze made me aware that this man was a master of manipulation. He tried to stare as deeply as possible into my eyes in an attempt to unsettle me, to make me nervous. But please, not with me, I returned the look without batting an eyelid. I also knew how to play the game 'who flinches first'! I... it didn't feel unpleasant to touch his skin, to know my hand in his and it seemed like he didn't care either. Since he hadn't released my hand yet, but he continued to look at me, focusing on me and my face. I didn't know what was going on here, why Lucius Malfoy was so interested in me. Suddenly I heard a less than gallant and ladylike snort followed by the rustling sound of heavy rustling silk moving away. Narcissa had left, freeing us from our trance. Resolutely, I withdrew my hand from him and he released it. I shook my head slightly and looked at Draco, who was talking with Viktor though never took his eyes off me or his father.

"Draco, I think I don't need to introduce you to Hermione, do I?" Viktor said, turning his head to me, enabling Draco to briefly let his mask fall to glare at me when his father followed his wife into the fray and thus making our exchange pass unnoticed. I widened my eyes and shrugged apologetically while smiling at Viktor.

"No, Viktor! There is really no need for that, I know Granger and if I may, I'll kidnap her for a short dance!" Draco's declaration came coldly and he didn't wait for an answer from the speechless Viktor before he grabbed my hand extremely gently to lead me to the dance floor. There he skillfully whirled me around to face him and took over the lead of the slow waltz which was playing. Draco was a fantastic dancer who performed every move with great grace. Fortunately, I was able to keep up quite well by surrendering to his excellent lead.

"Draco, you're out of your mind, I'm a Mudblood! What will your father and everyone else think?" I whispered, exasperated, safely cradled in his arms and would've loved to give myself to this feeling, however, unfortunately, it was impossible under these particular circumstances.

"Let this be my concern, Mudblood! What are you doing here? Especially with Viktor Krum?" he hissed very quietly and very angrily, but kept an indifferent expression on his face.

"Don't be upset, Draco! Viktor asked me to accompany him weeks ago and I agreed. But not because I wanted to see him, if that's what upsets you. I've planned to do something different and Viktor's invitation was convenient. Otherwise I would've asked the beetle to get me an invitation. This way was just better, easier. I planned to tell you this on the train, but something came in between..." I said softly while keeping an expression of indifference. Actually, we were putting on a great show here, in which none of us moved a muscle in his or her face.

"Really, you are no longer interested in the international Star Seeker... Viktor Krum? And where have you been anyways? I was looking for you," he shot the questions at me and growled slightly when he said Viktor's name. I loved non-jealous Malfoys, they were quite amusing in their not-being-jealous state.

"Yes, Draco, really. I'm not into Viktor and I don't even think about him for the time being, and even if... I would gladly decline! I had to leave Hogwarts at night with Harry and the Weasleys. I'll tell you when we're in the cottage." I didn't want to tell him anything about Sirius now, he'd just freak out, considering that Viktor already seemed to strain his nerves. How would he react to the revelation that I had been back at the Blacks' townhouse of Black? Not well at all, I was sure of that.

"Don't forget it. It's incredible from what kind of situations I always end up rescuing you. But what was that with father? Lucius is dangerous, stay away from him! His greeting to you was... surprising. Mother didn't just walk away without reason, be careful, don't provoke him too much," he said urgently, warning me. He looked down at me and over my appearance appraisingly.

"Why? I only followed the rules of your book?" I asked slightly perplexed. I hadn't done anything wrong.

"It's good that you memorized the book, but you seem to have impressed father and _that'_ s not good, if you arouse his interest! He's not who he is because of nothing!" he whispered urgently. "Why have you dressed yourself so seductively? The whole room is focused on you because of your look and all the men would love to have their way with you, sooner rather than later!" he said slightly upset.

"Seriously, Draco, the dress doesn't look _that_ great. You're exaggerating, here are many beautiful women!" I emphasized. I looked great, but not that amazing. "Coming back to something else, is it as dangerous as arousing your interest? I mean, you're certainly not jealous, just because I'm accompanying Viktor! But I promise you I will try to avoid your father!" I offered indifferently as I could spot the truth behind his words, Lucius Malfoy was not to be trifled with.

"Really, even father's eyes almost popped out when he saw you and let me tell you, he's picky! He's a Malfoy. And that's right, at last you got it, Mudblood. I'm never jealous, I just don't tolerate this... Krum by your side, no, absolutely not! And the way he proudly strutted around with you on his arm because he knows how amazing you look and complement him! Stay away from father and the Bulgarian too!" he demanded sternly. Unfortunately, in that moment the dance ended and he escorted me back to his father and Viktor, who were talking about Quidditch.

"And Draco, how did you like to dance with a Mu... with Miss Granger?" Lucius inquired arrogantly, obviously having severe difficulties not calling me Mudblood, which made me smile. I know Draco had said I shouldn't provoke him, but it was just too funny. A Malfoy who bit back an insult!

"Yes, thank you, father, it was fun! Does anyone want something to drink?" He asked politely, the two men nodded, I shook my head and turned to the illustrious group. I, a Muggleborn, between Purebloods and we were all so polite to each other that it could make someone puke.

"If you'll excuse me? I would need to retreat for a short time," I gave Viktor an apologetic smile and explained that I wanted to freshen up, and quickly dived into the crowd. I left the crowded hall, the fun, festive activity behind me and immediately a serious expression appeared on my face. I had to focus on my task from now.

I had to be determined, quick and focused, so no one would notice that I had disappeared.

My target was far below, here in the Ministry of Magic, and I had to get there. It was on the ninth floor and named Dumbledore!

* * *

 **Review Answer:**

 **Sjrodgers:** Thanks so much for always reviewing and being a part of us. x3 Hope you liked today's chapter.

Mahalo to all of you.

Cate and Co. xxxx


	58. Department of Mysteries

Aloha, it's freezing and there's snow. :P

A big thanks to C. and Aivy. (Translator and Beta)

Enjoy. xxx

* * *

 **Department of Mysteries**

My goal was to find out more about Dumbledore's past.

Well, that had gone well. Malfoy one and two had been busy with themselves and Viktor and so I could get closer to my real goal. I wasn't here to amuse myself, to flirt with men or to pit people against each other, oh no, I had a mission. I was here for a specific reason and I couldn't and wouldn't let this opportunity pass to come here when security was less strict than usual. I was certain that no one here was even thinking about what I had planned to do.

I was heading towards my goal with quick steps. The loud sound of my shoes was very audible. Because my time was limited, I had to hurry up. I took the shawl off from my shoulders, folded it and put it into my purse. Determined, I went to the lift.

I had to get to the ninth floor, the so-called Department of Mysteries. I knew that from my research, which hadn't been easy... just to mention that.

I pressed the button for the ninth floor and the lift started to move squeakily. Next I pulled up my dress without much decorum and drew my white wand. I had the good sense to carry a dagger on my left leg. As I had said, I never went anywhere without weapons.

I prepared myself for my undertaking and didn't spell myself invisible, as there were curses in the Ministry that prevented attempts like that, but used the Disillusionment Charm to adapt to my surroundings and put a Sonus Ex on my shoes so that my footsteps couldn't be heard anymore.

Was I excited? Was I nervous? No, I had clearly been more self-conscious in front of the Malfoys. Why should I be afraid? Because I was about to break in? No, I had already done that. It was more anticipation that I felt. I was curious how I would manage to act out my plan and how hard it would become and in what way my knowledge would be challenged.

But I wasn't afraid, I was looking forward to this challenge. Given that I was about to do something forbidden, the tingling in my belly was getting stronger again. I could feel the adrenaline starting to rush through my veins and how it made be more attentive.

The Department of Mysteries was a mystery even inside the Ministry itself. It was the best kept secret here. No one in the Ministry could say something specific because even if you worked for the Department of Mysteries you knew next to nothing and could not offer any information. The employees were called the Unspeakables because they didn't talk about their work.

There were many dangerous levels of magic and I didn't mean Dark and Light. No, there was an incredible diversity in the magic they were probably experimenting with here. Time was one of them, I guessed, because my time turner had come from the Ministry. But there was much more to it than that.

The door of the lift opened loudly. Behind it lay a long, windowless, deserted hallway and on its end I could make out a simple, dark, wooden door.

Thus I left the lift in a hurry, heading towards the wooden door while mumbling some spells to see whether there were detection spells which would sound an alarm.

There were some though to my great disappointment they couldn't compare to most of Snape's crazy and nasty inventions. Like I said, to get into the bad-tempered professor's potion storage had been more of a challenge than this. Wow, I was very disappointed. They were way too trusting! If I had been the Dark Lord, the door would have opened in invitation at once. How depressing.

I could only hope that the secret behind the door was going to turn out to be a bigger challenge.

I stepped, still disappointed but no less attentive, into the entry hall of the Department of Mysteries. I stood inside the door and held it open. All of that was just too easy, which made me suspicious and so I examined the empty hall from this safe position and saw a round room made of stone which was illuminated with unusual blue candle light.

A sly grin took over my face. How cute. I guess this should confound visitors? Along the walls were a dozen identical doors, without handles, very clever. I was chuckling, amused. I bit my lips, thinking. I was certain that once this door was closed, I was trapped. It wouldn't be possible to make out the exit from all these identical doors.

I was thinking fast, looking over my shoulder to see if someone was coming. But there was no one. Good!

I had a crazy idea that I wanted to test first, so I pointed my wand at the door and used a Flagrate on its inside which marked the wooden door with a flaming cross.

Satisfied, I looked at the mark and overcame the urge to keep the door open. I stepped into the round room and shut the door determinedly. It closed with a loud click. I waited with anticipation, curious about what would happen.

Suddenly the walls started to rotate so that the entry wouldn't have been distinguishable from the other doors. Keeping orientation was impossible but my idea proved to be the right one.

The concept was good, that I had to admit without envy. But it wasn't a hindrance for me, Hermione Granger. Their system had too many flaws. I had been confronted with magical riddles at Harry's side since first year, when the magical world had still been a big question mark for me. I still had had so much to learn and discover. I had already had to solve magical traps as a first year and had done so successfully. This here was not more to me than small traps and no real obstacles… This was not high magic at all, it was more like a children's game because my Flagrate was still very visible, the mark glowing brightly.

I was rolling my eyes confronted with this ignorant thoughtlessness. One could easily ban all forbidden access with a curse but, well, they made my job easier and I should be grateful for that. To be on the safe side, I opened the marked door and yes, it was still the exit. I was just too sceptical. However, to be careful was never wrong.

Great, it was good to see that everything worked out so well. Now I would have to be quick to find the right door, because Draco and Viktor wouldn't wait for me forever without looking for me.

I tried the easiest thing that came to my mind and nearly died of vicarious embarrassment because the door opened with a simple Alohomora.

There was a long room with some black desks. In its midst there was a glass container, filled with a dark green fluid. And were that brains swimming in there? Did I see that right? I was still at the door, not stepping into the room. How disgusting. Sometimes it really was pretty tasteless what one got to see. I shook myself in obvious disgust and spelled a Flagrate on this door as well. I closed it again and let the room spin once more.

If every door was going to take me so long, I would still be here tomorrow. And if one thought about my luck, which was my companion day in, day out, then the last door would be the right one!

Now I opened the next door and what it revealed made my blood run cold. There was an unnatural dark hall with even more doors. This hall was huge and there was something that reminded me of an old greek stone theater. There were even stone benches.

In the middle was a podest on which a worn down, age-old gateway stood from which I could hear quiet whispering and hissing which made this place eerily spooky. It made my skin crawl. Quickly I spelled the door shut. What an uncomfortable place.

With what creepy things was the Ministry playing here? That hadn't been anything good, this much could be said.

Could it be real? All good things came in threes and apparently I wasn't completely without any luck because I had just opened the right room.

I didn't put a mark on this door, I just stepped into the room and closed the door behind me.

This hall was literally enormous. Forget Hogwarts, forget the Ministry's atrium, forget all of that and put all of them into one box. The result wouldn't be great enough for this hall, just to try and describe its immeasurable size.

I had reached the Hall of Archives and my heart beat was increasing steadily. Why couldn't I lock myself in here for a few weeks? I would be really happy… However, I didn't have the time for it and so I gave the ceiling high cabinets only a calculating, nearly sad look. Some of the cabinets were askew, I don't know how they hadn't already fallen down. Must be magic. I was looking for a way to specify my search.

There was cabinet after cabinet and this continued into endless depths. Here was the archive of the history of magic, every known detail about an event or a person was here, not only news paper articles, but real references, cross references and every magical relation was noted down to have complete family trees. What was done to the family trees in the homes of the purebloods including blasting unwanted members off of it was their business, here they recorded every member of the family meticulously as soon as the Ministry got note of a magical existence.

And exactly that was the reason why I had to come here. No one, or as good as no one, got access to this hall because there were a lot of shady secrets that many people wanted to be left unknown. Satisfaction was spreading through me, because I had done it! I was here and it had been way too easy, I thought doubtfully, but oh well.

How the hell would I find the right papers now? What system did they use here?

I could see index card boxes on the magical desks that were placed in front of each row. I walked up to one and lifted the lid. There were a variety of labelled index cards… Mh-hm… 1300-1350! Okay, that was obviously some centuries too early, hence I continued to hurry down the hall. Time was running out.

Why was the entry door in the middle, with the year 1300?

It was obvious that such a stupid idea could only come from magical people. Do you know how fucked up it is to walk such a long distance in heels? It's not very comfortable! Unfortunately I was still looking for the year, or rather, I would be happy if I even found the right century.

Finally I got closer to the right century, the 19th!

I opened the box impatiently and read that I was in front of 1850-1900! Great, finally, I couldn't believe it! I took the card for the year out and looked at it. Ah, here you had to point your wand and name the event, the person or the date. Magic would do the rest and search by itself.

Well, this shouldn't be too hard.

"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore with family and Grindelwald in England." I heard a suspicious rumble in the dark depths from the askew cabinets, which looked like a very wobbly tower made from books. Suddenly something rattled and once again I was making sure that I was still alone. Two files came flying and landed with a loud clap on top of the desk. The air that now blew towards me was moldy and stale.

Determined, I opened them and got a short overview. Yes, that looked good. I spelled the files smaller and put them into my extended purse, deleted the memory of the index card with a Evociato Restinguere so that no one would know that I had searched for Dumbledore and Grindelwald and went to the next desk. Here I repeated the procedure, but this time for 1900-1950!

"Albus Dumbledore and Grindelwald!" This time the paper that was flying towards me was very thin. I only needed a short look, then put it into my purse. I mumbled a spell to get rid of any traces of myself, turned around brusquely and hurried from the room. This had taken way too long already.

I hurried towards the door and closed it behind me. The room was spinning again around me. Fortunately I only had to test three crosses. The first door I opened was the entry to the dubious archway again. I used a counter curse to erase my Flagrate and spoke a Reparo for the wooden door. It looked as good as new once I had closed it again. Wasn't it nice that magic existed?

The next door was my exit and so I pointed my wand from here towards the last door and vanished all suspicious traces. Once I closed the last door behind me, every trace that could point towards a trespasser had been painstakingly erased.

I ran towards the lift and reapplied the curses that I had erased or changed before and hurried inside. I had been gone for about three quarters of an hour, like my Tempus showed me. That meant I had been quick, but to need more than thirty minutes for the toilet… my companion and the Malfoys must think that I had flushed myself down.

I tried to calm down my breathing and my heartbeat, removed the two spells from myself, and put the wand back in its place on my thigh to mime once again a well-behaved guest of this ball.

Thus I had re-entered the glossy, bright hallways on the upper floor and let the darkness behind me, and was now in the secluded anteroom of a washroom, looking at myself in the mirror. I was picking at my hair-do when I froze because suddenly I could feel that I was not alone prickling in my neck was telling me that I was being watched.

I quickly turned around and saw Lucius Malfoy in all his glory and masculinity opposite me. He was looking at me with an undeniably frozen expression, but his eyes were assessing me. Suddenly he moved towards me, which prompted me to try to avoid him by taking a step to the right. Tactically not a very smart move as I could see now, because he was lifting the corner his mouth with quiet satisfaction. Now I no longer had the mirror in my back, but a marble wall and as he was standing in the way, I couldn't get past him.

He came slowly but surely closer, appearing very threatening in his confident and self-satisfied manner. It seemed as if he wanted to play.

"Miss Granger, you are being searched for!" he stated with his deep voice quietly and very silkily and I had to suppress a shiver.

"Oh. Sorry if I made things inconvenient. I'll be there shortly!" I turned around brusquely, but didn't get very far. Now I was staring at his broad chest, clothed in expensive fabric. He had managed to sneak up to me quietly and swiftly. My small size was quite inconvenient sometimes, as big and intimidating as he stood before me.

If I didn't want to keep my face in his white shirt, I had to back up. And so I stood with my naked shoulders and my back pressed against the cold, smooth marble, which let me to take an audible breath and gave me goosebumps. All of this was watched closely by the blonde, long haired beau, every movement was obsessed over eagerly.

"Mr Malfoy, I think we should head back to the hall!" I looked courageously into his eyes. This man was impressive in all aspects of his appearance. Knowing about his power and charisma, he seemed to be much more dangerous than Snape, who made a secret out of himself and became one with the darkness, which was something that would be impossible for the man before me and not only because of his bright hair.

"Do you, Miss Granger?" He gave me a derisive look while getting continuously closer, so that there was no place left between our bodies. Just as good that situations like this weren't new to me and so I managed to keep a calm and collected mask, even if I understood the danger of this gesture very well. He wanted to unsettle me and hoped that I lost my composure so he could revel in my fear. But I wouldn't make it that easy for him.

"My son fancies you!" he whispered hoarsely and imprisoned me with a flowing motion by putting his hand next to my face and using the other to stroke my throat and collarbone with the head of the snake of his cane with slow and insinuating movements while giving me a very evil grin, which made me swallow in discomfort.

Phew, my pulse quickened. I could feel the cool silver on my heated skin and turned my head to the side to get away from his lascivious touch.

"I'm a mudblood, in which way could your son fancy me?" I scoffed. My own, derisive tone made him lift his cane so that he forced me to look into his impassive, ice cold grey eyes because he raised my chin.

"There are ways to have fun with mudbloods, Miss Granger!" I read something in the depths of his eyes that, together with the words he whispered, made me afraid.

"If you say that, Mr Malfoy!" I was looking into his eyes unwaveringly and felt the hard head of the snake when he pressed against me without warning. I gasped because he forced the air out of my lungs. His powerful, trained body was flush against me and let me feel his excitement against my stomach.

Why always me? Why did all of the snakes think I was at their disposal? Hello? This was the father of my boyfriend, this was Draco's father who was pressing his cock against me in obvious enjoyment. Did I want this? No, I was certain I didn't. Why did I always end up in crappy situations like this?

I tried to stay very calm because to lose my nerve now wouldn't be good. He had taken me by surprise and because of that I was in a position that was pretty bad to fight back from. Did I really want to risk a scandal?

"Mr Malfoy, you are the hand of the Dark Lord, shouldn't you try to kill me, Harry's friend, instead of… this here?" I started an offensive because it didn't matter anymore. He had made his point clear.

I had spoken with a surprisingly calm voice considering he was pressing against me intimately, but I acted as if we were talking at a tea party. Snape had already made me a whore, so I could handle being confronted with a randy Malfoy in a relatively confident manner. Especially as I internally forbade myself any kind of protest. I had to keep a clear head.

I could hear a rough, very deep laugh. He started to play again with his snake and stroked my shoulder and then my arm slowly, sensually.

"You are not afraid to say things where most people would prefer to stay silent…! Interesting… Why should I kill you so soon? There are other ways to get to ones goal! Why should I deny myself the pleasure? And you, you promise me fun…Miss Granger! So calm, so aloof, so little Gryffindor… so perfect for me! And the next time you should better keep quiet instead of shouting your assumption regarding the Dark Lord and my roll into the world… I'll give you another reason to scream!" he was hissing nastily and seized my hair painfully with the hand that he had put against the marble earlier. He turned his head quickly and bit into my right, naked shoulder violently and ruthlessly.

I was paralysed. At first I wanted to scream, the pain was incredible. His teeth dug deeper and deeper into my flesh, with brute force, as if he was a snake and would sink his venomous teeth into me, until they were completely buried.

He was biting me in earnest! And pulling my hair unrelentingly.

I was biting my tongue harshly until I tasted blood. I wouldn't give him the pleasure to hear me scream. Tears of pain were gathering in my eyes. I tried to push him off me with my hands, but he just stood there like a rooted tree, pressing his body even closer to mine so that I kept still. My hands were still imprisoned by his chest and damned to motionlessness. Why hadn't I paid attention to the simplest and most common rules of self defense?

The reason was quite simple: Who would have thought that Malfoy was crazy enough to attack me like this, in public, at a public function like the ball at the Ministry? Well, I hadn't. Stupid, it was a mistake!

I would like nothing more than to slam my knee into his private parts but he had already managed to push my legs apart brutally and to put himself in between in the meantime. One couldn't say that he didn't think of everything to protect himself from me. He didn't underestimate my will to fight. Smart man, but had I ever claimed that Malfoys were stupid?

That whole mortifying situation couldn't have been going on longer than a minute, if not less. Finally he let my aching shoulder go, lifted his white blonde head and looked into my tearfilled eyes with unmistakable hunger.

"You didn't scream!" he whispered hoarsely and audibly aroused. It seemed to surprise him and also turn him on, causing him to show me his teeth, baring them to me. The teeth which had been sunk into my shoulder with brutal force were red with my blood. A macabre sight which made me swallow heavily. The pain was a strong, steady throbbing in my shoulder and I didn't want to do him the favour and cry. Instead we held each other's gaze.

Finally he turned away and looked at his bite. He lowered his head and started to lick my wound with his tongue lasciviously and slowly in a move that appeared almost crazed, tasting my blood and caressing the bite, slowly tracing the wound's outline and the imprints of his teeth.

I let my head fall back and suppressed a whimper, which wasn't easy, however, my pride wouldn't let me give him the satisfaction. I would've loved to hit him against the marble. _This can't be real, this isn't happening to me, please no,_ I thought!

Suddenly, I could hear steps, someone was coming. Goddess be thanked, I hoped he would let go of me now.

Unfortunately, I couldn't see anything because I wasn't in the right position and his unrelenting hand in my hair was keeping my head in place. I had to wait. Again I was cursing my small 163 centimeters. To feel Lucius Malfoy this close and demanding wasn't comfortable at all.

Where would this lead if the one who had just arrived, whoever it was, wouldn't say anything, I asked myself desperately because the steps were now silent and I knew we were being watched. Should I scream after all and make a scandal and give Lucius Malfoy the satisfaction to have won?

Goddess be thanked the formerly silent voyeur started to say something because Malfoy, who was now giving my throat small bites in his crazy furor, hadn't noticed that we weren't alone or was ignoring it in his arrogance.

"Father? Mother is looking for you. Fudge wants to give the speech with your assistance and Krum is looking for Granger!" I heard Draco's cool, emotionless voice and I let the breath I was holding go.

Heaven be thanked, it was Draco! Lucius lifted his head abruptly, looked at me once more longingly and stepped back. Finally, he released me, nodding politely. One had to be a pureblood, he observed manners as if nothing had ever happened.

"I'm coming, Draco! Until the next bite, Miss Granger!" he threatened and turned around, leaving the small room majestically, not heeding his son with another look.

Without his body keeping me up, I now stood there a bit shakily. But Draco stepped in front of me, taking my upper arms tenderly, giving me footing. I was rattled up by his father's deed. He had bit me! Bit me like an animal!

"Hermione, what has happened?" he asked, shocked. "What is that?" He looked at my injured shoulder and I shook him off, turning towards the mirror to see what Lucius Malfoy had done to me. It looked really bad. The still bloody bite seemed unreal, like a drawing, and it hurt still as well. Wasn't that great? Even my hair was in disarray now. I looked thoroughly disheveled.

"He bit me," I said, still not believing what had happened. I stared at the very visible imprints of teeth.

"I can see that too and it wasn't something that could be overlooked, the way he tried to crawl into you. What happened?" Draco took a step towards me and tried to heal my wound with his second, black wand which he always carried with himself. It didn't work out too well because an Episkey wasn't enough. It didn't close all the way and a red, swollen mark stayed which would be a reminder of the incredible situation I had just lived through.

"Thank you, Draco," I said matter-of-factly, looking at his reflection resignedly. He returned my gaze, the demand clear in his eyes, and I started to explain.

"He said that his son would fancy me, then I said that that couldn't be the case… because I'm a mudblood…" I turned around and fell into his opened arms which closed around me immediately. "...and said that he should rather try to kill me! He… he stated that there were other ways to have fun with mudbloods. You didn't have to kill them and he would get me to scream, after that he bit me!" I told him quickly, stammering a bit. Draco stroked my back continuously and calmed me.

"Oh, shit, that isn't good! Why doesn't it surprise me that it is you this is happening to? And let me guess you didn't even make a sound?... Hermione, this only turns him on more. Father is a hunter and he made you his pray. That isn't good, not at all! And he has already marked you. No… not good at all! He never loses his composure, especially in public! Shit, come, we have to leave now, because he won't stop until he… Let's go! He loves the hunt!" He took my arm and hastily pulled me out of the bathroom towards the lift. Fortunately the hallway was empty because of the midnight speech of Fudge and generous financier Lucius Malfoy had just started.

Draco's statement had shocked me. Here I was, letting him move me like a doll. Now there wasn't only Snape after me, it was Lucius Malfoy as well who would look for me everywhere!

Well, sometimes, only sometimes, I wanted to scream… but I calmed myself down again and saw reason. It would neither help me nor safe me to lose my cool.

Draco and I walked through the black atrium and got closer towards the apparition point.

"My cloak," I said, befuddled.

"Forget it, I'll buy you a new one!" He tightened his hold on my arm and pulled me forwards unrelentingly. It was like a flight.

"Well, apparate us to your cottage!" he ordered curtly and I did as I was told, putting distance between Lucius Malfoy and us, but especially between Lucius and me.

* * *

 **Review - Answer:**

 **sjrodgers:** I'm so happy that you like it as usual. And I hope you liked this one too. Until next week.

Mahalo,

Cate And Co. xxx


	59. A Night with Draco and the Consequences

_Hello most beautiful readers,_

 _so we continue with the main story. Have you read the Special I posted last week? There you can revisit chapter 57 and 58 from Lucius' POV._

 _Starting this week, I will not completely cut explicit scenes, instead I will edit them so you don't miss out on anything but the details - a lot of details._

 _I won't revisit earlier chapters on my own. However, if you point out a specific scene for me, I'll go back and edit that as well. So feel free to contact me._

 _Aivy_

 _Chapter beta: our new team member Dani!  
Chapter translator: Aivy and Sophie_

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 **A Night with Draco and the Consequences**

Thus, Draco and I materialised below the big, old tree in the cold, fresh December air. I was freezing in my flimsy evening dress and hurried us along.

"Come on!" I pulled him firmly towards the cottage, signalled him to lay a hand on the door and uttered a short incantation that included him into the house wards.

"Pretty," he declared after a glance around as he was now actually able to see everything and I beckoned him in briskly.

"When are you going to perform the Fidelius? After what just happened I am all for 'as soon as possible'!" He sounded grave and businesslike though fiddling with the silver clasp of his dark blue velvet cloak.

"Actually I had wanted to wait until the twins arrival on the 25th," I replied, irritated.

"No, it's too late, we'll do it tomorrow morning!" he decreed harshly before he strolled into the living room in a self-important manner to lit a fire non-verbally with only a flick of his hand.  
It seemed like he felt already at home here, the fire crackled in the fireplace and the room started to warm up.

In the meantime he breathed a sigh of relief after he had taken off his thick velvet cloak and dropped it over a chair without a care. Just then I saw that it had a silver silk lining… It must be quiet heavy I figured.

"What is happening right now, Draco?" I asked unsurely and looked at him, my gaze intensified, while standing in the middle of the room like I had been lost.

"Much, sadly!" he said with a timbre in his voice that I couldn't pinpoint. _Very helpful, Mr Malfoy_ , I thought cynically and snorted disgruntledly.

"Do I have much to worry about?" I asked thoughtfully and remembered the incredible feeling when Lucius' teeth had, as if in slow motion, dug unyieldingly into my skin and I shuddered slightly in horror.

"For fuck's sake, yes! Do you think he is a Death Eater for nothing?" Draco's answer resounding from his place at the fireplace was filled with fury. "He bit you…" he then whispered in so low a voice that I had difficulty to understand him at all, and he shook his head as if he couldn't believe it.

"When will you leave again?" I tried to sidetrack. As I had said, the past was in the past. Now we could only take potluck. It was my pragmatism speaking.

"Not at all. We had planned to meet tomorrow morning anyway. Now, I'm already here!" he stated succinctly and ruffled his blonde hair restlessly.

"Yes, but won't your father be suspicious that you … went missing after the ball? After you had… um, interrupted us? … Thanks for that!" I got more and more quiet, while wrapping my arms around myself as I was very cold all of a sudden. From shock or because of the sheer fabric of my dress? Whatever the reason might be, I felt very insecure from one moment to the next, though I called myself to order and asked:

"And what about your things?"

"No, I will write him a letter shortly saying that I had to pursue an urgent need… and that I will go on straight to Blaise, with whom I will spend, as agreed, Christmas and the rest of the holidays. Do you have ink and parchment at hand?" he inquired businesslike and as he looked at me with such scrutiny his expression turned worried.

"I will arrange with Father that my things will be sent to Blaise, I will collect them tomorrow!" he decided determinedly.

"Yes, sure, here's everything. I like the idea with Zabini!" I encouraged him while handing him over the requested items. He wrote a short massage, opened one of the little windows with glazing bars and called his owl with a spell, which amazingly worked even over a greater distance.

"He'll arrive soon, then this will be done as well."

While he wrote the letter I took off my high heels and poured each of us a glass of whiskey. The Muggle version, Lagavulin, a 16 years old 'classic Malt', which I bought especially for us. I wanted to offer Draco the non-magical alternative so he could broaden his mind. And I definitely needed a drink after my successful break-in and especially after Lucius Malfoy's attack.

"I'll have to inform Viktor as well, after I left without notice" I reasoned, handing Draco his drink.

"No, you don't!" He claimed very firmly and his features gave an impression of rejection before he immediately took a big gulp. I was dismayed about his rude reaction when he looked at me with surprise.

"What is this?" He examined at the amber-coloured substance carefully even going so far as taking a sniff.

I chuckled slightly. It was amazing how, just by wrinkling his aristocratic nose, Draco still had the ability to make me laugh besides all the circumstances. "This is a Muggle Whiskey, 'Lagavulin', sixteen years old. What do you think? " I asked coquettishly and took a seat on the couch giving him a questioning look.

He now took a smaller, much more cautious sip and swallowed thoughtfully.

"Well it is surprisingly good, I wouldn't have thought the Muggles capable of that. It is not as spicy as our fire whiskey, something different though," he gave his merciful judgement. "One can drink it". Well, I knew I wouldn't get anything further from him, but considering how appreciatively he took the next sip, I was pretty sure he liked it better than he wanted to show me.

"You should know, the Muggles have a huge variety available. There are lots of different versions from Ireland, Scotland, America, and and and.." I gave him a detailed explanation, I really welcomed the distraction.

"Oh, really? Muggles are a strange folk - " he replied with surprise when he got interrupted by the arrival of his owl.

"Ah there you are, Ianus. Please bring Father this one, but only when he arrives at the Manor!" he commanded as bossy as usual while tying the letter around the leg of the beautiful brown-white animal and sent it on its journey.

"Wow, Draco, was that a Bay Owl? They are extremely rare, but I guess they really do fit a Malfoy very well though, what with always wearing masks, or is it just a coincidence?" I exclaimed really ecstatic, since you didn't see those owls very often, and I knew for sure he had another much more unremarkable one in school.

"Yes, Ianus is a Bay Owl. It was a present from Severus, I don't know whether he wanted to imply something or not, but I wouldn't put anything past him. I really like Ianus. He is something very unique and extremely **smart,** " he gushed readily. He displayed his feelings for the owl openly on his face and now, after I had learned whose gift Ianus had been, I was sure that it was a mean-spirited allusion to the Malfoy habit to hide all emotions behind masks. Snape was the right one to speak.

I was reclining against the pillows with my drink in hand, relaxed, my pretty dress billowing around me, and I put the potential danger Mr malfoy posed for me on the back-burner, as I wouldn't be able to change anything about it. That was something I was indifferent about. I would face the problem when I encountered it, I decided resignedly.

"So, that is done." Draco came over to the couch with a swing in his step and sat down beside my, raising his glass to me with a wink.

"That has been an eventful evening!" Draco summarised with little enthusiasm and raised his arm invitingly and I didn't hesitate and cuddled up to him. His pleasant scent calmed me.

"We are going to work it out, whatever happens. As long as we stick together, we'll get off lightly, more or less, and there is Severus, too," Draco explained, reassuring me. I had to laugh out loud, my body shaking with amusement. It seemed as if Draco was drawing up a game plan, reassuring himself as much as me.

He looked bewildered at my burst of amusement.

"Sorry, D… Draco, but you are talking with so much pathos. You don't have to comfort me. I know we shouldn't make a drama out of it, it would only make it worse! As is all too often the case, it isn't nice, but unchangeable, and I don't plan to make a point of it, seriously. The only thing that bothers me really and truly: What did I do wrong that he took so much notice of me?" I declared honestly, openly and now looked fervently at the bottom of my glass as if it contained the answer to my question. Right now it reminded me of a crystal ball used in Divination. I had never seen more than a wafting, meaningless smoke in there as well.

I felt Draco pulling me into his embrace, holding me tight and mumbling into the ruined remains of my hairdo: "You really don't know, do you, Granger? You are always so smart, taking everything into consideration and planning everything in advance, though so blind as soon as something concerns yourself. And no, I will not list your attributes here, but as I already said once, you are someone special and people that are neither totally blind nor dumb will see that at first glance. And we don't have to talk about your looks… One can feel and see the power, the might and level of your magic! Look at those other idiots calling themselves Mudbloods. Creevey, the badger in a lion's pelt, for example. Most of them barely able to hold their wands," he insisted. With his other hand he raised his glass and took another greedy gulp of Whiskey.

"Mh-hm, I think I could come to like it!"

Wow, was Draco right? Was I really this different from other Muggleborns? Yes, I might be. I knew practically no other that mastered so many spells on their first try. However, having Draco share his views of myself was something like an epiphany, and so I mulled over his words.

Even the pure-blooded kids didn't manage that most of the time, just look at Ron or Neville, and that had nothing to do with exercising! And might it be true that this was one of the reasons snobistic and vain people, like most of the snakes were at their core, took so much interest in me? And were able to overlook my low-born status? Because they recognized the level of magic I was capable of, which was apparently quite powerful? I would have to contemplate that later.

We sat in front of the fireplace a while longer and simply talked. At the same time, Draco stroked my hair gently, loosening it in the process, until it fell down my back unrestrained. And we drank one or two more glasses of Whiskey, before I stood up, as I wanted to get rid of my dress.

"I'll go and change. Come, I'll show you what little is left of the house you haven't seen yet," I offered amicably, took his hand and started a tour of the house.

At last, I entered my bedroom. For the first time, I felt something akin to trepidation. How would the evening conclude? I hadn't wasted a thought on it up until now.

The room was small, but comfy. Lots of wood and the flowery print of the curtains contributed to a Laura Ashley chic. A large bed, a vanity, and a floor-to-ceiling mirror were all it offered.

"Granger, don't look like… You don't think you will escape me tonight?" he breathed into my ear in his most velvety voice. With a mischievous smile on his lips he stepped forth, dominating the small room with his self-confident manner in a way that it left me speechless. I mean, I must never forget that he was his father's son, for better and for worse.

For I couldn't even blink before I was pulled against his chest. He held me tightly and lowered his head to lock our lips passionately and kiss me demandingly. Not as tenderly and sensually as usual, but still gently, with a badly suppressed impatience underneath. I welcomed his tongue, wrapping my arms around his neck, and moaned blissfully into his mouth.

The kiss was hot and it didn't take long until his hands started roving over my body somewhat erratically. Fervently, his caresses moved down my sides. I didn't hold myself back either. He had already lost his jacket and bow tie, so I unbuttoned the silver buttons of his shirt, which I did quickly with skilled fingers. We didn't break our liplock at any time. He pulled my bottom lip between his teeths which made me squeal to his throaty laughter.

Then, he broke away from me and unzipped the back of my dress with a smooth and practiced motion, then brushing the straps from my shoulders with a single, long, white digit in a lascivious gesture. My dress slipped to the floor, billowing around my feet.

The chiffon spread out around me like the petals of a flower and I stood in front of him clad only in a green silk thong adorned with light coloured lace. Hey, after all I _did_ know what snakes fancied and I had dressed accordingly.

He had stepped back a bit and examined me in the bright moonlight illuminating the room and I was eying him as well, noticing his eyes lighting up with desire, sparkling auspiciously.

He did cut a striking figure himself and, considering the way he now approached me determinedly and once again kissed me hungrily, it would be the perfect time to do it after all the time we had taken.

Eagerly, he pushed me back towards the bed. Already, I could feel the the edge and sank, thanks to his relentlessness, onto the bed. He was still standing, his gaze sliding up and down over my body, grinning lewdly, making me swallow heavily. Lucius had had a similar expression.

I had averted my eyes, but looked up again when I felt the mattress dip under his weight. He knelt at my side, still contemplating me as if I was, I didn't know - beautiful? Something truly precious? _Right, keep on dreaming,_ I tried to reprimand myself, when he whispered hoarsely:

"You are gorgeous, Hermione, flawless!" I knew it couldn't be true, at least since Bole's knife left a large scar, but the look in his eyes didn't belie his words. He meant what he said, he considered me 'flawless', which made me smile at him brightly. I raised my hands and grabbed his shirt, ripping it open impatiently. I didn't care, the Malfoys had enough money, he could buy a new one. The last silver buttons that flew off hit the floor with a loud 'pling'.

"So wild, Mudblood?" He laughed, amused, and took off his white shirt completely.

Wow! For the first time I saw him shirtless. His upper body was a pane of smooth skin, shining like alabaster in the pale light. He had well defined muscles, quite fit. Okay, he had a body to die for. Unconsciously, I licked my kiss-bruised lips, which prompted him to action, and I felt his weight settling on me at the same time he reclaimed my lips.

Goddess, he could kiss. He blew my mind with the level of devotion he displayed for pleasing me.

[start of edited scene]

For a excruciatingly long time he played with me, prepared me and I submitted to him, let him dominate our encounter as I had never let anybody before. And then, finally… finally I got to feel Draco and our bodies met with fire and passion, until he suddenly stopped.

"Do you trust me, Hermione?" His lust addled voice sounded very serious. Abruptly, I opened my eyes widen to look at him with surprise, when I slowly got what he had just said. I nodded briefly as I realised what he meant.

"Yes, Draco, yes" I answered. What followed was… unexpected, indescribable, astonishing. My eyes widened. WHAT? Why..?

[end of edited scene]

"What..?" I exclaimed, flummoxed, and lifted my head to see him sitting between my wide open legs with his wand in his hand, while looking down to me with an expression in gaze that I couldn't interpret. Suddenly he aimed at his hand to cut it open with a non-verbal cutting-spell. Without transition, he laid his hand on my belly and wetted it with his blood.  
I stared speechlessly at the resulting smear, my white belly stained with his red blood, and followed everything that happened with my mouth wide open, totally surprised and paralyzed, as I had no clue what Draco was about to do.

Then, without any hesitation, he pointed the tip of his wand at my left side, a little below my navel. I was still frozen, completely blindsided about what was going on. My wild curls were hanging into my sweaty face as I continued to gasp for some air. I was still in no condition to realise nor understand what was happening.

"Ahhrg, Draco, what...?" I called, when I was interrupted by an insidious pain spreading through my body and I bit down on my lip to stop myself from screaming. I tried to get away from him, but with firm pressure to my chest, he pushed me roughly back into the mattress. Due to the pain which got worse and worse every second, a burning agony, blazing like fire and rushing through my veins like lava, I was unable to think clearly. I didn't know what Draco was doing and tried to pull at his wrist, to move it away from my chest. But instead of staggering even a little bit he trapped me only tighter.

"Shhhshh, it's alright, it'll be over soon...shhh," he said soothingly, when a few tears ran down my cheeks and some blood pooled in the corner of my mouth after I had bitten through my lip.

Then, finally, after an amount of time that appeared endless to me, I felt how the pointed piece of wood that had been digging into my flesh was lifted away and his fingers ran gently over a patch of skin that felt painfully burned and made me hiss.

When the stinging abated slowly and gave way to a steady throbbing I regained my capability to think.

[start of edited scene]

I just wanted to snap at him and demand an answer to what this was all about, however, I was still somewhat flummoxed about his actions and never got there, 'cause he seamlessly picked up where he had stopped earlier and my meager protests ceased quickly when my arousal caught on and he brought us both to our mutual relase.

[end of edited scene]

He trapped me fully under his body. I could still feel the waves of my orgasm coursing through me and tried with difficulty to give my mind the upper hand over my body, recalling the last minutes.

Draco had… he had… done _something._ I would kill him!

I tried to push him off me, which wasn't easy as he was much heavier and larger than I. He had buried his hands in my free-flowing hair and whispered hoarsely:

"It had to be done… Understand…" I understood very little right now. I had to see what he had done.

"Draco! Let me up!" I commanded now very bluntly and relinquished my attempt to shove him off me.

He did immediately as demanded and rolled off of me to the side. At first, I took a deep breath as soon as I could breathe freely again.

I tried to ignore him for now and struggled to my feet. Nude as I was I stepped in front of the large mirror and took a look at what Draco had done to me.

What I saw let my eyes nearly pop out of my head. Shock would be an understatement. I was aghast, disconcerted, scandalised, all at the same time. My knees were trembling when my hand carefully run over the outlines of the blood-smeared mark, the fire-red lines slowly fading to black, while I was watching my reflection, lost for words.

Draco had tattooed me with the same bloody sodding crest he had worn on his bloody coat. He had branded me with the large, ornate "M", including the dragons and their family motto. I was on the brink of a hysterical fit, or maybe I would fall into a rage. A dangerous amount of fury was festering inside me. He had blemished my skin, my stomach with an "M", had marked me for eternity.

Suddenly, I felt a naked body pressing against mine from behind me. He rested his chin on my shoulder and gazed at my reflection with his storm grey eyes. Mine were almost black with rage. In the mirror, I could see his left hand moving to the mark and how he traced it almost affectionately.

"It had to be done, so I won't say that I am sorry…" he whispered softly in my ear. I swallowed hard, but I wanted to know:

"Why? Why did you do it?" I whispered falteringly. We were standing there looking at our naked bodies illuminated by the light of the moon.

"You read the books, you know why. It was the only way out to keep you save, so I did it!" he told me solemnly, emphasizing the importance of his statement, meanwhile covering the stigma with his whole hand.

I roughly wrested myself free from his hold and put on the dressing gown that had laid over the back of the chair.

"Well, and you think you don't have to ask me when you make such far-reaching decisions and make me…me.." I almost choked on my anger and ran my hands through my straggly hair in a gesture that showed my desperation.

He looked at me with an almost sad expression on his face and sat as naked as he was back down onto the bed. Unbelievable, this self-confidence! He appeared to be waiting for me to calm down. _Therefore you may wait forever, Mr. Malfoy_ , I thought bitingly.

"Even if you're now wallowing in righteous anger against me, when you give it more thought, you'll figure that I did the right thing!" he explained, assure of himself. Oh, this arrogance!

"Well, thank you, scumbag, for branding me with a stigma. You disfigured me! Thank you so much. And I forget to mention, it is sooo easy to remove it!" I yelled now in outrage, loud enough that our eardrums were ringing. Draco looked at me coldly.

"Be thankful that it isn't removable. It gives you protection. No man will dare to get close to you as soon as he sees the mark. It grants you full protection against strangers, as nobody would want to take on our family. You are now a member of the family. Be glad, it will help you, to a certain extent even against Lucius. That's all mentioned in the book. So why are you throwing such a fit, Hermione?" he explained, his question sounding rather indignant and I stomped up and down in the small room, still furious.

"Draco, I hope I don't have to explain everything to you, but… How the hell will it protect me against your FATHER…? He is the head of the family!" I hissed, my voice dangerously low. "And I am not a possession of your family!"

He rolled his eyes, laying back into the pillows and folding his arms behind his head and crossing his ankles. He looked very relaxed, very confident and not the least intimidated by my fit of rage.

"Hermione, yes, he is the patriarch. However, the things I do have importance as well, I am the heir. Only he and I can admit someone through the ritual. And it will protect you from Lucius insofar that he won't be able to kill you or hurt you badly if he gets hold of you, whatever he might want to do to you. He couldn't do it, because of _this_ …" He pointed boastfully at me and had an incredibly satisfied expression on his face. I sighed in exasperation. Why was everything so complicated?

"Additionally, the mark has another significant implications. You are a member, like a daughter, sister, niece, cousin, though not related by blood, but… Well, choose yourself, but no possession!" I listened to his list of relations and closed my eyes, distressed when I became aware of the dramatic consequences of his action.

"Very well, then, but why did you act so hastily? It changes everything, so much. You did actually make me a member of one of the most ancient, pure and rich families of our society! Me, a Mudblood! That can't end well," I whispered almost fearfully. Still shocked, I looked at him, then another, even more terrible thought flashed through my mind.

"What about the Dark Lord? If he ever learns about this, you are done for!" I breathed and, as if in a trance, reached for the mark on my stomach that was now covered by the fabric of my dressing gown, feeling queasy.

Yet, he appeared still relaxed, reclining against the pillows and watching me with pity in his eyes. I didn't like this kind of look and pressed my injured lips into a fine line, which reminded me that I should probably heal the bite marks.

"Hermione, Father isn't the Right Hand for nothing. And, as I already told you, the exception proves the rule. Believe me, the Lord is the least of our problems. I always approach difficulties in the order of their urgency and to thwart Father was the most urgent," he explained calmly in a terribly patronizing tone of voice.

"Oh, don't lead me up the garden path. I know you! What else is behind all this? Just must have toyed with the idea since you gave me the books. Otherwise you wouldn't have set such a high value on the bloody etiquette," I spat at him contemptuously. I was neither stupid nor did I like it when he pretended that I couldn't look right through him.

"Astounding as always… Hermione, you are frighteningly perceptive! Yes, I admit, I have toyed with the idea for quite a while. I wasn't about to let you go. At first I had different plans… But then you got more and more interesting for me. Now you belong to me and my family! I am a Malfoy, whatever I own I'll never let go. You are too important for me!" He summed up his thoughts for me and I was just short of laughing about his impudent manner. He was right, one had to be a Malfoy to show such boundless ignorance, but also arrogance under any circumstances.

"And now come here, I want to hold you. I told you everything would be alright. Please, I need you. Also, I'm deadly serious about Father… The way he acted, I truly don't want to know what his sick mind might have dreamed up for you… Come, darling…," he purred and held out his hand to me, his request clear.

I got up, letting the dressing gown fall down to the floor, and slipped below the duvet. I was very tired and knew that what had happened today went beyond my comprehension. However, I would deal with it tomorrow.

"Just that you know, this is _not_ the end. I am still angry with you, and I won't ever be your property!" I declared haughtily. He didn't answer, but pulled me closer into his arms, embracing me completely, which I accepted reluctantly.

I was so angry with him, I knew he wouldn't be forgiven any time soon. But I was also consequent. I swallowed hard. As soon as I knew I would be absolutely unable to change the circumstances, I had to accept them as they were. Once pragmatic, always pragmatic.


	60. The Morning After

_I am still perplexed that last weeks chapter hasn't got a single review. It is quite important to the story, after all._

Chapter beta: Faykan and Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **The Morning After**

The next morning came much to soon, as I had fallen asleep rather late due to my less than encouraging thoughts. The rays of sunlight tickled me and their brightness, shining through my closed eyelids, unfortunately managed to awaken me fully. Grudgingly, I flung myself on my side. I didn't want to wake up. That meant facing reality, and I wasn't sure if I was ready for that. Sometimes I was afraid that it was all going to become too much for me, but I didn't want to bemoan my fate, as it was already too late for that.

But what _should_ I do? I had to be strong and rise to those new challenges. I was tough, after all, and what were three snakes against me? I gave a tortured groan. When had it begun to get so far out of hand? I asked myself this question with resignation. When had the control slipped from my hands, or had it merely begun to slip?

Was it when I approached Draco on the train? Or was it when I engaged in friendship with him, starting a relationship? Was it because I did so without knowing the exact reasons that urged him to agree? After all he was a cunning, manipulative young man. Oh help me; there were questions upon questions, but no answers!

I reached next to me and felt nothing… Draco had apparently already gotten up. This was good, very good, as I didn't know how to act towards him

Did I struggle with myself in the end? Was I conflicted about yesterday evening? Of course! I mean, thanks to Draco I had a tattoo; I was marked! Forever! After I arrived at this horrible realisation with my dream addled brain, I groaned loudly, pulling the pillow over my head, and released a frustrated scream, muffling it with the pillow.

Did I feel better now? No? What a shame! It was so annoying! However, on the fly nothing else came to my mind to relieve my frustration.

I glumly removed the pillow and got up. As might be expected my eyes were drawn to my fancy, new, and incredibly beautiful tattoo, etched unmistakably into my skin. Just great. Once again I ran the tips of my finger reverently over the now pitch black lines. It was smooth, the outline of the mark only slightly raised, but I could feel it in its entirety! That resulted from the tattoo being drawn with Draco's blood and branded into my skin with black magic.

 _How dare that swollen-headed, smug, inbred, degenerate asshole brand me, Hermione Granger with a - no, with his mark!_ Did I look like a cow, or a horse?

Was it a burn mark, as if I was a lowly possession?

My gaze darkened. I was much too proud and strong, physically and mentally, to let myself be claimed like this by anyone. I might need help or protection, but I still chose for myself. How dare he take this choice from me!?

I believe I told you earlier how much I liked magic, especially blood magic, and didn't care that it was counted as black magic. I revoke that hereby, because it meant that rituals and curses evoked this way were practically… oh well, I should be honest to myself… they were completely irreversible! Once up shit creek, you remained there. And did you know what that was? Crap!

It was such a dead-end situation, from which I saw no avenue of escape. I had to make the best out of this messy state of affairs. I was confident, sure of myself and self-centered, I could do this. First, I had to find out everything there was to know about the ritual. And as for Draco? Well, I wouldn't kill him immediately; I would not ram a knife into his intestines, then turn it slowly first one way and then the other with relish, but to imagine it felt good, very good in fact, and so I indulged myself for a moment.

Maybe I could salvage the situation to my advantage. _Let's wait and see_ , I thought, trying to boost my confidence.

Three snakes, all sly; all cunning; all dangerous! All not to be underestimated! What had I done to deserve this? And as loath as I was to admit it, I wasn't blind; I never shut my eyes against the facts: I needed protection! Excellent protection, against so many. I only wished he hadn't acted so rashly, and above all that he'd asked me first! Was that too much to ask for? Once again I was working myself into a frenzy.

We weren't living in the Dark Ages. The boy would come to know me, all right. But wrath, revenge and fury were never best served hot. They were much more effective when served cold, and thus I would be able to wait. After all, I was an exceptionally gifted actress, wasn't I?

Okay, I would go shower now. I had enough complaining, otherwise I would go stark raving mad and that would help nobody, least of all me.

When I climbed down the stairs, clad in jeans and a cosy red turtleneck sweater, it was Christmas after all, the scent of coffee wafted from the kitchen. It smelled heavenly. I could use some right now, so I turned the corner cautiously and saw something unbelievable: a head of bright blonde hair with the corresponding body, who was standing in front of the old gas stove, hazardously brandishing a frying pan. What was this about? Malfoys did nothing of the sort, it was unbearable to look at.

Before I gallantly intervened, I searched my heart for the feelings the sight of Draco elicited after last night. The discrepancy between the thoughts I had concocted earlier and what I was truly feeling was alarming. Once more I was cursing my flexible morals, though I could live with it. I would have to until I had learned what the new circumstances meant for me. And should I become a slave to the Malfoy family, he would die, that I vowed to myself earnestly, as long as my name was Hermione! I was not so sure about my surname at the moment.

However, I could remember the solemn and honest declaration in his eyes that he was worried; that he had viewed it as the only option to protect me and that was what counted first! The intention and not the deed! Thus, I was prepared to hear him out and not hurt him seriously for the time being.

We all knew that a Slytherin never did something for a single reason. However, I had engaged with him with my eyes wide open, so I shouldn't whinge about him acting in a way that had been reasonably foreseeable. I had been shaped by the school of hard knocks in the meantime, and was too strong and too proud to hide my face in the pillow for too long. I would meet my fate with my head held high and fight it as well if it should be necessary.

I sighed silently. Draco could be such an idiot. Men! Would I be able to conceal the "M"? Ahrrrg… Questions upon questions… And still no answers.

"Bugger. Bloody eggs…" I could hear annoyed grumbling, while he was wielding the spatula like a weapon to murder someone at that moment. Where was the camera when I needed one? Nobody in the whole world would believe me if I told them about the scene in front of me, absolutely nobody.

Draco, the domestic one, dirtying his hands with household chores. I smiled benignly, honestly amused, still leaning against the door frame.

A moment later I approached him, resolved to put an end to the tragedy.

"Draco, the eggs are already dead." I said. He spun around, holding his weapon in his hand in a not exactly manly manner. "Or do you want to attack _me_ with _that_?" I added, biting the inside of cheek to stop myself from roaring with laughter at the delightful sight he was presenting me with.

After yesterday, I wouldn't have thought that I would be this relaxed when encountering him again, though I hadn't expected to find him in a situation I could only describe as… - I tried to not think it, but I had to permit the thought - cute! Simply cute, the way his hair was flying around and his face was displaying a slightly haunted expression.

"Pour me a cuppa and hand that over, I'll finish that. Okay?" And I divested him swiftly of the tool in his hand. Not that he offed himself with it in the end! He was only allowed to die at my hand.

"Hermione… uh, awake already?" He ran his fingers through his hair with a touch of insecurity. Before I could react, he hugged me, planting a kiss on my brow.

"Good morning, darling!" he greeted me determinedly. Never let it be said my heart couldn't melt. Ever seen a Malfoy with a guilty conscience? Well, I just did. And with it came the comforting realization that all of us were still human at heart, no matter what parts we were playing or what we were ready to do, all of us were humans. Only humans. Flawed humans.

"Good morning, Draco!" I greeted his shirt. "Since when do Malfoys show their emotions?" I tilted my head back provocatively, looking at him calculatingly and quiet coldly.

"Well, you are kind of one as well now. I believe, I can risk it to show them to you," he stated with pronounced nonchalance, placing a careful kiss on my lips, then turned around and got the coffee while I stood there slightly confunded. The man was truly unbelievable!

I tried now to salvage the eggs, a pointless endeavour, and so I chucked them out, picked a new pan and dropped a piece of butter inside, which started to melt immediately, sizzling loudly.

I summoned green onions and bell peppers with my wand and spelled a knife to chop them into small pieces, meanwhile I placed the bacon in another frying pan, from which it dispersed its tasty aroma into the whole kitchen while I was calmly pottering about. From time to time I grabbed for my elixir of life and gulped the coffee down greedily.

Draco had sat down at the country-style kitchen counter and was observing me closely. He appeared slightly insecure and nervous, though still arrogant and confident enough that I recognized the young man in him I was so used to.

I fetched the eggs from the fridge and scrambled them, at the same time adding the bell pepper to the butter. While the vegetables stewed I seasoned the eggs with white pepper, salt and a bit of cream, then poured it into the pan as well and let it simmer. As soon as the eggs began to set I threw the onions in as well and once again I had to wait, using the time to prepare the bacon. I laid it down on a paper towel and let the excess grease drip off. This systematic work gave me the time to collect myself and I needed it for sure.

"Will you cut the bread?" I enquired. Draco didn't look up, just did as asked.

"Done," I announced and immediately two plates were thrust into my line of sight and I transferred the scrambled eggs to one and the bacon to the other with the floral pattern. This was practiced normality, at least I tried to convince myself of that.

I didn't want anything, I wouldn't get anything down.

When we sat down at the small, cozy breakfast table in the kitchen bay, it was very quiet. No further words had been uttered. The annexe with the floor-to-ceiling lattice windows had a beautiful view of the gardens powdered with snow, which looked very idyllic. It couldn't compare to the amounts of snow in the Scottish Highlands, which could seem downright threatening in its mass, though that was a crucial part of Hogwarts' atmosphere in the Winter months.

But right now the atmosphere was stretched to a breaking point as well.

"Very good. Where did you learn that?" He picked up his fork with impeccable manners. We were all very polite, weren't we?

"From my mother," I replied non-committedly. Taking a long drink from my coffee, I plucked up my courage.

"Draco, we have to talk… That book… That rite is old. If not ancient?" I inquired and looked around slightly miffed after all.

"Yes, very old. The rite is believed to be lost to the world, though we, the Malfoys, had it in our collection all the time!" He explained with much empathy, meanwhile looking so smug, I would have liked to punch his face, alas I only stared at him with an expression inviting him to elaborate.

"I see. Why did the spell, get lost?" I got to the point quickly.

"Because people stopped to get married and witches and wizards couldn't allow that to happen. Many pure blooded girls back then, hundreds of years ago, fled to their lovers and got their marks, thereby saving themselves from arranged marriages," he explained forthrightly, nodding, and resumed his meal unconcernedly, causing me to stare at him, dumbstruck.

"Therewith, they were under the protection of their new family and threw a dangerous spanner in the plans of their parents. Hilarious, isn't it? Technically, its purpose is to tie you to a family and make you a part of it, similar to the clans and their oaths... only with magic!" He shrugged lightly. "Naturally the spell doesn't provide only protection, its a mixed blessing, there are responsibilities as well…" He didn't dare to face me during this revelation, instead looking out into the garden.

At that I muttered sarcastically: "Of course there are, there is always a catch!" I put my elbow on the table and leaned heavily on it to keep myself from crawling over the table to wring his aristocratic neck.

"So, where was I…? Responsibilities, right. Well… obedience towards the head of the family and the one who marked her. Though I would never demand that. As customary in all ancient families loyalty, fealty, yada-yada-yada. However, now comes the good stuff. It works like in a normal family. If you defy the patriarch and don't obey a command given, nothing happens magic wise. If he finds out, he will punish you, but that's it. And that's one more reason the spell got lost. The family heads of old regarded the rite as not fulsome enough!" he explained flamboyantly and I began breathing more and more easily as his explanation progressed.

I would have done it differently as well, if the ritual had been an invention of mine I would have incorporated some type of punishment. As it looked, it would bring me more benefits than disadvantages. But I didn't let relief overwhelm me. Considering my fickle fortune I wouldn't celebrate too soon!

And Draco hadn't had any right to go over my head and act without my consent, I didn't want to forget that.

"You never eat in the morning?" Draco inquired after he had finished. I had been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed when he concluded his meal.

"Yes, you know that, as much as you monitor me while in school," I showed him an artificial smile, swishing my wand and the used dishes vanished and cleaned itself. I was a witch, after all.

"Don't sidetrack, Draco Malfoy. What do you mean, you won't expect obedience? I will give you obedience right now, I… You are not out of the wood, my friend, you presented me with a fait accompli!" I stated calmly and casually as I believed that would make more impact on him than screaming or raging could.

"Hermione, I… I am sorry that I acted so rashly in the heat of the moment… I might have acted a smidgen too hasty…" He looked ruefully at me with wide grey eyes.

I couldn't reply, for that I was still to angry, instead pouring myself another cup of coffee. Right now I could relate very well to Snape's habit to throw glassware at Lucius, as I was very much tempted to hurl my own cup at Draco and thus I clutched it tightly to keep myself from losing my temper, as it was one of my favorites.

"Come, let us move to the living room. I have some questions left," he said carefully for he definitely noticed my battle for control. Oh, bugger, what was coming now?

A short while later I sat stiffly on the couch, my legs folded below me, and Draco boldly took the seat next to me and placed his hand possessively on my thigh, caressing me absentmindedly.

"You wanted to tell me why you haven't been on the train," he started already and I wanted to smother myself with a pillow again. Why did he pick the one topic I certainly didn't want to talk about right now?

I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Well, Harry had a vision… that came to pass just as he had seen. He saw that Mr. Weasley was gravely injured and we all went to the headmaster and he sent us off with a portkey when Umbridge approached," I provided willingly.

"Where did he sent you?" Due to the pitch of his voice and the way his hand stilled on my thigh I suspected my clever little viper might have guessed where I ended up.

He didn't look at me when I answered "Black House" and I could feel how his fingers digged harder into my leg.

"At Black's. And how did it go? Your last encounter didn't go so well! Did you come to blows again? Did you kill him? If so, congrats!" He tried to show a facade of indifference, but today Draco's mask didn't fit as well as usual and I could hear the jealous bitterness in his voice.

"You are hilarious as always, Draco!" I retorted cynically and slapped his knee.

"We had a talk in the library…" I carried on, when he interrupted me harshly.

"What? You were alone with him?" he hissed furiously in between my words.

"Draco, please let me finish!" I reprimanded him, annoyed, and he shot me a haughty look and pursed his lips, but didn't dare to talk back to me.

"Thank you. So we were in the library together with the Twins!" I sneered at him, which turned into a smirk and he almost snorted in relief.

"They refused to leave me alone with him, aren't they sweet?" I tried to imitate Pansy's squeaky voice. It was funny to see him this defensive, as he looked very pleased that I hadn't been alone with Sirius, but at the same time displeased and ill-humoured that the meeting had happened at all.

"It seems like the redheads have some brain cells left in the right place! Why did he want them to leave?" he inquired with consideration and watched me carefully.

"Oh, I don't know. I was happy, though, that they stayed… I don't trust me and him, in the end we would have attacked each other after all. He suspected I had something with a snake!" I replied sardonically while shrugging my shoulders unconcernedly.

"Oh, did the mutt attempt to resurface his buried intelligence and try his hand in divination? But he had no idea who of the Slytherins in particular would want you?!" He seemed so full of himself, I had the desire to take him down a peg or two.

"Draco, that statement doesn't do you any good!" I disclosed coldly. "Furthermore, 'want' is not 'have', I belong to no one but myself, you would do well to remember that!" I clarified vigorously. To provoke me today could prove hazardous.

"Sorry," he replied sheepishly.

"Well, we made peace, more or less… We will probably never like each other again. Which I find sad. However, we don't go for each other at sight and he interrogated me regarding my intentions towards Harry... " I related further, rolling my eyes when I remembered that Draco had implied something similar once.

"He has seen it, too?" He was downright gleeful for his pinched expression disappeared.

"Draco, you… I only comforted Harry, he was down, I couldn't stand it. I can't conceive what you always believe to see, you and your bias against Harry!" I looked at him with indignation.

"Pity that you didn't punch the mutt!" He tried to divert the conversation with his vindictive petty-mindedness.

"Draco, I am sorry to have to call your attention to it, however, _he_ gave me nothing that will last!" I stated quietly, expertly packaging my criticism as he flinched visibly under my harsh words.

"Ow, that was below the belt! I told you, I won't apologize for that!" He showed me his perfectly stubborn Malfoy face, he appeared very implacable.

" The way it happened though, for that I will…" he whispered suddenly, his voice positively raw, catching me off-guard with the quickness of his changing emotions.

"Oh, you are moping now?" I somehow remained surprisingly calm in the face of that behaviour and showed myself unforgiving.

"Oh, Granger. How does Severus phrase it? How can one shut you up? And do you know what? I know just the right way!" He grabbed my upper arms seamlessly and pushed me into the couch to kiss me forcefully. He then breathed feathlight kisses upon my lips and caressed them playfully with his tongue, and I reciprocated. It was nice to see that the balance of our relationship had changed this way. I was definitely on top considering the way he tried to cosy up to me, as he was very affectionate and gentle.

Quickly we succumb to the gorgeous feeling the kissing brought upon us and much too quickly we had to end our amorous play.

"I prefer you this way, with your cheeks shimmering red and your eyes sparkling," Draco said smugly, though he could have described himself instead for he looked the same. "Unfortunately I have to go to Blaise. I think I will be back in one hour or two, if that's right for you?" He showed honest regret.

"Alright." Good, I would have time to delve into the stolen records that had sparked the whole mess. If they didn't contain the information I expected from them I would be in for a temper tantrum and it would be better if I was alone for that.

Wow!

A short time later I was positively flabbergasted. Who would have thought that the good old professor had such a shady past? Rita had made a good attempt in her 'book', however, she didn't dig deep enough yet, the way I had.

 _Dumbledore, Dumbledore, you have done well to conceal, cover up and hide the past, but not well enough for me._

Though I sincerely doubted that Rita had tried or dared to break into the Department of Mysteries, for that she was lacking the courage.

I accepted thereby and instantly my destiny as a member of the Malfoy family, being Lucius' prey and being stuck with Draco, the records were worth the trouble. The benefit for Harry alone was worth the trouble.

I shrunk the files and carried them to the safe behind the large landscape painting above the fireplace and locked them up, warding it for good measure.

I would have to think about what to do with the information gathered from the records, but that could wait. For the moment I set out for the attic to fetch the box of christmas decoration. With the help of magic I would manage to decorate the house before Draco's return and the distraction would do me good.

It was funny to watch the green garlands wrap themselves around the banister, the mantel shelf which was already adorned with green tinsel and baubles by now, and not even the door frames were safe before my frenzy, I let my creativity run wild. With a swish of my wand the fake sprigs were real, that's what magic was for, filling the house with the heavy fragrance of fresh pine needles, which put me right into a festive mood and lessened my anger for the moment.

I directed some more baubles and wreaths to fly through the room when I heard the door open all of a sudden.

"Wow, what has happened here? Do we live in the woods, now?" Draco stepped up to me with a bright smile and kissed me once again, which I returned happily and instantly in my good mood.

"Do you like it?" I hadn't ceased my Christmas decoration frenzy when he entered the room.

"Yes, it's something different. Maybe a bit too much green," he looked around, turning in a circle.

"I would have thought you could never tire of the colour green," I teased him.

"Haha. We still have to cast the Fidelius. Are you coming?" All at once he looked serious, it appeared to be very important to him and I trusted his judgement, as Lucius was his father.

"Oh, I had pushed that successfully to the back of my mind..:" I replied earnestly and came back down to earth with a bump.

"That's what you have me for… Who is going to be the secret keeper?" he enquired while helping me into my coat like a gentleman.

"I thought I could be the secret keeper myself. Thank you." I answered. He opened the door for me chivalrously.

"Sure," he followed me out of the house.

When we stopped in front of the gate, I drew my white wand without hesitation and started casting the Fidelius Charm by reciting the incantation. That's the way I tackled most things, by throwing myself into them. I was confident that I could manage it. Wow, I could feel the magic coursing through my body, from my arm into the wand, it felt like getting tapped. It was magic with an intensity I had never experienced before. Now I understood why the books said that the spell should only be attempted by very experienced wizards or witches, as it was quite tricky. Beads of sweat formed on my brow and breathing felt more and more difficult, as did holding my wand steady, while the magic took hold around the property.

Focused and with grim determination, I aimed my wand on the house and performed the charm. There was a reason Dumbledore was the secret keeper of the Order, it was outrageously hard and exhausting as I was learning the hard way.

It was a very complex spell and by now I was swaying slightly, then I felt two arms embracing my waist while steadying me, for which I was extremely grateful. If I didn't finish soon, I would collapse.

"Huc Focus Sevare, Fidelius," I spoke the final part of the incantation and we were able to observe a large silver dome forming above the plot not unlike a waterfall, encompassing the house, it was an exhilarating experience. I had done it.

"Impressive," Draco whispered in my ear. "It is gone, completely!" I turned my head to him and gave him a beaming, happy smile, albeit I felt very tired. For this was proof that it had been successful, my first Fidelius had been a raving success.

"Here," I handed him a slip of paper from my jeans pocket containing the address. He read it swiftly and set it aflame immediately after with a silent Incendio.

"You are as white as a sheet, darling… Was it very taxing?" He sounded worried. With a flowing motion he scooped me up and carried me into the house. How chivalrously, Malfoy men could be so terribly old-fashioned. It appeared he had a very guilty conscience, which he would never admit openly, probably. However, it had been exhausting.

"Draco, stop it, I can walk by myself," I laughed, feeling liberated and very proud of myself, not everybody accomplished a Fidelius Charm. But I admitted freely that had been the most difficult spell I had ever cast, I had positively felt the magic get sucked out of me. I was tired but content and incredibly proud.

"Forget it, I'll decide that and I say you will get spoilt today... No, no backtalk, young lady." He closed the door with a kick and carried me to the couch as if I weighed nothing, laying me down gently.

"What should I make us, what do you need? Blaise and the charm took longer than anticipated, it is afternoon already… Tell me what you want," he asked me insistently, swiping a strand of his fair hair out of his pale face.

"Tea, please, and some sandwiches. Wait, I'll cast the spell," I aimed my wand at the kitchen and was robbed of the slim piece of wood in the twinkle of an eye.

"Hey!" I yelled, enraged.

"No, Hermione, for today you are finished with doing magic. I can do that, Malfoys can do everything if they want it. And you know I'm right… Otherwise I wouldn't have managed to take it from you," he stated very arrogantly and left the room very sure of himself.

I was dumbfounded for a second. He had my wand, but to my chagrin he was correct, I would have to replenish my reserves first.

When he reappeared with a floating tray which was ready to collapse under the sheer amount of food stacked upon it, I was baffled, astonished. He had actually done it. And he showed me a diabolic grin when I gulped down the first piece hungrily.

"Yummy." My appreciation seemed to please him.

"I told you, don't underestimate me…" He smirked.

"How did it go… with your aunt at home?" I asked him a short while later curiously.

"Oh no, don't even start. She is truly mad, giggling permanently and blubbering about torture and nonsense like that. Strange woman! Unfortunately I recognise traits of Mother in her, seems to be hereditary." He crossed his legs elegantly, making himself comfortable in the armchair.

"Alas, now that I think of it, what was your purpose of attending the ball? I presume you didn't show up to see Krum, or father, or me… So what was the reason for your attendance?"

"You are good. Yes, I had a reason though I won't reveal it to you until I have everything together and I'm afraid I am still missing a piece, but as soon as it is complete I'll tell you, I promise!"

"I can accept that. However, I want to know where you went. You were gone for a long time! I am dying of curiosity," he declared, and I had to admit, even if he made some mistakes, he was nice and, sadly I still liked him.

"Does the 'Department of Mysteries' ring a bell?" I was ready to let him in in my deeds.

"Sure, they are performing a lot of strange experiments, and apart from that, what everybody knows, about their employees, the Unspeakables. That's it."

"I broke into the department!" I grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"You did what...?" Draco's teacup was wobbling dangerously. It was nice to see his face fall. "That can't be true, it's impossible, they don't let just everybody in!" His voice was loud and his tone agitated. "Hermione, you are pulling my leg!" He fought to regain his composure. I believe, I wanted to shock him for good right then, so he knew for sure that I was no possession of his.

"Draco, I don't lie to you! It wasn't my first break-in and it won't be my last. Honestly, either I am much too good, which I don't believe in, or the protective measures in the wizarding world are good for nothing!" I projected arrogance and took a sip of warm tea.

He stared back, overwhelmed, appearing downright stunned that I, goody-two-shoes Hermione, committed burglary. Though I had to say, it was very amusing for me every time I got to rob other people of their illusions.

"Why do you still manage to astound me? I should be used to it by now, that you are a walking surprise. You are serious, aren't you? You really did break into the Ministry and somewhere else… I mean, honestly, you looked like always… Not anxiously?" He spoke with an unfamiliar stutter, his beautiful eyes looking at me wide with shock.

"Draco, did I ever say I couldn't act? Although, actually I wasn't nervous!" I dragged my lip between my teeth deep in thought. "And seriously, Snape's stockroom in my second year had been more of a challenge, and I know it because he told me that I had overlooked a hex which let him know someone had broken in. Alas, he would have noticed anyway with some ingredients missing," I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.

"You broke into Severus' storage with twelve. How did you…? The spells… I know he has powerful wards." Draco seemed deeply shocked, his mouth pressed into a narrow, indignant line.

"Well, I am a born burglar. I did it, and believe me, it wasn't easy, I was sweating blood ensuring that I did it in time. Other than that I paid a visit to the flat of the beetle and nicked one thing or the other from the hospital wing," I listed my crimes, pushing some hair out of my face.

"You are incredible. I don't know anybody who would dare to steal from Severus. Now I know why you always end up in situations like that. You have yourself to blame. Bad things happen to someone who seeks danger like you. Do you know what would have awaited you if somebody had seen you? Azkaban! How can I ever again sleep restfully? I will get grey hair worrying about you, and Malfoys never get grey hair!" He sounded truly distraught, looking at me openly and with honest concern in his eyes. I had never seen him like this before. I meant something to him. An intriguing thought indeed.

"I think I agree with you, regarding Azkaban. But believe me, if somebody had seen me, he wouldn't have been quick enough to tell someone that I had been there! Believe me when I say that the Ministry isn't half as... oh, even less than half as well protected as Snape's things. The risk was relatively low and you don't have to worry, I can take care of myself," I let him know quite coldly.

"You did really break into that department and would have been ready to…? Oh, I don't want to know." He tousled his hair in a gesture very uncharacteristic for him, though it didn't take long until he seemed to resign himself the circumstances as his head jerked upright determinedly.

"Well, tell me, how was it like inside the Department of Mysteries?" His curiosity won out and he looked at me demandingly. So I told him in detail about my detour into the depth of the department and about the halls and rooms hidden inside and he listened with rapt attention.

"Wow, wicked. What might they be doing with all of that? And that you remembered to cover your trail… And, did you find what you were looking for in the archives?" he asked, excited. However, my eyes were falling shut right now, as I was still tired from the Fidelius and hence I was yawning heartily behind the cover of my hand while scooting lower until I was lying flat between cushions.

"No idea what they are doing. And do you think I'm stupid enough to let everybody know I was there? Maybe I'll have to return and then I'll be glad when it goes quicker. Most of the time I plan my trips through till the end. And yes, my search was successful, but raised some more questions. I don't have the whole picture yet and I don't want to get ahead of myself. That wouldn't be like me!" I emphasized the latter in allusion to last night and his - in my eyes - more than rash act of marking me.

I was falling fast asleep after this eventful time, succumbing to a deep, exhausted sleep.


	61. Christmas

Chapter beta: Faykan, Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy, (Sophie)

* * *

 **Christmas**

I opened my eyes and awoke immediately, just as I had trained myself, only to freeze in place. Then, I recognized the smell, Draco's sandalwood scent, and the warm skin of his arms, which pulled me closer to his chest. I rested on my side, my back to him and tried to recall the events of last night, as I couldn't remember that I had gone to bed.

Then it began to dawn on me. That's because I hadn't, I had been completely done in and fallen asleep on the couch.

Apparently, Draco had carried me upstairs and even put my nightshirt on me, as I was now wearing one. I smiled about his abundant, uncommon solicitousness. Did he feel guilty after all, and was that why he was now mollycoddling me, or, was it an actual character trait of his, which he only showed rarely to anyone?

I was excited too, to experience the real Draco Malfoy, and would wait and watch him attentively, curious to see what was part of his acquired persona and what were his true beliefs and opinions.

His breath tickled my neck; he seemed to be still sleeping soundly. Today was Christmas Eve. I love Christmas, the festive atmosphere springing to life and bringing an all-encompassing peace, and somehow I was in dire need of some peace right now.

Plus, tomorrow would see the arrival of the Twins and then the quiet would be all over.

I tried to free myself carefully from Draco's vice-like grip and succeeded after a short time without waking him. You wouldn't guess from his sleeping form, with its angelic face or his platinum blonde hair draped around his head like a halo, that it hid such a complex character.

Though that was what I liked in him, wasn't it? Who would want it simple? I vanished the long-sleeved, lilac-coloured nightshirt, which was truly not my prettiest, and put my running gear on.

By the time I returned from my run, the scent of coffee filled the whole house, but I sprinted upstairs first and freshened up. As today was a festive day, I put on a white turtleneck, cotton dress and walked down into the kitchen, which was deserted. No Draco?

I was puzzled, but filled my cup first and spotted a note on the pantry.

~ I'll be back shortly, just getting a little something. I made you coffee! Draco ~

This was written, less than informatively on the piece of paper. What did he want to get? Pondering about this riddle, I sat down in the small kitchen bay, savouring the quiet.

In these days I felt like I was married, and Draco seemed to like the straightforward way of life, as he made the meals, the coffee, and all the other things. I had to say, I could like it too after the eventful time I had gone through.

Only one incident disturbed the idyll. Draco's brain failure, fueled by possessiveness, which had resulted in him marking me. I would hold that against him forever and ever. He had nobody to blame but himself.

A few minutes passed before I heard the door opening. Draco was back, though he was making an incredible amount of noise. I listened intently. Somebody was fighting arduously with something else.

"Draco?" I said as I stood and headed in his direction, looking at him, eyes wide with incredulity, when I arrived at his side.

"Draco, what's _that?_ " I asked, sounding slightly overwhelmed at the sight in front of me, which was more than memorable.

"What does it look like? Why is this house so small?" Draco groused venomously, and that together with his totally stressed out expression caused me to burst into heartfelt laughter, which earned me a death glare from storm-grey eyes.

"Where to put it?" he said, rolling his eyes at my silly behaviour, but I couldn't get a grip on myself. I was nearly rolling on the floor, tears of laughter running down my cheeks, and I was desperately gasping for air.

"Th… Th…. There," I eventually stuttered, pointing to the living room and was able to observe how he tried to handle the monstrosity of a Christmas tree with both hands and magic.

"Draco, what is that?" I asked again, and indicated the tallest and broadest tree I had ever seen.

"A Christmas tree! A pine tree. What else does it look like? I thought we couldn't do without one, as you've tried to transform the cottage onto a forest since yesterday," he snapped haughtily.

"That's very sweet of you and I'm happy. But why the size; the enormity? It would fit a house three times the size of this one!" I giggled breathlessly and shrunk everything on the left side, creating room for the monstrosity.

"What? It looked much smaller in the woods and _that_ would be small in the Manor!" he grumbled indignantly, now glaring at the tree.

"Wait, I'll trim it," I declared, casting a Shrinking Charm and the really beautiful pine was reduced to a more appropriate size.

"Beautiful," I whispered reverently and regarded the lush, green tree with awe. It was the first time a man presented me with a pine tree.

"Should you be performing magic already?" Draco enquired with worry and stepped closer, brushing a strand of my hair behind my ear, and kissed my brow.

"Thanks, I am better now. My reserves have been fully replenished! What happened yesterday after I fell asleep?" I explained, pestering him for details.

"Nothing. You dropped dead on the couch and I carried you upstairs," he related, pulling me closer, and we kissed softly.

"Merry Christmas, darling!" he said, just as softly.

"To you as well, Draco! … And now come on, we have to decorate the tree!" I shepherded him cheerfully up to the attic. He rolled his eyes dramatically upon my impulsive demeanour. However, he was visibly pleased that his gift was met with my approval. Such a poor man!

In the evening, we sat under the marvellously decorated tree, which glittered and sparkled with gold and silver. It looked fantastic. We drank homemade punch and distributing gifts. The last few years I hadn't had such a peaceful holiday. Last year had been the ball and the year before I had stayed at Hogwarts. We had decided to exchange our gifts early, on Christmas Eve, in order to make the most of the last quiet day before the inevitable arrival of chaos, in the form of the Devil Twins.

"Hermione, here is what I want to give you…" Draco said and opened a window, through which immediately a small white-grey owl came flying. It had a cute white face, just the sweetest thing I had ever seen. It had a black-rimmed mask around the orange-red eyes that were gleaming with intelligence, its unusual colour standing out from the white face. The feather tufts were speckled in black and grey. It was so cute! The little owl perched on my shoulder, nipping my ear playfully.

"Draco, you are giving me an owl as a Christmas present?" I was positively dumbfounded, beaming at him. The small, droll creature, which couldn't be taller than 20 centimeter, cooing happily about my delight for having a new animal companion.

"No. You have earnt it… And it's not an ordinary owl. It's a White-faced Owl, rare and something special, just like you!" he flattered masterfully, making me a well-meant compliment.

"Uh? How did I earn it…?" I enquired, frowning in bemusement.

"I invested your money in this sweet little girl!" he enlightened me drily and then the Galleon dropped.

"Oh, I understand… Thanks, that was a good idea!" I declared. And that was true, I was beaming still, even when my mind dwelled on Snape for a short while after I had understood Draco's allusion to where he had gotten the money from. I was petting the beautiful and elegant bird, wondering where he had found it as Diagon Alley didn't carry this rare breed of owls.

"What do you want to call her?" He asked curiously.

"Orange, because of her eyes?" I answered quickly, but rather questioningly as I wasn't sure.

"Well, Orange, go hunting!" He adopted the name straightaway and sent the animal off. It obeyed at once, flying out of the window into the Christmas night.

"And now we get to my Christmas present!" he exclaimed proudly, pulling out a square box wrapped in an expensive-looking green paper and holding it out to me with a pompous gesture.

Excited, I opened it - and let the lid fall shut again in shock, as it had revealed a stunningly beautiful set of jewellery, comprised of a white gold necklace with too many brilliants - of course - though finely wrought, and a white gold ring. The pendant and the ring both were each holding a single large, rectangular emerald surrounded by four brilliants, one set into every corner. Additionally, the ring had many tiny brilliants set into it all-around and the Malfoy 'M' was projected magically into the ring's emerald, shimmering amidst the green like a watermark.

"That is much too valuable, Draco, how could I accept that?"

"Well, you are entitled to the ring now, either way, and I am looking forward to seeing you with the necklace!" He beamed at me, pleased that I liked his gift, and I did, though I was torn between different emotions, but then I gave in to the urge to include a reprimanding hint into my thanks.

"Draco, thank you very much. You shouldn't have, but I am thrilled. I would love nothing better than to present you with a tattoo in return!" I remarked sardonically, as the sight of the 'M' on the signet ring had me tasting bile again. I wasn't nice, I knew, however I was only human, too. He waved it aside carelessly with a majestic gesture and replied:

"You know what? When you finally forgive me, I'll allow you to! Brand me with an "H" using your blood! That would be fitting, 'cause whatever is or happens, you'll always be the one closest to me and to my heart!" he explained himself with pathos and it touched me deeply when I saw sincerity flashing in his eyes.

"You would do that…?" I whispered hoarsely and he simply nodded. I was speechless for a moment and to conceal it I handed over my meager Christmas present.

"Here is my gift. It's difficult to find something for a boy that has everything already. I don't know. It isn't that great…" I admitted doubtfully.

"I want to see it, give it to me!" He showed himself boisterous and snatched the small package greedigly.

Impatiently, he freed it from the wrapping and revealed a picture of me. A magical, animated photo that the Twins had taken in the Room of Requirement, held by a silver frame adorned with weaving snakes that I had bought and transfigured as well as charmed.

"I thought you could put it on your bedside table, then I could always be with you… Don't fear, it holds a spell so only you and I can see the real picture, everybody else sees your school owl. The Twins got it for me! I've crafted the frame, or rather enchanted…" I rambled, as I felt that my gift to him couldn't hold a candle against the expensive jewellery.

He just sat there, watching the photo and caressing the finely wrought frame reverentially.

"Hermione, I find it great. This way I can look at you even when you aren't there in person, which happens way too often. And the frame is awesome; these are vipers. It is the best gift I have gotten in a long time. Thank you!" He declared solemnly and kissed me gently. When we started to get more passionate, we heard a loud bang in front of the house and suddenly a small, bushy owl hurtled into the room, and we jumped apart.

It posed in front of us, looking ridiculous, its eyes twinkling mischievously. Then it extended its tiny leg to call our attention to the slip of paper attached to it. I knew who had sent it; they must have borrowed Ron's owl. After I had taken the letter, Pig preened his feathers proudly, before flying off, satisfied with the completion of his duty.

"Let us in, it's freezing cold outside! Oh, and something else: the house is gone!" I read out loud, smirking slightly. When I wanted to get to my feet, Draco held me back, not wanting to let me go.

"Hey, I have to -" I tried to object, when he shook his head and flicked his wand to dispatch the note I had prepared.

"I want to thank you adequately for my present. The two troublemakers can read that by themselves and let themselves in!" he declared and right then two strong arms embraced me and his lips locked with mine.

"Fred, didn't I tell you that we'll intrude?! Somebody is about to get laid!" Somebody cackled a moment later and two identical troublemakers peeked in through the door.

"Come on. On Christmas Eve everybody should be welcome, they won't mind… Look at their faces!" Fred beamed smugly; and I looked up slightly taken by surprise and still somewhat turned on.

"What are you doing here already?" I uttered breathlessly after Draco's attack. The young man responsible for my state was taking a sip of his drink right now quite smugly.

"There you are! A warm welcome looks a lot different!" George grumbled sorrowfully when I jumped up to my feet to walk towards the twins, beaming.

"What a nonsense; it's nice to see you! I love surprises and this one is perfect," I let them know and hugged one after the other, which brought me two very wet kisses on the cheek.

"So why are you here already?" I was curious to learn.

"We'll tell you in a moment, beautiful. You forget that we are not alone. Don't you want to introduce us?" George suggested in an overblown manner, holding himself like the Pureblood that he was, alright, but the demeanour was more fit for a Malfoy than a Weasley.

The actual Malfoy was still sitting casually on the ground in front of the tree and looked up with an air of pretend nonchalance, expertly covering up his annoyance about being face to face with two Weasleys so early.

"You are right, how could I be so… Of course. Draco, may I introduce Fred and George to you? The menace of Hogwarts, who you know, in principle, since your first year!" I showed myself slightly tauntingly and thus we were allowed to experience how he caught himself and got to his feet without further hesitation, tidying his hair with a controlled gesture. Hm, I must have had my hands buried in it earlier, I hadn't even noticed. He held himself upright and regarded them with his polite Malfoy mask in place, before suddenly extending his hand.

"And that is Draco," I said and was honoured to witness the most world-shaking event since Voldemort's resurrection. Two Weasleys and a Malfoy were shaking hands! Politely, civilized, and friendly and that was only because of me and for me. I felt rarely so emotional as right now and suppressed a sniff.

"Fred, George, pleased to meet you!" Draco declared businesslike. He could have swallowed a broom, so straight was his back and he would have sounded just as dry if he had spoken to Fudge himself.

"Hi Draco! Please tell, are you constipated?" Fred enquired with concern, looking at him intensely. Draco twitched in consternation at being asked such a direct and personal question, appearing dumbfounded for a moment, and I squeezed my lips shut very, very tightly to stop myself from bursting into tears of laughter.

"You know, if you are, we would have something that could help you. It's still in trial, but the drops would dissipate the constipation…" At the Twins' words Draco let his mask slip enough that his mouth stood open and he was looking around a bit doltishly.

"Fred, stop it! Hermione will kill you when something happens to Draco, and at present you can't stop shitting… have the same problem as with the Nosebleed Nougat. Nearly bled out…" George declared deadly seriously. Draco looked alternatingly at the three of us, his expression quite stunned at the performance taking place in front of him. I believe he thought himself to be in the wrong movie, or rather in the wrong play.

"If you have the opposing problem, we could assist you with our completed product which is already in production: U-No-Poo! Then you would get severely constipated, accompanied by a very strained expression. That's what you reminded me of, thus my assumption," Fred explained in an absolutely sincere tone of voice, and Draco stared at him still slightly put out.

"But I think George is right, we should try the shit on someone else," the older boy said happily and looked through the room with a devilish grin.

"Yes, and I already know on whom!" George added venomously, rubbing his hands gleefully. I feared for the one that had made their list.

"Say it," Fred demanded curiously.

"Ron!" George smirked diabolically, wiggling his red eyebrows threateningly when Fred nodded approvingly.

I couldn't prevent it any longer, I had to laugh, nearly roar, in the face of so much malice.

"Do you have to scare Draco off so much? You scare most people, the normal ones at least!" I informed them, giggling, before looking at Draco apologetically.

"Sorry, Draco!" I emphasised my words with a gesture towards my temple that implied that the Twins were off their rockers.

"Oh, are you scared, Draco?" Fred asked immediately with pitiful puppy-dog eyes that were pretty much unequalled. Thereupon, Draco bestirred himself to answer him.

"Yeeeess!" he declared prudently, drawing out the word, making the three of us laugh even more.

George was the first to recover himself.

"Sorry, mate, we don't want to laugh at you, but the way she greeted us we feared that had entered a castle and would have to mind manners we've never had," George explained generously and clapped Draco on the shoulder friendly but firmly, which caught him unprepared and made him stagger.

"Wow… Cool, punch, can I have some?" Fred had chased down the beverage like a truffle pig.

"Sure, I'll get you some. Draco, you too?" I showed myself polite and attentive.

"Hm? Oh, yes, please!" he answered distractedly.

"Well, now show us what you got for our most beautiful. We hope you weren't cheap and are appreciating her sufficiently…!" George threatened, his finger raised in pretended accusation.

Rolling my eyes, I escaped into the kitchen, filling three glasses from the brimful punch bowl. When I returned to the living room I levitated them in front of me.

"Well, you two, why are you already here? I thought Christmas should be celebrated with the family?" I asked curiously after I had handed them their glasses, sitting down again. By now we all sat and lay on the big, conjured pillows in front of the fireplace next to the decorated Christmas tree.

"Alas, you know, Dad hasn't been released yet and we visited him this morning. He and Mum had a row about the proper treatment of his bite, because he wants to try Muggle methods…no idea. And the atmosphere became unbearable, so we left. We could convince Mum that she was better off without us and our experiments around," George explained with rare seriousness, which didn't last long as his counterpart took it much more lightly and downed his full glass in one go.

"Excellently, Hermione, really deliciously," Fred praised the punch exuberantly and outright summoned the whole bowl to the living room. It seemed like Fred had plans for the day.

"Draco made it!" I passed on Fred's compliment.

"For real? Hey, mate, well done. One can actually taste something. You have good taste," Fred informed him with a friendly but ambiguous grin.

"He has to have good taste, after all he has chosen Hermione!" George flattered me, which made me actually blush a bit and Draco wrapped his arm around me possessively.

"Oi, say, are you jealous?" Fred enquired with wide eyes and quickly took the next sip. If he continued like this he would be pissed shortly, the punch was strong.

I rolled my eyes once again. Wrong question, very wrong!

"Malfoys are never jealous!" What did I say? Draco sounded quite frigid.

"Oh, well then! Alright, if you say so!" The Twins were hilarious, the way they high-fived now, they didn't believe a word he said.

"Then you won't care that we are playing for the other team!" George's grin was nasty. He offered me his empty glass, the demand clear. Hey! Did I look like a waitress?

"For me, too, please, darling," Draco asked me quietly. Apparently, yes, I did, as I refilled the glasses for everybody.

"How can you be so sure of that?" Draco requested to know with much more intrigue while I distributed the glasses.

"Well, the only girl we ever fancied is your little one here…" Fred slapped my butt when I handed him his punch.

"Fred, cease the impudence or you will go to bed!" I hissed at this audaciousness, reclaiming my place next to Draco.

"There you see what I mean, you have to get horny right away! Such a temper…" His eyes gleamed dangerously and Draco pressed his lips together angrily.

"Oh, where were I… Ah, yes, did she never tell you? In the holidays she got us a prostitute," the no longer sober Fred giggled like a girl.

Draco snorted his sip of punch in such a dismal, unacceptable manner into the fireplace that it crackled and sizzled dangerously as the liquid struck the fire, making the Twins laugh mockingly, though you didn't see a spitting Malfoy every day.

"What…what… what… a… you… she got you a prostitute. What? Why?" He stared at me with a stunned expression, pressing his hand against his forehead as if he had a headache.

"Yes, well, where were I? So, George and I, we weren't totally sure yet, whether we only fancy boys, or rather ourselves, or girls too. George was having the most doubts, and beautiful here knew that and wanted to help us finding out our real preferences… Yeeeess, so she got us a woman to check it out! She's great, isn't she?" Fred became fever-bright eyes and his cheeks a red shimmer when he talked about his experience.

"What… 'ourselves'... what do you mean by that?" Draco looked at me rather clueless.

"You haven't told him?" George asked, surprised.

"A secret stays a secret where I am concerned! Yes, he doesn't know yet!" I held my hands in front of me. It was important to me that everybody here understood that I was no blabbermouth.

"What do I not know?" he sounded more like our blasé Draco again.

"Well, she trusts you and we want to show you that we trust you as well. We are a couple!" Determinedly, George pulled Fred towards himself and kissed him passionately in front of our eyes.

"Oh, aren't they a beautiful couple?" I breathed and beamed at Draco, who made very big eyes on this revelation.

"You, you two are, I mean, brothers…" He stuttered in horror, evidently we asked too much of him right now. However, he was not above expecting people to put up with a lot, hence my sympathy ran low. I only say: 'M'.

Since the two were still caught in a wild and fierce kiss, for the first time in front of another one than just me, I took over the answering.

"So what? Can you imagine anyone else at their sides?" I asked disparagingly and waved to them, my brow furrowing.

"Wow, I hadn't expected that, not even from Weasleys. That's difficult to process… And no, I know what you are saying, even if I am sorry to confirm it, but the two redheads really fit together… Man, that would stir up quite a fuss if it came out!" Draco said very distantly, a dreamy glow in his eyes.

"You wouldn't dare," I threatened him urgently. "They told you this in confidence and I expect ..." He interrupted me quickly. "Darling, I said 'if', not that I would. I only imagined some people's faces when they find out, especially that of the weasel," he smirked so gleefully and deviously that he reminded me of a human viper.

"You don't mind or find it… unnatural?" I asked carefully.

"It'll take some getting used to, sure, but no. If they were brother and sister, I might react different, however, this way they harm noone and nobody get's hurt!" he summarized matter-of-factly, shrugging unconcernedly.

"And I don't care that they are gay… To each their own!" he stated generously.

"Thank you, Draco, for your tolerance!" I was glad for the Twins, but in the end he had probably already seen too much, like me, and took the strangest things with his head held high. There it was again, this spiritual kinship between me and Draco. He was like me, finding the most comfortable position in every situation and acting mostly indifferently.

"Not for this. I have always been very broad-minded," he confirmed my assumption.

The Twins had ended their kissing game and now grinned at us happy about the new-found acceptance.

"Don't you want to know what happened after?" Fred teased Draco.

"Happened where?" Draco's attention returned to the Twins.

"With the prostitute," Fred said, rolling his eyes, and I groaned. However, it was their concern what they wanted to tell. After all, I was accountable to none.

"Uh, there's a next?" my boyfriend asked incredulously.

"Is that really necessary?" I tried to deflect. Not even a Malfoy had to know everything, though with the devils in the room I had no chance and thus my question was more of a rhetorical nature.

"Would you get us a few snacks, please? I'll top up everyone's glasses," Draco requested already and I acknowledged defeat. They would talk about everything they wanted to either way and that was clearly Draco's way to take me off the playing field.

"The punch's very strong, boys," I warned once more.

"We are men, not boys!" The protest came sulkily and unanimously from all three. A magnificent picture, I had to get the camera. They were in agreement about something; I should have bet money, I would be rich right now.

Not even a few hours had gone by and they were as thick as thieves. When I returned they sat close together, the Twins relating their deeds and misdeeds with Alice, the poor girl I had later Obliviated, and Draco was listening with rapt attention.

"Really, Hermione, you gave your hair for that? Wicked," Draco babbled, his speech slurred.

"Really, Draco, I did!" I felt quite sorry for myself.

"That was very decent of you!" he declared to my amazement, taking his glass from my hand and drinking greedily.

"Are you sure you should continue drinking?" I doubted openly. A Draco that was fine with the Twins knowing my body intimately, regardless of whether it had been actually me or not, wasn't normal.

"Naturally, I'm goooodd," he stated with incredible self-conception in a drunken slur.

"Riiiight, most beautiful, don't beeee liiike that! Drink something, tooooo." Fred wasn't any more sober than Draco and I decided to stick to water. _Someone_ should remain fully functional.

"Sure!" I simply said.

"... what were we talking about…?" Draco asked with uncertainty.

"No idea," Fred replied.

"Hermione, darling, what were we talking about…?" Draco enquired vinously, his gaze not quite focussed on me.

"Something about wands!" I answered cynically and somewhat suggestively, though my mockery was wasted on those alcohol-addled brains.

"Yes, wands, we have an idea, but are having a hard time getting it to work…" George said. What a wonderful implication that remained unnoticed by the boys. "Here, look at that." The second twin sounded much more steady, or simply had better control of himself, rummaging in his pockets. Next he handed Draco a wooden stick that looked like a wand.

"A wand?" Draco already declared with disappointment.

"No, not a real one! We want to make it a trick wand, though we don't have a clue yet what the trick will be!" a crestfallen George explained deeply saddened, scratching his head.

Draco swished and flicked the stick up and down, chewing his lip absorbed in thoughts, strands of his hair falling into his reddened face. Suddenly he started to giggle and drew his real wand and pointed it at the fake one, mumbling a spell.

"Here, darling, cast something with it," he requested, handing me the trick wand. Alright, if they wanted me to...

"Incendio," I incanted, aiming at the fireplace, and in that moment the wand transformed into a screeching rubber cockroach. I looked down at it with a grimace and dropped it calmly.

"How disgusting," I declared then. However, I hadn't been reduced to a shrieking female creature.

"That's ingenious!" and "Draco, that's brilliant!" the Twins commented with glowing enthusiasm.

"Uh, why? That wasn't much?" Draco downplayed his achievement.

"Oh no, that was brilliant. Hermione is the wrong person, every other 'normal' girl would have broken down crying and yelling. She's just a killjoy," George appeased him, shrugging his shoulders in apology that I hadn't reacted 'normally'.

"You are right, my Hermione isn't like other girls who scream when confronted with bugs," Draco uttered. "I don't believe that as well." I found the conversation more than absurd.

"What makes them scream?" The question hung in the air.

"The girls? Mice, rats, cockroaches, snakes… Mhm?" Draco mused and took the next thirsty gulp.

"Rats… Or… Hermione?" Fred asked with emphasis, ambiguously, and I curled my lips.

"I don't know. Whenever I see a rat, my hand twitches towards my knifes and I want to kill it!" I retorted viciously. When I heard the word 'rat', a very particular man appeared before my mind's eye and every time he triggered homicidal thoughts.

"You see what I mean, she doesn't run away from a rat, she runs after it! Hahahaha…" George shook with excessive amusement, roaring like a bull.

"She's special.." Draco mumbled, overly emotional.

"Will you get some more…?" he actually asked, because they had in fact managed to empty the giant bowl of punch. Dutifully, I stood. If they wanted to get smashed, I would let them. When I returned they were still brainstorming.

"I've got it! Chicken…?" Fred muttered, lying in the pillows.

"Chicken… yes, that would be funny. Draco, you've given the trick wands a face… You're awesome!" George declared.

A while later, one Twin was lying atop of the other, and Draco looked at me with glazed eyes.

"They've fallen asleep!" he whined, gripping his glass, "... and they're snoring, too!" His lament was better suited for a small child.

"That's mean," I agreed, patting his head.

A second later, I could hear a thunk and all three were lying at my feet. I groaned. Now I only had to get them into their beds.

Should I bring back my issues with Lady Fortuna? Because I was indeed lucky to have found three such people who, in spite of everything, were starting to like each other. We had made a big step into the right direction.

I was curious what would happen tomorrow.

* * *

 _Review feedback:_

 _ **Kragh50:** Thanks for your review! The posting and deleting of the translator's note seems to have affected the update notifications, I guess._

 _Hermione calls herself pragmatic and will internalize a lot of emotions and pretend they don't exsist. Sometimes that will come back to bite her in the arse ;)_

 _ **sjrodgers23:** Our most loyal reviewer! Draco has a lot to make up for, but yes, it is nice to see his more caring side._

 _ **Jces999:** Happy that you enjoy it! What else should she do? She is bound to his family now and mostly logical to a fault ;)_

 _Thanks to all our most beautiful readers and to my amazing betas and co-translators. Love you all!_

 _Aivy_


	62. No rest with Draco and the Twins

Chapter beta: Dani, my treasure

Chapter translator: Aivy, (Sophie)

* * *

No rest with Draco and the Twins

Amazingly, everyone was already up when I ran down the stairs and heard them pottering around noisily in the kitchen. What were they cooking up? I hadn't thought Draco could and would get used to the Twins that fast, but I would say he liked them.

Terrifying knowledge! But I even thought that they had the same jarring, weird humor, and that united them.

When I was doing my laps again as usual, I shook my head morosely, because I did not understand that they all left me here as if it would not be good for them to run a bit, too.

I was curious about what we would do today and so I climbed into the shower chilled through and enjoyed the warm water running down my body and warming me from the outside, the hot steam spreading throughout the room.

[start of edited part]

Completely unexpected, since all sounds were whitewashed by the noise of the water, I felt strong arms sneaking around me from behind and hands firmly embracing me, arousing me and I gave myself to the pleasure brought down on me by those hands and sighed happily.

"Oh, George, that's good ... go on!" I moaned. The until now tenderly caressing hands suddenly pinched me painfully and I hissed loudly in indignation.

"Don't ... my Mudblood, don't try to annoy me!" he begged breathlessly, nibbling on my ear now and biting my earlobe playfully from time to time.

"Oh, it's you, Draco, sorry …" I giggled jauntily, interrupted by a slight moan.

"Three pranksters you are," he whispered hoarsely, nuzzling my neck with an arousing play of his tongue and teeth, his resourceful, agile fingers wandering and stroking my entire body.

After a lot of teasing and bantering our bodies finally met under the warm spray of water and we urged each other on until we found release.

Afterwards, our lips found each other for a slow kiss to end our morning lovemaking with relish, me turning in his arms to kiss him properly.

[end of edited part]

"Successful morning surprise, my darling?" he whispered with a sated grin against my lips, stroking some wet strands out of my face, which made me smile.

"Certainly ... what are you going to do today?" I asked, stepping out of the shower with him and drying off quickly.

"They want us to teach them the Patronus and we wanted to do the Galleons too …" he listed, meanwhile spelling his hair dry.

"Wow, you've talked a lot already, amazing!"

"Yes, we are indeed amazing, aren't we? But after yesterday it is going quite well. Um, one question, how did we all get into bed? Oh, and if you're wondering, this time I've picked your pocket and snitched three vials of Sober Up potion. Believe me, that was badly needed, but I did not want to wake you!" he explained, while patting me gently on my bare bottom. "Do you know that you look too cute when you sleep?"

"You flatterer, you. And no, that's what the potions are for, take them if you need them. Go ahead. I'll come downstairs in a moment. I need longer with my hair than you with your spaghetti hair," I said pointedly, pointing to my unruly curly mane.

"Ey, no need to get offensive, not everyone can have such beautiful, silky soft hair like mine. You are simply jealous!" He laughed with unusually honesty and openness and then left the bathroom in a good mood and clearly satisfied.

When I entered the kitchen with a very even-tempered, not to say mild smile, I found myself once again alone. Interesting! Where did they always vanish to when I came down?

Then I saw white, silvery fog zip past the window. With a steaming cup in my hand, I left the house through the back door and stepped out into the garden, where I could see how Draco and the Twins practiced to master the Patronus.

"Devils, if I've managed to find and keep a happy feeling, then you have to be able to do that as well !" Draco got really agitated. He seemed to be an impatient teacher and so for the first time I was allowed to see his viper meandering around the area, showing her split tongue and hissing while drawing circles around the garden.

"Woah, how cool is that? What a beast," Fred shouted, going crazy with excitement, the way he gestured frantically. Upon that display, I drew my wand and sent my magpie, which my boyfriend hadn't seen until now, to Draco's viper.

This brought me all their attention.

"Hermione, good morning! We have slept it off! Thank you for putting us to bed!" the other twin yelled, beaming at me like a dog with two tails.

"Always, glad I could help."

"That's how I imagined her, she suits you!" Draco said remaining on topic and watching the magpie fondly, who tried to peck his Viper.

"And you two, I think you are thinking about the wrong kind of happiness! What I would advise you to do: think about your first time together, or your first kiss, something like that ... Come on, some thought like that must be strong enough," he tried to bring it home to them with a desperate undertone.

"I, I have something …", it came eagerly and a twin clamped his tongue between his lips.

"Me too, let's do it at the same time!" his brother insisted also very excited about what was to come.

"Well, then on the count of three, I count: One, two, three ..." Draco shouted, and both aimed and incanted at the same time with identical grim and very determined expressions:

"Expecto Patronum!" And wonder, oh wonder, two animals formed out of the silver grey mist, gaining more and more substance until they had both reached their complete and final form.

I do not know why, but since they'd arrived here, I have had one laughing fit after another and even Draco's mask of indifference slipped at this revelation. He, too, laughed so badly that tears ran down his cheeks. Meanwhile, I spilled my hot coffee and held my side laughing.

The Twins stood there, rooted to the spot, with such unfamiliar, stunned expressions on their faces that lay somewhere between shock, disbelief, and incomprehension, it was almost sad to look at.

"What's that?" Fred said indignantly with an icy contemptuous tone and with disgust he pointed at his poor little creature with his index finger.

"Yeah, I'm a little bit surprised as well. What the heck, Hermione? Draco? Something must have gone terribly wrong!" it came appalled from George, who stared unhappily at their Patroni.

"I do not accept that, I'm not a squirrel!" Fred spat with detest. "Do you see that bushy tail, George? And how small it is. I am a proud, impressive animal! Above everything: dangerous! But no ... no small, puny rodent!" He crossed his arms in disapproval.

"Well, I think it's sweet. They look totally cute. I don't know what your problem is," Draco mocked, snorting and getting a bright red head but I wasn't faring any better.

"I've never seen anything as endearing as that," I chuckled breathlessly, receiving a frosty glare from two identical pairs of eyes fit to murder someone on the spot, they looked that homicidal about our amusement. "Be glad that it finally worked!"

"I wanted something as proud and impressively dangerous as Draco has! But not some nut-eating, shrunken rodent! Charlie has an iguana, Bill a wolf and Percy an owl and we have ... squirrels!" George stated with frustration, his voice cracking. Over all his misfortune, he was rubbing his eyes in disbelief, fervently hoping that the animals would've become bigger afterwards.

"Stop that stupid giggle," Fred snapped venomously at me.

Draco continued to cough after the recital, or rather tried to hide his laugh by coughing.

"Why do we have identical ones?" Fred said sulkily, his red hair bristling madly.

"Because you're twins and share even more than a simple relation. Make friends with the sweet little pompoms!" I suggested with astonishing forbearance, still chuckling and nibbling on my lower lip.

"I need the second wand, otherwise I will go mad, now," an incredibly mature Fred declared while stomping his foot.

"Second wand?" Draco asked, wheezing and wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

"We made a deal in Hogwarts that we'll visit Knockturn Alley," I explained to Draco who stepped up to me.

"Good idea. When will we go?" he agreed readily.

"I would recommend tomorrow!" I said.

"Okay, let's do it that way," he confirmed, gripping my hips and pulling me abruptly towards himself. We looked over at the Twins, who argued fiercely about how unfair and mean the world was.

"Devils, I mean, by itself they suit you quite well. They are nimble, almost never get caught… In school nobody ever catches you pranking and… " Draco thought hard, trying to get them to open up to their animals. "And we can call you 'red squirrels' now, I think 'Devils' no longer applies …" And now he was laughing again, downright shaking. It was just to hilarious. This way it would never happen, I thought, though I had to smile to myself. The Twins looked very offended to be called 'red squirrels'; they seemed to be speechless because of the insult.

"Even the gathering of nuts is similar… Fred, George, you are squirreling away yourselves, otherwise you wouldn't be that far with your plans for the shop and the money… Mh, yes!" Draco continued, gasping for air, before breaking off. I was thinking as well, looking serious to reassure them, and said:

"We can call you the 'devilish red squirrels'..." I offered diplomatically. To be honest, I think I was making it worse with every word and Draco appeared to be getting no air at all anymore.

Thus, Draco and I preferred to get back inside. It was quite cold l, however, the two red hotheads couldn't get over their Patroni and were trying to get other results by experimenting with different happy memories. It didn't work, obviously. Had we been too mean to them? Just a little bit. Draco and I grinned conspiratorially at each other. Their reactions had been just too cute.

The rest of the day, I worked through some important books and documents to invent new spells and had some useful ideas. Since this was always tedious and time-consuming, I took the time now. Draco and the Twins sat together and discussed business matters. Yes, they too could be serious where money was concerned and in Draco they had found an astoundingly knowledgeable businessman who could help them, because - as he told us - he had been instructed by his father for years as the heir to the widespread Malfoy business empire.

The Twins, of course, immediately took advantage of his knowledge and questioned him eagerly. During the meal, they had pelted Draco incessantly with questions. Amazingly, he had cooked the meal himself after looking at some cookbooks throughout the day. Our jaws had dropped. A Malfoy that cooked successfully?! Even though he declared that it reminded him of the brewing of potions. I couldn't resist and called him the 'Jamie Oliver of the wizarding world' and remarked that he could surely make money with cooking books. I would've better kept my cheeky gab shut, that's for sure.

"What an idea! You could make money with that, actually wizards don't have something like it, only books with potions recipes, but you can't eat them and people without house-elves, like us… have to cook the same few meals, like Mum. Honestly, Hermione, Muggle have books about what you should eat or cook?" George asked with excitement and I was shaking my head resignedly about the ignorance of the Pureblood society in the wizarding world. Draco had reacted similarly when he had spotted the books in the kitchen before scavenging the shelf.

"Yes, boys. Many, many books with a lot of ideas from different countries. Go into the kitchen and take a look…" I sent them off.

We were sitting and working peacefully when they suddenly returned and assembled around me.

"What?" I put my pen down carefully atop of the sheet of paper and looked up slowly. The way they towered over me I was suspecting something terrible.

"Draco just told us that you haven't claimed your Christmas present yet!" Fred enlightened me.

"Pardon?" I was confused. What did they want from me? I definitely didn't get it.

"Draco, sit down on the chair. And you, Hermione, stand up!" George took control and ordered us around. Draco was grinning devilishly and I had absolutely no idea what was happening.

But we did as ordered.

"You, Hermione, will put your 'H' on darling Draco here, understood?" George enquired and I recoiled. Was that what all this was about? Draco told them, or did he? I looked at him, shocked and dumbfounded and he gave me a broad but affirmative grin.

"Draco, what did you do?" I wanted to know, nonplussed.

"I told them about it. They are safe because of your spell -" he replied obligingly when I interrupted him harshly with a brusque gesture.

"And you are fine with it?" I turned quickly to face the Twins and stared at them piercingly.

"Mh-hm, maybe the way he did it was a little bit unfortunate… But after the story in the Ministry… which you still have to tell us about by the way ... we understand why. To be protected by the Malfoy family means a lot in this world, really! Therefore we like his idea. That's why you need to get here and return the favour!" The twins explained themselves and I was looked at conspiratorially.

Okay, if he truly wanted me to, I would do it. It was simply symbolic anyway, as I had no family to offer, though the way he stood before me he was keen to experience it himself. That suited me, as I was quite vengeful.

As soon as I had decided a kitchen knife was pressed into my hand, cutting it open in one fell swoop and immediately my red blood welled freely.

"I love it when she does something like that, not moving any muscle.." the two goofs giggled and even Draco smiled at me softly.

"Where?" I asked neutrally and he immediately lowered his head, stroking his hair forward over his shoulders and revealing his milky white, untouched and flawless neck. "Are you sure?" I could imagine that it would hurt a lot when I branded him with my 'H' there.

As he didn't show any other reaction to my question, I took it as an answer and spread my blood over his neck, aimed my wand and cast the spell. At the same moment we could witness the developing, entwining lines of the curved 'H' glowing red on the pale skin. Draco stayed strong and didn't make a sound, just breathed more heavily, sucking in the air, apart from that he showed no reaction. It appeared like he was actually accustomed to tougher stuff, but I would bet that his lips didn't look any better than mine had back then when he had marked me in the bedroom.

We had finished and the twins gazed at my work, the black 'H' such a stark contrast against his skin. I too beheld at it in awe, stroking with my finger carefully and reverently along the lines.

Draco straightened up and presented us with a determined smile, throwing his hair back laughing.

"And, how does it look like?" He asked into the room and reached for his neck curiously. "Now I belong to you, my darling, visible to everybody. Are you still mad at me?" he enquired and I looked at him calculatingly.

"Draco, thank you, for giving me this gift. I am not mad at you any longer, I've forgiven you, but take this as a lesson and learn from your mistakes. Next time ask me when you're planning to do something like this!" I explained very seriously nonetheless and he nodded decisively.

"Well, I think it looks cool, I'd like to have one myself!" Fred declared eagerly and I rolled my eyes.

"Fred, you have no idea what you are talking. Only because Draco didn't make a sound doesn't mean that it didn't hurt! It is very painful and I remind you of your performance with the Galleons! And you have to go through it again, now. Well, we have a knife here, we can do it right now," I decided abruptly, Draco nodding in agreement and the two red heads looked slightly sorrow-stricken upon our unanimity.

Now, what should I tell you? The tragedy commenced and Draco had to flee to the kitchen in the end to not lose his countenance completely and hurt the Twins' feelings too much. The last we saw of him were his eyes shimmering with tears over the terrible suffering of Fred and George as they were giving their blood. Oh goddess, and they wanted a tattoo burned into their flesh, fat chance of that happening

After experiencing all these ups and downs I had to go shopping and Draco wanted to accompany me. He said, his father could show up or he had to protect me from the Muggles. What a dull excuse. In reality he was burning with curiosity and wanted to see a non-magical shop from the inside. For him it was like an adventure holiday.

Draco and shopping was a peculiar thing. I mean, he really liked it, this man likes to shop, but unfortunately he didn't know when to end! He wanted to taste and try everything, being incredibly open-minded towards Muggles' products he was unfamiliar with. We lost a fortune because he said my whiskey was good; however, he could only form an opinion if he tried all of them out. I was about to throw my hands over my head and rubbed my aching temples. How should we get it all home? I mean, I wanted to shop groceries, not equip a bar in a disco. But thanks to a back alley and magic, we were able to handle it and carried our, or rather Draco's loot into the cottage.

When we opened the door, I heard distinctive sounds coming from the living room, which, if I had been prudish, would have made me blush. Draco turned his head abruptly and grinned diabolically, creeping along the hallway quietly while I closed the door. They had a room, why did not they use it? I ventured to ask myself. Draco had stopped at the door frame, staring intently at the spectacle that was presented to him, and I looked skeptically at what was captivating him. Oh man, I would never be able to consider the large dining room table in the right corner as innocently as before, and most of all, I was blind.

[start of edited part]

George and Fred were going at it once again enthustiastically, both naked as the day they were born.

"Draco, look away, otherwise you'll go blind. And you two have a room in this house!" I said calmly and took Draco's hand. Why did I always have to catch them in the act?

"I don't think so ... I watched you too ..." Draco shocked me with his statement and I looked at him indignantly, but he was still staring at what was happening in front of us, not moving a millimeter, not even when I tugged at his hand.

"Draco, they like that! You're doing them a favour when you're watching, really, you're doing them a huge favour," I told him quickly.

"Do you see that? They're really identical," he whispered to me with intrigue, studying them closely.

They continued their performance with us as an audience, even inviting us to join in at some point.

[end of edited part]

Did I want to see it all so clearly? Hell, no!

"They're putting up a good show!" Draco said, watching the action, "Redhot Squirrels!" he whispered into my ear.

"Then enjoy your time peeping. I'll put away the food!" I said in amusement, patting Draco on the shoulder, and turned away resolutely. "Oh, and don't you dare to watch us ... " I threatened, but I was not sure if I was heard.

The next morning everyone was ready to go to Diagon Alley. We had forgone any elaborate disguise and simply pulled our hoods deep into our faces. Thus we apparated into Knockturn Alley, which was much too dark even in the morning. I accompanied them to the "Dark and Hell Wand" store, which had not really changed since my last visit..

The place was just as dirty as the last time, and the same old man who had helped me to my wand sat behind the counter. Draco knew him and said that his name was Mr. Stock.

"What can I do for you, gentlemen?" he asked submissively, anxiously, and his sandy long hair fell into his wrinkled face. I could imagine that he was scared stiff, I would be too if, in a dangerous time like this, four persons wrapped in long dark cloaks entered my store with their faces well concealed.

Draco immediately slipped into the role of the maker which seemed to be made just for him.

"Mr. Stock, we would like a spare wand for each one of these two gentlemen here!" he snarled in his typically arrogant voice.

"Oh, of course, as you wish ... Mr ...?" The wand-trader hunched obnoxiously.

"That does not matter, Mr. Stock," Draco said icily as he pulled out his blood purse from Gringotts and greed instantly entered the wizard's eyes, which made him forget any scruples.

"Um ... well, as you wish Mr ...! Please step both forward and let me measure your hands," he urged Fred and George, who now opened their coats and uncovered their right side, but kept the privacy of their faces.

"Pureblood," I whispered to Draco. We stood a little apart and watched the proceedings without comment. "I'll go to Diagon Alley quickly, I'll be right back. You'll advance the money? I will pay you back later!" I asked. He only nodded slightly and I scurried quickly out of the shop.

I wanted to go to Eeylops Owl Emporium to get treats for Orange, as she had been so sweet the last few days. The Twins had fallen in love with the little creature as well, totally besotted with its small size. Their attitude towards their Patroni, on the other hand, had improved only slightly even after a rather tedious discussion regarding the necessity of their acceptance of their tiny rodent Patroni and that they would, should the need arise, defend them against dementors. Quiet vocally, they had made sure that their doubts were known regarding them being an adequate protection. Draco had had enough after a while and declared that they could be happy they hadn't turned out to be hamsters or guinea pigs and thereby ending the discussion.

I arrived and entered the noisy and fantastical pet shop that had nothing in common with a Muggle pet shop. In here, owls of every size and type hung closely spaced in cages or sat on bird-sticks, colorful feathers sailed through the air, it was overwhelmingly loud with the clatter of beaks, while the spinning heads and round eyes of the birds made you feel watched at every moment. It was certainly out of the ordinary.

"Can I do something for you, Miss ...?" A young woman in her twenties asked me with honey-blond long hair and I quickly pulled the hood off my head to reveal my face to her.

"Yes, please, I need owl biscuits," I placed my order.

"Of course, which brand would you like to have?" she asked politely, serving me quickly.

When I had stashed the treats into my coat the nice saleswoman had shrunk for me, I went back to Diagon Alley, which was already well frequented. I was about to make my way back to the others when I walked through the narrow passageway of Twillfitt and Tattings, a clothing store that lay between houses, and was suddenly stopped.

A long, dark cane topped by a silver serpent head shot out of the darkness and was held in front of my chest like a barrier. The teeth of the silver snake bored into my right upper arm, pulling me skillfully and with a quick turn into the passage. I had to say, I was a little surprised, but also astonishingly calm. Either thanks to the knowledge of Draco's mark, or because I knew, this time I would rather fight Malfoy in a battle for life and death than to let him bite me again or allow anything else that would allow him to get close to me.

I did not know exactly what made me feel so controlled, and so I faced the white-blonde, sublime, sophisticated man in the narrow passage, while the shopping wizards and witches rushed past us and ignored us in the dimly lit alley.

I stared at his deep, dark grey eyes, raising my left eyebrow like one of the Slytherins.

"Mr. Malfoy, nice to see you, how are you?" I asked very calmly and politely. I went on the offensive, which in turn made him raise his pale eyebrows in astonishment.

"Miss Granger. So happy? You departed so quickly from the ball…" he purred silkily, tracing once again my facial contours with his snake head.

"Well, Mr. Malfoy, thanks to you I was a bit dishevelled and it was already late, I wanted to go to bed… !" I wanted to annoy him and talked quite openly, while I fought hard against the goose bumps the touch of his silver snake had triggered in me.

"You ... you underestimate me and overestimate yourself …," he hissed horribly blasé and snobbishly from above. Yes, but I know something that you don't, it went spitefully through my head and I couldn't stifle a slightly derogatory smile, which seemed to drive him, this conceited, arrogant aristocrat, nuts.

I mean, Lucius Malfoy was dangerous, sure! But that's where my pride and my fighting nature came to light. I would never ever show the white feathers and give in, that did not suit my personality.

"Miss Granger ...," he breathed, approaching menacingly, and grabbed my unprotected neck with one hand. Oh, very wrong move, my dear, quite wrong, I was very sensitive regarding my neck. Already, I wanted to swing a quick hook against his short lower ribs when he paused, which in turn stopped me short.

"Lucius, what are you doing here, I thought you were waiting ... Miss Granger!" Our interlude was interrupted by a dark, rasping voice and I was suddenly let go.

"Severus, you're never that fast in the pharmacy!" Lucius said jovially, although one could clearly feel his anger over the disturbance.

"Miss Granger, would you be kind enough to tell me what you are doing here?" my professor asked, ignoring Lucius Malfoy himself incredibly arrogantly, and he as a snake was also incredibly cold when he came into my sight, immediately merging with the environment.

His dark eyes glittered like deep-dark gems from his grave face when he looked at me grimly!

"Professor Snape, I was just buying some owl biscuits when Mr. Malfoy asked me so nicely for a chat," I was downright polite, and when he looked at me so intensely and forcefully, I knew he was going to partly guess what was really going on, or had happened here, and that didn't seem to suit him.

"You should not walk around here alone, we live in dangerous times," he informed me shortly and it sounded all the more threatening. Then, he raised his forehead and looked now demandingly at Lucius Malfoy.

"I thought you wanted to move on quickly? Come on, Lucius, these kids are already annoying enough at school, so I do not need them during the holidays!" it dripped despicably from Snape's vicious mouth.

"I was just distracting myself until you were finished rummaging through all these disgusting creatures," he got the cool and derogatory retort from Lucius, who wagged his cane lackadaisically through the air.

"You've never understood the intricacies of the art of brewing and now come on …," Snape said, annoyed. If it had not been so threatening I would have thought it funny how the two of them acted around each other.

"I have other qualities!", Lucius said very snobbily and ambiguously showed me his white teeth. "Miss Granger, always a pleasure to meet you. Until next time, my love, and take care of yourself," he threatened me blatantly and Snape visibly pricked his ears at this statement.

"Mr. Malfoy, Professor Snape, nice to have seen you until next time," I replied coldly and firmly as well, I would not be intimidated.

And Snape's robes billowed impressively as he turned away.

Seeing these two men so close together was easily disturbing and overwhelming, one so bright, the other so dark, both imposing in their power, both attractive in their own way and both outright dangerous. I could not suppress a slight tingling in my core, because they were a challenge.

When the two had disappeared from my sight, I pulled my hood back over my head and sought protection, it was hard to believe, in Knockturn Alley. Funny how life went, but the alley with its anonymity offered me the best cover at the time. I arrived at the right moment as the three hooded men were just stepping out of the wand shop.

"There you are, what's ...?" I was asked.

"Quick ... let's disappear. I ran into Malfoy and Snape! I think Snape suspects something about Malfoy's intentions," I informed them quickly.

"Fuck!", "Not good!", "That's bad!", "Damn!"

"We should go, come on!" I said. Only Draco had not said anything yet, I touched his arm just before we apparated.

"What ...?" I asked carefully.

"We have a problem!" he stated short and simple and apparated. Okay, well, I could definitely see what he meant.

End of Hermione's POV

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Once again I thank our reviewers, you give us the motivation to translate and beta your weekly chapter.

 **Kragh50:** Blackmail material, yes. You are thinking along the right lines, my friend. She has to have something out of it for putting up with the boys ;)

 **gentledove2:** Lucius is a very controversial charakter, some fans loath him, some love him. I'm with you here, I find him really fascinating the way Queenie wrote him, even more than in canon. Thank you for reviewing!

 **sjrodgers23:** Here you have more, my dear. Please tell me what you liked about it and what not, we always love to get feedback.


	63. Snape at Rose Cottage

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Maria, Aivy, (Sophie)

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 **Snape at "Rose Cottage"**

Snape's POV

It seethed inside me. What was this insufferable Granger doing here? What always drove her to the most impossible of places? This annoying know-it-all was harder to take care of than herding cats and I would actually, in order to spare my nerves, prefer the cats!

What worried me the most was the way Lucius had eyed her. It could not mean anything good. He had looked as if he was going to hunt and that never ended well.

I don't want to know what would have happened if I hadn't done my errands in the pharmacy so fast. He had actually grabbed her by the throat. Even if Lucius was a dangerous man, I was sure he was making the mistake of underestimating Miss Granger. How could he know that she was responsible for Bole and Derrick? How would he know what the dainty little Miss Granger was capable of?

I, too, had put her into hard-pressed situations, and she had always looked at me with a cold, indifferent gaze, sometimes with contempt. But never fear, apprehension or worry; if she felt any of these feelings, she masterfully managed to hide them. The disturbing thing was, I was not sure if she was playing me in this case or if she was truly that unemotional.

I could imagine it already, when she sent Lucius such a look out of her expressive, brown eyes, that he could barely contain and control himself, wanting to dominate, break and subjugate her on the spot, because that's what Lucius was always about. He always had to be the one who pulled the strings and he loved imposing his will on others.

But that damned Granger always attracted luck almost magically! If I did something like that, though I never would, I would have pulled my hair out.

She would be a particularly hard nut to crack, Lucius had realized it at once; the only thing he did not know was that I trusted her to stand up to Lucius, for better or for worse. Did I want that to happen? Under no circumstances, when things went badly, people would die!

How was I supposed to reign in a Malfoy that had gone wild? That would go as well as when I wanted to forbid Draco from meeting with the girl and you had seen where _that_ ended. This family was stubborn, simply conceited and terribly overbearing. She would bring me to my grave, that was clear for me.

The two, I think, could evolve into explosives, dynamite and TNT all in one. Both Lucius and Granger had the necessary temperament! I mean, that brat had managed to get Black riled up enough to beat her and I wouldn't put a lot past him, but he must have forgotten himself immensely there to act like that. Even the unemotional Draco had developed to this date unimagined possessive and protective instincts for her. And I, well, unfortunately, she did not leave me cold either. For that her mind, which I had been able to examine only in small extracts, was just too ingenious to not fascinate me.

I curled my lips in disgust. Lucius was walking elegantly beside me and keeping his head straight; I often thought to myself how one could go through life so arrogantly without falling on his nose, but he could. To my chagrin, Lucius had always mastered it!

Oh, Granger, what would Draco say? Would she tell him? I wouldn't put it past this minx! Where had Lucius met her? It was not like they were part of the same social circles! I would give her a piece of my mind for sure; I was already looking forward to continue the detention. If I did not have such a damn bad feeling about Lucius... You did not tease Lucius Malfoy with impunity and that's what this stupid girl had done.

I had to do something, just _what_ was beyond me. This stupid, stubborn and far too proud girl was overestimating her abilities and was nothing but trouble, creating problems everywhere. Most of all, I'd like to destroy her pride in one way or another, but no, wait, then there was the next Malfoy ready to battle on her behalf.

Should I become an alcoholic over this injustice? What had not happened over all those cruel and terrible years, it would be her fault, definitely. Lucius had no idea what he was getting himself into! I even trusted her to do what no one else had done except the Dark Lord, to curb Lucius for good, for he had certainly never before met such a nagging, rebellious woman.

He, who only had to pick up the beauties lying on the floor before him, who were there either because they adored him or because they were afraid of his brutality. However, I was sure he wouldn't have a chance to break through Granger's reserve with either method, I had already experienced her to be too cold-blooded and indifferent for that. Now I had to try to prevent Lucius from developing a morbid obsession for Granger if it was not already too late, which I feared when I looked into his storm-clouded eyes.

"Lucius, say, am I imagining that or are your eyes shining?" I tried to elicit something from him, sometimes it worked easily, sometimes he clammed up, then nothing did the trick. That were Malfoys for you! I looked at him urgently.

"What makes you think so, Severus? You are not the type to imagine things, my friend!" he replied eloquently. Aha, he denied it and that badly. I could hear in his voice, my friend had honestly started the hunt. If only Dumbledore knew...

"Lucius, am I Fudge or one of the other idiots? Where have you met Granger?" I snarled coldly while interlacing my fingers behind my back as I walked, so I wouldn't hit the roof as soon as I found out how this brat had managed to attract one of the most dangerous and powerful men in our society.

"Oh, Severus, you will not like that, you are always much too moral and stiff!" He lifted a corner of his mouth and slapped his walking stick into his other hand, he loved to play with that idiotic thing.

"You are the one to talk. Who is always walking around with a cane?" His criticism bounced off of me. However, I believed him that I would not like what I was about to hear.

"You are an old grumbler, Severus, and you are the younger of the two of us!" Lucius gave me his predator's smile, which was not nice while mocking me. "She was at the ball ...!"

"Ball? The Ministry Ball?" I interjected, my long black hair flying into my face as I turned my head in surprise. What the hell was Granger doing in the Ministry. She should be … Where should this nuisance actually be? At Black's? That's where Potter was. Or at home? Great, now I would spend my precious free time looking for and finding this minx.

"Yes, the little girl had her big performance there, with Viktor Krum. She is ... charming!" he told me in his velvety voice with an unexpected openness he would never show to any other person in the world.

"Granger and charming? Lucius, she's a brat!" I spat in disgust. Whatever had he noticed there again? Can't be!

"Severus, Severus, always so interested in the big picture, always so focused that you deign to ignore the smaller details! ... No, you never miss anything, that would never happen to you, the perfectionist! But you are always so hard pushed to get over your so hastily made opinions, my dear," he said haughtily, licking his lips in an unconscious gesture with the tip of his tongue. I clenched my jaw so tightly that it crunched, I hated it like the plague when Lucius had his mopes and thought he needed to analyze me.

"That does not change anything, Granger is a brat!" I pressed quietly through my teeth, yes, even I could be stubborn.

"My dear, your Miss Granger is a lot, but not a brat! She's a sly old dog and most astonishingly, for a Gryffindor Mudblood she seems very cunning. Can you imagine that? She smiled to herself in the alley earlier and wasn't brought down to her knees with fear! Something that, in my opinion, is amazing!" he said it very pompously and braggily, stroking back his long, open, white-blond strands and raising his chin high up in the air.

"Why?" I said as Mr. Peacock wished.

"I allowed myself to have a bit of fun with the little girl... Oh, if only there were several like her..." He was lost in his dreams. Great, great! Malfoys were not to be underestimated if they got like this, my concern grew! In what kind of nettles had Granger managed to settle herself so well, I wondered furiously. And thus I just grunted, so that he would finally continue to tell his tale while we went down Knockturn Alley and the riff-raff who roamed the streets around here obediently slipped away hastily when they saw us coming, the Left and the Right Hand of the Dark Lord.

"Oh, sorry! She was delicious, her scent ... sweet and that unbroken pride in her eyes, a pleasure, and that crisp, young body, so pliable, worth a sin ... ", he gushed with pleasure, as only Lucius could, and licked his lips again provocatively.

"What are you talking about, Lucius? That sounds like you have done more ... She's a student, she's not a pureblood!" I told him indignantly. Hearing his description of Granger, my heart had inevitably rocketed and I remembered our two kisses, those intense kisses and her scent that had captured me, and her soft lips. _Damn, push those pictures away from you,_ I demanded of myself resolutely and turned to the essential. Lucius and his way forward.

"To my chagrin, not so much 'more' yet. Nothing more happened yet, because of Fudge, this idiot, but I tasted her and she was delicious ...", it came very distantly from our gentleman. He had tasted her, that could mean a lot to Lucius.

"What, where, how?" I could not resist asking.

"Her shoulder and imagine ... she did not scream ...", he chuckled ecstatically and sighed wistfully. _Oh, Granger, do you have any idea what a horrible mess you're in?_ That meant that he had not kissed her or something like that, which would've been a surprise considering Lucius' character. 'Her shoulder' meant he had bitten her. Well, I had to find her quickly before Lucius did. And so I got a little impatient, I had to find out where she was.

"She did not make a sound. Nobody has done that yet ... I can not wait to catch her, but you had to intervene, Severus! You're a spoilsport!" he snapped at me, staring at me with cool discontent.

"It wouldn't be fun for you if you succeeded that fast!" I countered curtly, showing how unconcerned I was about his scolding.

"You are quite right, my friend…" Now he stopped, his elaborate, blue-grey velvet coat billowing around his legs. "I have to go to Borgin! Will you come with me?"

"No, I have to add a few of these ingredients as quickly as possible to a potion that is simmering, otherwise all the work was in vain. You understand, I hope. You can tell me about the hunt another time in detail over a glass of liquor, and how you plan to go about it," I offered businesslike.

"Severus, so verbose. That's not how I know you. And so ... interested! Did I say something about a hunt? ... But well, then come to the Manor the day after tomorrow, then we'll make it a nice cozy evening!" he drawled and I rolled my eyes in annoyment, which let him twinkle at me profoundly in turn. He didn't have to say it; I knew him too well and he knew that.

Lucius Malfoy wanted her, even a blind man would see that. I gave him a stiff nod and apparated to Grimmauld Place immediately, I had to find out where she was staying.

When I stormed the forbidding Black estate, my mood had rapidly turned into an arctic glacier. What had I done to deserve this? Now I sought out Potter and the mutt, just because of her, the bitch!

As usual, the loud horde in its entirety sat in the kitchen, gathered around the table. When I burst in unexpectedly, general attention turned to me and the frosty silence, which immediately welcomed me, warmed my heart, I thought cynically amused by their inferiority way to punish me, as this was a truly clumsy attempt. As if this would affect or even touch me.

I gave the ragtag pack a contemptuous smile. I had spotted most of the Weasleys and Potter, but I couldn't see the red-haired twin clowns and Granger in the crowd.

"Severus, what can we do for you?" Lupin wanted to know politely while I was still standing in the doorway. I did not have time for small talk and so I stared directly at Black, ignoring the other baggage.

"Black, do you know where the magpie is?" I asked ambiguously, looking intently at him, hoping his miserable mind would get going.

I could see him wince and think about it, frowning.

"Why?" he replied warily, and everyone listened with interest to our friendly dialogue.

"Black, do you know it or not?" I asked, hissing impatiently, but otherwise not showing my hurry. Potter watched us suspiciously with those oh-so-green eyes, displaying a skeptical expression.

"No, I don't. She had other plans!" He said with a shrug, as if it did not concern him.

Wonderful, that was a way to describe it, and what plans she had! To charm a Malfoy so that he blew the hunt.

"Hmph ..." I exclaimed indignantly and wanted to turn away brusquely.

"Something happened? When you're in such a good mood?" Black suddenly expressed astonishing interest after he had noted my superb mood.

"Lucius happened!" I announced curtly. Why should I be the only one who knew how dangerous the game had just become?

"Shit, fuck! How did she manage to do that yet again?" Black knew how to use the right words, almost jumping out of his chair and finally giving up his casual posture.

"Sorry, but who is _she_?" I could hear Lupin's inquiry, but Black stopped him with a wave of his hand.

"How should I know?" I turned away. All I could see and hear before I left the kitchen behind me was that he had now got up and was already getting grilled by the others.

"What magpie?"

"What's that about?"

"What does Snape want to know ...?"

Blah blah blah, always the same nonsensical chatter.

"Severus, wait!" I heard him cry out, because Black had run after me and now whispered softly: "I only know that she was taken by Minerva to her parents' house the very next day. How could Malfoy Senior become aware of her?"

"You do not want to know that, Black!" I told him quite coldly. "Considering how it ended between you two," I said maliciously while grinning nastily.

"She told you?" Black asked, looking downright frozen in shock about the fact that I knew.

"No, I got it from another party!" I then honestly informed him, because Draco had told me, back then in the common room.

"So it's true, after all? She didn't want to tell me which snake she's messing around with!" Black grunted furiously, seeming deeply invested.

"Black, what are you so upset about? Be glad that you are rid of her. Look at what mess she's already gotten herself into again. You know that you've never been a match for her and will never be!" I said dismissively, baring my teeth. Although I had only said the truth and meant it.

"Despite everything, I'm worried. Malfoy is not a person to be trifled with!" he warned, worried, running his fingers nervously through his long, dark mane.

"Why do you think I'm looking for her?" I pointed out with blatant irony.

"The Twins are not here either. They left at Christmas, supposedly to stay with Lee Jordan, their friend, but I do not believe it," he told me on the way out and closed the front door behind me.

So where to go? I knew where she lived, I had looked it up once and not forgotten. It was an address directly in London and so I apparated in front of the upper-class townhouse in which she lived and rang the bell.

Nobody opened and when a neighbor approached me, asking what I wanted, I said I had an appointment with Miss Granger, my student. The old woman looked funny but was happy to inform me that the parents were skiing in Switzerland like they did every year and Miss Granger was not here. Should I wonder that she had lied to everyone at Grimmauld Place?

So now I stood in a secluded alley and thought; these insufferable twins had fled the annoying lot at Grimmauld Place. No one could blame them for that. The way Lucius had complained to me at the beginning of our meeting, Draco had absconded too, because he prefered to spend Christmas with Blaise Zabini rather than at home!

Only I didn't really believe that! If Granger was alone and Draco also took to his heels, these two could only be together. Hence Zabini was an alibi, the only question was how much or how little he did know, so I decided to go to Zabini and see if Draco actually spent time with his house mate. Though it would not surprise me if it was just a ruse, I didn't want to judge early.

Zabini lived in a beautiful, large country house in the middle of England, that is, in the middle of nowhere. The house was huge, although not nearly as big and impressive as the Manor it did look impressive. It was reminiscent of a mid-sized mansion of past centuries. Which name his mother carried at the moment, I did not know, as the former Mrs. Zabini had just buried her seventh or sixth husband, I believe, and was in mourning. Whoever married this woman was sooner or later dead, that much was clear! That she still found gullible men who wanted to be sent to the afterlife as soon as possible, astonished me every time I read a wedding ad, but it was no problem of mine.

No question, she was a beautiful woman, with her roots in Martinique and her chocolate-brown skin, eyes sparkling with passion and exuberance, but she was also scary in her restlessness! How she had managed to produce such a well-balanced son who stoically endured all new stepfathers amazed me once again beyond all measure. Hopefully, she was not there. Not that I would get into her focus, my sarcasm always got the best of me.

When I was escorted to the cozy parlour by a zealous house-elf, I was granted that wish; the chipped bird had truly flown. Not that she tried to become Mrs. Snape, I thought mockingly.

And so only Blaise joined me. He was a handsome boy who made the girls' hearts beat faster at Hogwarts, and certainly was a philanderer. He probably had that from his mother, it shot very sardonically through my head.

"Professor Snape, what a surprise. Can I do something for you? What do you want?" He showed me his respect and bowed his head to me. I loved the manners of my Slytherins.

"Mr. Zabini, pleased to see you well! I heard that Mr. Malfoy should be with you. I need to speak to him," I said firmly, looking at him vigilantly.

Because of my close scrutiny, I noticed immediately how his Adam's apple hopped when he swallowed hard. Not a good sign. I wouldn't find him here. I could barely suppress an annoyed sigh.

"Well, Professor, Draco out and about ..." he tried quite well, but I was better and so I interrupted him resolutely.

"Mr. Zabini, it looks like Mr. Malfoy is not here and probably never was. Would you be kind enough to let me know where he is?" I demanded harshly.

"I do not know, sir!" He slouched his shoulders.

"Nothing, Mr. Zabini? You would be helping Draco, not cause him any problems!" I tried to approach him with unusual sensitivity, focussing on him.

"Um, well ... he's with Abraxina!" It burst out of him suddenly, after he had collapsed under my demanding look. Yes, I had already thought so.

"Did he come up with some way with which you could reach him in case something happened?" I enquired impatiently.

"Yes, I was to send him my owl!" the boy confessed quickly, albeit very nervously.

"Then we should do that, Mr. Zabini!" I finally ordered and a short time later an eagle owl sailed off towards Draco.

So we sat opposite to each other in two bulky, yellow armchairs and stayed silent. It was exhilarating to see the continued silence tugging on the young man's nerves. Well, I did not want to be like that and would provide a topic, the only question was whether he appreciated the subject.

"Mr. Zabini, what do you know about Abraxina?" I used the inane name Draco had invented for Granger. His head jerked up and he stared at me with his dark brown eyes.

"Nothing, sir!" he stated plainly.

"What do the Slytherins know?" I pushed further into him and he tried to appear determined to not let me intimidate him.

"Nothing, sir!" He replied again quickly. Was it not always a pleasure to talk to snakes? It was such a refreshing, insightful communication.

"What is suspected, Mr. Zabini?" I continued patiently.

"A lot, sir." You might think Granger had apprenticed here; she was clearly in the wrong house. Zabini could become her best friend the way he behaved. Internally, I sighed heavily.

"Could you go into detail, Mr. Zabini?" I tried to show infinite patience. According to the horror in his eyes, I didn't seem to succeed completely. Absentmindedly, I drummed my fingers on the arm of the chair.

"... of course, sir. Well, it is common believe that she is a Ravenclaw, as Hufflepuffs, by unanimous opinion, do not have the guts to enter the common room of another house… Sir, but I ... well," he stuttered, now nibbling on his lips.

"And you ..., Mr. Zabini?" I repeated silkily. That was very exciting.

"Well, I think after your ... hem, and Draco's... How do I say that now? So, when you had this discussion back then, I thought you knew the girl and the way it all seemed, I think ... No, I have to put it this way, I think none of the girls in the two houses mentioned would have the potential to captivate Draco so much. Because of that, I think ... but only I ... She's a Gryffindor!" He declared with uncertainty, running his hands nervously through his short, black hair.

Even though my blank mask was perfect and I would never admit it out loud, my heart jumped with joy when I saw that I had such impressive people in my house who possessed the power of deduction. That was a confirmation that I was not just surrounded by total incompetence! Although I perceived his inquietude.

"And what do you intend to do with these opinions?" I threatened gently, but also very pleased that he had seen behind the bigger picture.

"Nothing, sir. Am I right?" he asked in a dither. He would have to work on that.

"Mr. Zabini, I think it's better if I do not answer that, for your own good! But how about you, can you keep silent?" I wanted to know, casually crossing my legs.

"Sir, with all due respect, I consider Draco a friend and I hope someday he will see me as one again too, so his secrets should be mine!" The young man insisted with fervent sincerity and I liked him better and better. Draco would have to keep on the right side of him, someone as loyal as that could be worth his weight in gold.

Just then we were interrupted by the house elf opening the door and a black figure sliding inside, its footsteps abruptly stopping when it caught side of us.

"Uncle Severus ?!" I could hear Draco's incredulous voice and he pulled the hood from his head. "Blaise," he nodded curtly in greeting.

"Good that you have contacted me, I wanted to see you after what happened today!" The proclamation bubbled out of him and he astonished me when he quickly stepped up to me.

I was still sitting, looking coolly at my agitated godson. However, I was positively inclined towards him at the moment, as he seemed to correctly judge the danger his father posed. I found it satisfying not to be surrounded by fools.

"Draco, great you're showing up so fast, you're not easy to find these days!" I could grant him that compliment. Without tracking down Draco, I wouldn't have had an idea where to find Granger. It bothered me immensely, but also put my mind at ease. When I was unable to find them quickly, Lucius wouldn't either.

"Thank you for the compliment, but the credit is all due to her!" he replied notably proudly, whilst his storm grey eyes sparkled full of emotions. _That's not good_ , I thought at this sight. "Shall we go?"

"Not so fast my dear! I just had a little talk with Mr. Zabini. I guess the content should be worth your interest." I encouraged him and Draco gave us a questioning look.

"Uhm, as you wish, sir. Draco, I hope one day you'll see me again as the good friend I still see in you. And I believe 'Abraxina' is a Gryffindor!" he rattled down almost as quick as a shot. Well, feelings and emotions were definitely none of our favourite topics, I thought tragically affected while slightly shaking my head. He had sounded like I had hold him at wand point. I could watch how the expression in Draco's eyes changed from disbelief to astonishment and then into light anger. Otherwise he behaved like a true Malfoy, looking deliberately at Blaise with a slightly tilted head.

"Blaise, I consider you as a friend… still. Otherwise I would have never asked you to cover me. I am pleased that our friendship means so much to you… Apart from that, I know I only got the permission to take Severus, however, you should also come with me, just because of the spell!" he said very deliberately. I immediately knew which spell he was talking about and I really liked this well thought-out idea. Yet, the young Zabini still gave a very overwhelmed impression.

"Of course, Draco, I'll come with you. Will I need anything?" He was instantly ready and I really found his trust into Draco intriguing.

"Just your coat. Come on, let's go!" he ordered and so we quickly set off and arrived a short time later under a expansive, huge tree seeing nothing. I almost snapped at Draco what kind of joke this should be, when he gave me a paper on which I could read "Rose Cottage". The very moment we finished reading a very beautiful and scenic Cottage with a garden revealed itself to us!

What, please?

"Draco, where does the Fidelius come from?" I enquired flatly. We hadn't stirred from the spot yet.

"She did it, right after the ball! Isn't she amazing? What she is capable of doing, all on her own!" He beamed, visibly proud of her prowess.

"Draco, do you know how dangerous that was? If the ritual had been interrupted... This is great magic, extremely exhausting and demanding, she shouldn't be capable of doing this kind of magic!" I replied tartly. I hated it when such a thing happened. I was far too old to get completely thrown by this brat again and again. But her magical potential terrified me as much as it astonished me. To dare to cast the Fidelius at her age was enormous; her presumptuousness to even try it was as meaningful as it was daft.

"We knew that. However, everything went more than well. It was a calculated risk and we found it was the lesser of two evils compared to remaining unprotected! She slept through the next night and then everything was fine again. Come on!" he instructed us to follow him. I struggled to overcome my shock about this harebrained action, I would need a clear head soon.

We had followed Draco to the door, which he had opened,stepping into a short vestibule, where he took our coats, when we heard the loud laughter of more than one person.

"Wait a moment," he said and went into the living room and Zabini and I could overhear what was spoken.

"Darling?" Draco approached her gently.

"You are back already...? I have good news, Draco, I did it…" she told him, followed by rumbustious laughter and the sound of a kiss, which made us step closer to the opening and I watch Granger lying in Draco's arms, getting kissed passionately, while the two red terrors were standing near by rubbing their eyes theatrically.

"Stop it, you maniacs. Are the new ones helping and have you got different animals now?" Draco asked and I was at a complete loss what he meant.

"Shush, Draco! No, unfortunately not. They only look more mean and malicious now and are more aggressive. Please don't say anything else in this regard," the plea came from Granger and the Twins looked downright homicidal. "I will set my wits to the 'why' later."

"Keep your hair on, guys. To calm you down, I invite you to help me deplete the whiskey supply," Draco offered generously. "And now… I brought two people with me!" he admitted and got the Twins to spin around at once.

"What!?" Granger hissed, her expression darkening rapidly.

"Severus and… and…" Thus we entered the room. Zabini looked a bit pale. He, too, had witnessed the kiss between Draco and Granger. It must have been shocking for him to see Potter's bosom friend together with his arch enemy.

"Darling, please don't fret, it was necessary…" Draco implored urgently, embracing her waist from behind and pulling her against his chest. "You must have been aware that I would talk to Blaise!"

"Yes. Talk, Draco, is something different than bringing him here!" She declared curtly, shaking off his embrace roughly. Then she snapped at him: "Hadn't we just discussed that during Christmas: First ask me, then act!"

"Sorry, mate, you'll have to stick it out…" The Twins waved it off lapidary, which made me wonder what had happened at Christmas.

"Draco, I have violent fantasies right now in which I'm choking you to death slowly but surely!" she ranted fervently. What should I say? She was bitch! At least I wasn't the only one who got to experience this lovely side of her.

"Enough already, Hermione! I was right the first time and now as well, bringing those two! Come off it! I already abased myself on my knees for doing that to you," he replied, justifying his actions! Alright, now I was more than curious and Zabini next to me appeared to nearly burst with curiosity. A grovelling and begging Malfoy! Only the Twins looked knowingly and slightly gleeful. Fascinating.

"And I have forgiven you, on the condition that you wouldn't go over my head again. What did you do?" she snarled self-righteously, wagging her hand in our direction. The way she dominated the room with her curly hair was impressive. Draco squirmed uneasily under her angry glare, as if he wasn't sure of himself after all.

"Hermione, that's enough!" one of the reds intervened now, astonishingly determined and unexpectedly foolhardy. No idea which one, they looked too much alike to tell them apart. "Draco hasn't acted wrong this time. Hear him out! There are going to be situations where he will not be able to ask you first and he'll have to make the decision on his own and you'll have to trust him then! So stop laying into the poor guy!" The Twin's words faded away. I was very grateful that I worked so long and hard to never show even the tiniest reaction, because I was aghast. Weasleys siding with a Malfoy. Gryffindors stepping into the breach for a Slytherin. Sadly, the same couldn't be said for Zabini, who looked like he would need oxygen, he was deeply shocked.

I could observe how Draco breathed in relief and gave them a thumbs up in thanks, what Granger couldn't see as she had turned around to face the Twins.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked with visible consternation.

"Yes, beautiful, I agree with George. Don't hold the story in your bed against him forever! I still approve, even if you're still furious about it. And you wanted him to speak with Snape about earlier… Okay, he brought Zabini too, but he will have his reasons!" Fred, apparently, also spoke for Draco. The world had turned upside-down indeed.

For a moment, she hid her face in her palms in defeat, muttering: "Uh… Draco, sorry. But your father has the great talent to drive me up the wall, and whenever he does something it has consequences to my detriment!" she voiced her indignation.

Draco pulled her close. "I know, I don't like it, too. But Blaise is a friend and he guessed that the girl visiting me could only be a Gryffindor! And that's why I thought it would be better if you used your spell!" he explained softly. When they next looked at us, the two intruders, her mask sat perfectly as well again. What had Draco done that made her jump out of her skin like that?

"Please excuse the reception, Professor Snape. And welcome to you too, Zabini. Please take a seat," she greeted us now, playing the role of irreproachable hostess and pointing us to the dining table that would be able to seat us all.

"Do you want something?" she offered with pretend politeness, giving us a fake smile.

"It's okay, Hermione, I'll do it. Does everybody want some whiskey?" Draco took over and everyone simply nodded their head.

That's what I call an illustre circle. Two Weasleys with unusually sombre faces, Granger whom showed her unreadable mask sat there stiff as a poker, Zabini who was sitting somewhat lost next to the Twins and ostentatiously gazing at the Christmas decoration, and Draco, who was impersonating a house-elf with a floating tray in front of him.

"Miss Granger, do you know the trouble you are in?" I started stiffly.

"I'm aware, sir!" she nodded in confirmation.

"What were you doing at the Ministry?" I enquired further. She looked around, snorting, while the Twins were grinning and even Draco eyed at her cheekily.

"May I first put the spell on Blaise or do you want to do it, sir?" she requested provocatively and I wouldn't let the opportunity pass by to try the spell myself, thus drawing my wand immediately.

"Am I allowed to cast a spell on you, Mr. Zabini?" I asked tactfully and he looked back at me with a startled expression.

"Don't worry, Zabini, we all got it!" Two very diabolic red heads were trying to out-grin each other. I hated so much cheerfulness. However, thanks to their interjection he nodded slightly disturbed still, but according to Granger's instruction that was all that was necessary to proceed.

"Credere Tacientiae," I aimed my wand and added all of our names. With my work done, I reclined in my seat, took a swig from my glass and halted. Good whiskey, although a Muggle brand, and that one had been served to me by Draco? Astounding. His grandfather was turning in his grave and if Lucius had already been lying in his own, he would be too.

"So, with this taken care of…" Granger stated amiably, leaning back. "Yes, I was at the Ministry, I had something to accomplish. What that was is none of your business, all that's important is that it was successful," she grinned impishly, her eyes sparkling mischievously. The way she had crossed her arms in front of her chest she looked very satisfied. "Only when I wanted to return to the ballroom, Lucius barred my way… He, he suggested that he was not above messing around with me. A mudblood! Draco freed me, or rescued me, as I was behaving mostly passive. I didn't want to cause a scandal, that was the last thing I needed," she pursed her lips, sounding terribly cold, and then Draco stept in:

"Well, Severus, I had to search for Father, as his speech was due, and found him glued to Hermione. He left her in a dishevelled state and I took care of her, fled with her directly here, bringing us to safety. She.. was bleeding…," he said, but was rudely interrupted.

"Oh, Draco, don't say it like that to the professor. He has seen me already when I was bleeding for good. Professor, that was nothing, only a minor bite!" she dismissed it as irrelevant.

"Draco, I think Miss Granger is right, the wound itself should have been the smallest of your problems!" I declared rather unimpressed.

"I know that, you two, I was just annoyed with Father, that he let himself loose control so much, we were in public!" Draco complained arrogantly.

"Professor, Draco fetched you because we know that Lucius has called the hunt; and today in Diagon Alley you saw it for yourself. We are aware of the danger! I don't want to be the one to make Draco fatherless. If you hadn't arrived when you did, I don't know how I would have reacted!" she admitted and I noticed Draco caressing her arm gently and Zabini also looked mesmerized at the display of affection.

"Well, since the one violent incident I can't stand it if someone tries to choke me. I don't know whether I could have retained my control, sir!" She had her gaze lowered to the tabletop during her confession.

"Understandably enough, Miss Granger, getting nearly choked to death leaves an impression!" I agreed with her, which caused Zabini and the Twins to look at her with dismay. "You never told the two of them?" I asked, perplexed. That surprised me.

"Why should I, Professor? Nobody knows everything about me," she gave me a cold, grisly smile.

"Beautiful, you were nearly choked to death. When?" the Twins echoed stricken, both looking grave and quite angry on her behalf.

"I only didn't tell you because it was already done. I'm still living, so the issue is over. And regarding when… when I sent my magpie into the kitchen!" she recounted so emotionless, that it sent cold shivers down my spine when I recalled the sight of her in the Black library. Evidently, she proved once more that she was tougher as one should assume, as I didn't pick up any indication that the memory affected her deeply, despite the fact that she had fought a battle for life and death.

"I had been slightly injured, but the professor was nice enough to heal me," she said reassuringly, lying without a blush, she didn't know any shame. I didn't 'heal her'. I stitched her back together. Slightly injured… What did she understand under a severe injury then?

"Well yes, Professor Snape, we know Hermione's inclination towards understatement, that's why we want to ask you, sir: is she honest or was she more dead than alive?" The jesting duo had apparently much more bright than they let on and Granger, naturally, had been the first to notice.

They had furnished me a fit occasion. I shot her a glance and she looked back intently, raising her glass mockingly. Minx! But I wouldn't pass up the opportunity

"Well, gentlemen, one could gauge it either way! The strangulation marks were impressive, but the knife protruding from her side managed to capture most of my attention!" A diabolic grin slipped onto my face. I believe she had anticipated my answer as she was showing me a cynical smirk.

The reactions came promptly. The Twins were pale, and yes, if Zabini could get pale, he would be now as well. All of them looked around with their mouths wide open; Draco would have to practice with them so they didn't play fish all the time.

"Hermione Jean Granger, you didn't think that relevant enough to tell us? Who did it?" one of the twins screeched, showing astonishing resemblance to their mother Molly.

"Well, he who did it… no longer exists!" She remained cool while the others flew into a rage.

"You did… Of course you did. I told you for a long time, Fred, she kills everything that doesn't suit her…," the other twin grinned with unforeseen viciousness, bestowing upon me the great challenge not to loose my face confronted with the unexpected behaviour of the Gryffindors present. What kind of place was this? What kind of children were this? Certainly not good ones!

"Bole!" Zabini breathed, his skin tone reminding me of white chocolate. His power of deduction was fantastic. Granger nodded slowly in confirmation with Draco smiling cryptically the whole time. I could guess why, in all probability he knew the most in this, our circle.

"What… he had been nearly beheaded… That, that was you?" the Twins sputtered and she simply nodded, laughing.

"Wicked. How was it…? You don't tell us something like that, you bad girl. I demand the story with all the details!" said one twin or the other. From which one? I had no idea. Should these two humans actually be Molly's and Arthur's children? I hoped for the parents' sake that an exchange had taken place in the hospital.

"That's the reason, Fred, I wouldn't have got any peace from you," she retorted with cynicism and turned back to me: "But back to our problem. What will we do regarding Malfoy Senior? Did you get anything more out of him?"

"Yes, he wants you, he finds you ravishing… I suggest you don't leave Hogwarts at all, neither for your training, nor to visit Hogsmeade!"

"That's unacceptable. I can't let my combat training slide. Should I once again run into Lucius, it's my best shot as he isn't expecting it," she ranted, spurning my sensible recommendation.

"She is right, Severus," Draco declared gravely. I allowed myself to groan as I had to look into the big, pleading eyes of my godson, who had already managed to talk me into doing his will when he was still a toddler. I knew what he wanted me to do. What a shrewd, cunning little manipulator. Where did he get it from? Certainly not from me or his father.

"Very well, but you will owe me! You will abandon your training outside of Hogwarts... " I informed her with a tone of finality. Thereat she wanted to protest in outrage, but was stopped by my cold glare and Draco's hand. "... and instead I'm going to teach you in combat Wednesdays and Fridays, magically as well as… with non-magical weapons!" I offered unexpectedly generously. Granger sank back into her seat, slightly surprised and taken aback. "Though you will continue to brew on Mondays, it can't hurt!" I added with the spitefulness they were more used to.

"Gladly, Professor. If you are offering, I'll accept. As I'm not closing my eyes against the danger that is Lucius, I am ready to bear the resulting consequences and restrictions," she agreed surprisingly quickly, but she wasn't stupid. An admirable girl!

"Severus, couldn't you train us all, as were are here, on Sundays as well? It wouldn't hurt," Draco asked me suddenly. I was surprised for a moment before I realised Draco was behaving the way he had always done, the Malfoy way. Give him an inch and he'll take an ell.

"I'm going to leave you all to your own devices now. You, Miss Granger, will leave the house as little as possible, and not at all with your own looks. Tomorrow I will be back! Mr. Zabini, do you have to return?" I demanded to know from the tongue-tied and seemingly overwhelmed boy.

"Eh…!" was the eloquent and very intelligent answer. I frowned in indignation. What kind of articulation was that?

"We have a spare room, you can stay if you want!" Draco offered quickly and Granger nodded as well, if hesitantly.

"Yes, I'd like to stay. There is nobody waiting at home…" he stated honestly pleased about the unexpected offer. "And I have some questions…"

"Good, that is settled. Until tomorrow!" I made a classy exit, sweeping off.

On the way to the Dark Lord I was thinking about many different things, pondering what I should think about this illustrious circle.

I hadn't expected to ever see Draco like that! But she was good for him, unbelievable but true! That the Twins were that mean-spirited and cruel did actually frighten me, even if I would never admit that openly. The way I had experienced them just now, made me feel slightly uneasy whenever I thought about them. Even the joker side of the two of them had to be handled with care. But with this affinity for evil, with this cold-bloodedness and bloodthirstiness, they were truly dangerous. Birds of a feather flock together. I was curious, though not without worry, what this circle would accomplish. Where would it end? Especially Granger; she was on a totally different level, the head of it all, and she had Potter in her hands as well, the way he always looked at her full of trust and naïvety. He was eating out of her hand. Dumbledore had no idea, he was blind to what was happening right under his nose.

Maybe Lucius was right and I should stop seeing the brat in her and start to recognize the grown woman she had become.

End of Snape's POV

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Review feedback:

 **Kragh50:** I hope this weeks chapter was able to satisfy your curiosity. **  
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 **sjrodgers23:** Thank you for this more detailled review. Yes, they are good friends. And we will see how they will handle the two men and everyone else as the story progresses.


	64. The Last Carefree Days

_In the WHF universe Ollivander uses more than three wandcore materials._

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy & Sophie

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 **The Last Carefree Days**

Hermione's POV

The evening after Snape's departure, which had been as impressive and sweeping as always, was indeed very enjoyable. Blaise was a likable person and with the way he was presenting himself now, I was convinced that I liked the boy, even if I feared that he was afraid of me. It was the way he eyed me from time to time after the realisation, that I wasn't 'innocent' anymore. However, the boys succeeded in distracting him and thus he warmed up too, after a while.

Draco also loosened up and forgot the business with Lucius. He, the Twins and I took turns cooking, which nearly caused Blaise to have an heart attack. Admittedly, it seemed to do Draco a world of good to have a Slytherin friend here.

The boys had a boozy night while they tried to determine which of the drinks were their favourite while I was watching them, amused and thoroughly entertained. Nevertheless, I was planning, too. I was sure that it was the right decision to lay low for now and disappear, but I wasn't so sure how long that would work. Sooner or later, I wouldn't be able to hide any longer, and for that case I was making plans. Nobody could ever accuse me of not being prepared for the worst-case scenario.

The Professor's attendance had been exceptional once more. He hadn't said much, but brevity is the soul of wit, isn't it?

When he returned, we would talk about all the options I had. Although I didn't want to show him my mark, I would reserve that for later. I needed to talk to Draco about it first.

At two o'clock in the morning I went to bed. The boys continued to party boisterously and I didn't begrudge them their fun.

The next morning they woke up late. I had thought about the reasons why the Twin's new wands hadn't made a difference. The little drama that had occured when they tried their new wands and tiny squirrels had erupted from the tips, only a bit more nasty than before, had been grand, so I tried to play wandmaker and actually delved into the matter.

When everybody was gathered around the table and able to stay upright more or less successfully after the draining night, I spoke up. Zabini had settled in well and seemed to sleep more on his arms that were resting on the table than to listen to me.

"Fred, George, I have thought about the reasons you still have squirrels for Patroni and…" They interrupted me excitedly as I had grabbed their attention instantly.

"Please tell us!" "Yeeeess, please!" they pleaded pathetically.

"Well, George's first wand, from Ollivander, is elm wood with the feather of a hippogriff and now he has elm with a thestral's tail hair!" I looked around, seeing that everyone was listening attentively.

"Fred has a walnut wand with a hippogriff's feather and now walnut with thestral hair! Do you understand what I want to tell you? The magical cores are different, but the wood is important too. Apparently the differences are not enough, the cores are even similar with both coming from hoofed magical creatures. I as an ordinary person believe that you will have to live with the squirrels. I, for example, have two totally different wands that have nothing in common," I explained my complex and confusing thoughts with difficulty.

The Twins were looking dumbstruck, Zabini didn't seemed to understand anything at all, and Draco nodded thoughtfully.

"Mh-hm, I think you're right! Let's see, my wands: the hawthorn wand has, like Hermione's, dragonheart string and my school wand has the same core, but is made of chestnut wood. So far I have only summoned a Patronus with the white one! I don't have different cores, only woods, while you have the same woods but vary in core materials." He aimed with the brown wand and after his Expecto Patronum a snake appeared. It was not as impressively big and beautiful as his viper, but still very similar. Under Fidelus he could cast with his school wand without fear of repercussions.

"Well, I'd say it shows it's the interplay from different sources of magic, but obviously you will only have two Patroni when you own two completely different wands! If I may ask you, what are your Patroni, Hermione. You don't mind me calling you Hermione, do you?" Zabini addressed me for the first time and I gave him an encouraging smile.

"Of course, Blaise. Is it okay if I call you Blaise? Thanks… Well, I think you are right, there is no other explanation! And regarding your question: I have a magpie with my actual wand, and an otter with my school wand!" I informed him and was happy that he had found the courage to finally talk to me.

"Do you have a second one, too?" The Twins asked synchronously.

"Um, yes, sure, most people have!" he played it down and got startled looks from the three of us. Draco, he had noticed our expressions, gave us the answer.

"You may not know it yet, but almost everyone in Slytherin actually has a second wand. Many of our families attach great importance to the fact that their children learn how to control magic from a very young age without the Ministry's knowledge. Usually the wands come from the family fund. Wizards and witches that belong to a pureblood family have access to a huge amount of wands, thanks to their ancestors. We guard them like the apple of our eye. When you're seen as mature enough you are allowed to pick one! I've got my white one from the founding father of the Malfoy family, the great 'Armand Malfoy', which left my father shocked and me very satisfied when I looked at his outraged face. So it's not sooo special in our social circle!" He explained generously to us unknowing Gryffindors.

I always found things like that incredibly exciting. You would never read in a book that the Pureblood families kept and hoarded their wands, though it was only logical. A wand was an asset of utmost importance for a wizard or witch. Without it we felt naked and when it was time to leave nobody would give it away and destroy the valued tool or do any such nonsense with it. It was clever to collect them, to have a variety to choose from in case of an emergency. This way the wizard could still be chosen by a suitable wand, not like Neville who had been handed the wand of his father without any thought, regardless whether they were compatible or not.

"Draco is right, this is how we do it. Actually, I have never tried to cast a Patronus! But I also have some questions: I thought you were Potter's best friend?" Blaise asked me skeptically while his brown eyes looked at me questiongly.

"Well, that's true, Harry is my best friend!" I replied promptly.

"But how can you be with Draco then?" His eyes expressed disbelief and doubts.

"Draco knows about it and accepts it! And if Harry knew, he would have to accept it as well. It's that easy!" I answered willingly, smiling benignly at Draco

"It's that easy? Draco, I am astonished. You don't like Potter, do you?" he enquired, visibly troubled, looking at his blonde friend in an imploring manner.

"Who cares for Potter? As long as I don't have to put up with him or the annoying weasel!" he sighed, sorry for himself. At Draco's declaration, Blaise eyed the Twins anxiously, as Draco had one more insulted their brother in passing.

"Don't fear, Blaise, he is the favourite target of the three of them…" I explained, laughing maliciously.

"You four are weird. I never would have thought that all of you, especially you, Hermione, could be like this. The well-behaved, rule-loving and all-knowing swot with her "Professor here and Professor there". A Gryffindor par excellence! Why are you so different?" He showed himself overwhelmed and looked around with eyes wide open, finding it downright incomprehensible, and he also talked with his hands, a view that amused all of us.

"What should I answer to this, Blaise? Not everything is as it seems. I am how I am. However, only a handful of people know how I truly am, and those who do are almost all here at the moment! I could add: it's all a disguise, and that would describe it most accurately, I think!"

"Okay, why a disguise? Though I have another question, that I'm finding difficult to articulate. You have… Well, you have…" He stuttered pathetically and I wanted to help him out of this uncomfortable situation.

"Yes, I did! I murdered someone. And yes, it was Bole and it was an unlucky situation. They spotted me in a Muggle area, recognised me, and were out for my blood. What should I say, I fought back and… I'm still alive!" I tried to outline what had happened, reclining with my arms crossed in front of my chest. I noticed how the Twins were bursting with curiosity and rolled my eyes. "It was very bloody, not nice at all!" I tried to take the wind out of their sails.

"Right and this is why we will think through what we're going to do today. Remember, you're not allowed to leave the house anymore, darling!" Draco said really nastily to me, giving me a soft kiss on the forehead. Did he really need to rub my captivity under my nose?

"Wait, Draco, how could you convince Snape to agree with teaching Hermione and us so fast? I mean the old mole usually isn't amiable like this?" the twins interjected totally reasonably.

"Well, even as a kid I was able to talk him around, and believe me, now that I am grown up and able to stand up to him, he is having a lot of fun. I think he is itching to do it with Hermione and get going. I don't believe it took him that long to bring himself to do it," he stated, grinning mischievously, whereas his words were unsurpassable in their double entendre.

"You do know how suggestively that sounded?" I asked him softly, leaning against him with my upper body.

"Yes, sure. But you also know, that I am right, suggestively speaking!" He breathed a kiss on my cheek.

"Now we have some questions. What is there to know about you, Blaise?" the Twins showed their cheek.

"Well, my mother marries one man after the other and carries them to their grave. I think it's her hobby!" The dark-skinned boy shrugged his shoulders.

"Blimey, man! You poor sod. How many did she outlive until now?"

"Half a year ago she buried the seventh husband," he rattled out with bad grace.

"Whaaaat? The seventh? Proud number. Wicked. Do you remember all of their names?" Fred asked, tactful as ever and less than nice.

"Well, I'm very glad that I was at Hogwarts the last years and so hadn't had to get to know my stepfathers. But it's my mother's life, I won't interfere!" he explained bluntly, Draco standing behind him and clasping his shoulder encouragingly.

"Furthermore our ladies' man here is no mope, he definitely possesses his mother's genes!" Draco grinned truly deviously.

"So the rumours circulating around Hogwarts are true?" The twins bursted out laughing and I frowned. I really didn't like to admit it, but I had no idea which rumours they were talking about!

"Oh, has our most beautiful know-it-all no idea which rumours we're speaking about?" George showed me what he thought about my lack of knowledge by teasing me mercilessly. While Draco smirked in amusement at these words, Blaise looked peeved.

"That he is picking up one girl after the other notwithstanding, but - ta-da! - he is rumoured to have hooked up with a Gryffindor girl! And… And talk, snake, is it _true_ , did you _do_?" both of them sang enthusiastically, caring more about rhyme than grammar.

"Yes, Blaise, I want to find out already, am I not the only snake taking a liking to lions?" Draco jumped on the bandwagon. I felt sorry for poor Blaise in the hot seat.

He rubbed his neck insecurely. "Yes, yes, I did crack a Gryffindor once. And before you demand a name: a gentleman never tells!" he declared with determination and I agreed, these fiends didn't have to know everything.

Even if now the guessing game was on: which Year, blonde, redhead, brunette, raven… The poor sod!

So we waited for Snape to return, but only got visited by a silver boa constrictor during dinner that informed us with his deep, dark voice that he would not come to the cottage before next night, but would arrive right after his meeting with Lucius, and reminded me to follow his exact instructions. In a way the boa matched the head of the house, it was truly impressive by its sheer size alone.

Thanks to the less than heartening instructions and constraints I still hadn't found a way to solve the open questions regarding the documents about Dumbledore, but I wasn't yet in a hurry, as I was just compiling all information from the files available to me at the moment.

And thus the evening of the next day came around and we were all awaiting the arrival of our esteemed, forever ill-tempered potions master.

The man in question had once again an unparalleled entrance. We were all gathered around the fireplace and talking about interesting and enlightening subjects relating to our society and the Muggle one.

Yes, all four boys had gone shopping without me! They had changed their appearance slightly, like charming their hair different colours and lengths, but had decided that it was too dangerous for me even with human transfiguration, and with an unanimous vote I had been condemned to stay back. Draco took over, as he had been shopping once before. I cite verbatim: "Listen to my command." Hey, they were going to a grocery store, not leading a charge… I don't know… against enemy lines.

But well, they were preparing for battle and even the Twins appeared very tense and hyper on the prospect of observing for themselves the unusual way Muggles got their groceries.

As soon as the group of four had left through the door, I started to worry. The chaotic, uncontrollable twins, a bossy and arrogant Malfoy and Blaise, who might be the calmest and most level-headed of the four of them, but so disconnected from the the non-magical-livestyle that these characteristics wouldn't help him a lot either. They all relied on Draco's knowledge, which he had earned from _one_ shopping trip.

I hoped this went smoothly. After hours of waiting, I was close to a panic attack and had activated the Galleon!

What do you want to hear? They had come home eventually! Always look at the bright side, all of them came back fine and in one piece! On the negative side, they had bought everything, literally everything. Unfortunately Draco had the same card I had, the ones which were almost identical to a Muggle credit card. He had explained proudly while giving me his biggest smile that he had gotten everything available from Gringotts to be prepared for every sort of financial emergency.

I hadn't known where to store all this stuff, they had bought everything and while they were thrilled about their spoils like little kids, I felt really old! They had brought everything from toilet cleaner to chocolate and sheep's cheese. In absolute disbelief I had even been able to spot some condoms. I didn't think they really knew what they were for, but _please, please don't let them get the stupid idea to inflate them._

The only thing I heard for a long while had been:

"What is this for?"

"And that?"

"Does it taste good?"

"Eww, disgusting," and then it flew into the trash. I mean I was happy about their expedition but it was still exhausting.

Thus we were sitting around the fireplace after a long day and I tried to give them a good general view of the Muggle world. It seemed to captivate my pureblood audience as even the Twins for all of Arthur's love for everything Muggle didn't know much about my world. It was astounding time and again how isolated the lives of wizards and witches were.

They had plundered the spices as well for they had reminded Draco of potions ingredients and he had bought all, and I mean all spices the grocery store had had available. Back at the cottage Draco had fervently brewed mulled wine after an old recipe. He had stood busily in front of the cooking pot like he would have in front of a highly explosive cauldron in the Potions classroom, wooden spoon up and ready and this time someone had thought to bring a camera, Twins be thanked!

We were warming our hands on cups of homemade mulled wine, when Snape's Patronus reappeared, snarling at us with the Professor's melodious, venomous voice to move our behinds and admit him into the house.

Draco jumped up faster than I could blink, rushing outside to let the impatient professor into the cottage.

The man arrived clad into a impressively cut, shimmering black cloak that I had never seen before, still shooting his mouth off.

"Why can't I enter on my own? I hate waiting!" he hissed, incensed. Draco just rolled his eyes.

"Professor, that's quite simple: even though you already know the Fidelius which is lying on the house, you are still not incorporated into the blood protection!" I apologized, beaming at him, but found myself extremely genius right now. Snape's glare lessened during my explanation; if I didn't knew any better I'd say he almost looked pleased.

"You have also a blood protection for the house. Well done, very well done! Am I right on the assumption that it was Gringotts who did this?" he asked casually, sinking down into the chair close to the fireplace very smoothly despite his robes. Draco also came back and sat down next to us on the cushions, summoning a mulled wine for Snape with a flick of his wand.

"That's correct, Professor. I hired Gringotts to perform it. I'm sorry, do you want to be included, too?" I offered indirectly, watching the cup with the hot beverage floating through our midst until he grabbed it expertly out of the air.

"No, Miss Granger, it is better to include as few people as possible. It's enough that I can see the property!" he informed me with familiar curtness, taking a sip from the mulled wine. When he closed his eyes, it looked for a moment as if slight signs of exhaustion or tiredness showed on his features, that were normally hidden by his blank mask. I shot Draco a questioning glance and he confirmed my assumption with the concern present in his eyes when he looked at his godfather.

"You came here from your meeting with Father?" Draco dared to break the silence that had spread around our group.

"Yes," Snape now opened his piercing eyes which were downright glowing in his pale face. "I… We had some tasks to take care of, very time consuming; and the need to endure Bellatrix strained my nerves…" I giggled lightly, which brought me confused looks. "What has you so amused, Miss Granger?" he hissed not so amused.

"I think it is a pity you can't give Draco's aunt detention! Judging from what Draco tells us she's also driving his father to the edge of insanity!" I explained shortly, shrugging, and drank the delicious spiced wine after toasting him.

"Nonsense, Lucius is used to it thanks to Narcissa. As a matter of fact he and Bellatrix talked about you, Miss Granger. If I could, I would ship her directly back to Azkaban, she is totally out of her mind. He forbid her to harm you, if she crosses your way. He doesn't want you dead and believe me, when Lucius reinforces his demands even Bellatrix will obey him… just like everyone else, too." he declared matter-of-factly and less than enthusiastically.

"But the Lestranges are his most loyal followers, aren't they? Why should they obey Mr. Malfoy?" asked Blaise eagerly interested while leaning with his back against the foot of the couch.

"Mr. Zabini, that's not quite correct. Bellatrix and the Lestranges might be loyal and part of the inner circle, but they are not nearly in the position Lucius or I am in. Nobody would follow Bellatrix' command if Lucius had given a contrary order!" he offered us insight into the power structure of the Death Eaters, snorting snidely. "Precisely, and as Lucius knows how crazy she can act, he ordered Bellatrix, for the unlikely case that you, Miss Granger, run into her, not to harm you! Which, as much as it hurts me to admit it, is worth something considering your luck!" he taunted me with his usual spite.

However, my only thought was that it was nice that I was no longer alone; he saw it like I did, that I was out of luck! Maybe I should have a discussion with him about my luck and lack thereof. I sneaked a peek at him sitting in the armchair as if it was a throne and bit my lip. I had half a mind to actually ask him. But would I find the courage? That was a whole other topic.

"Oh Merlin, what is Father planing if he is already issuing orders?"

"Not much yet, the Lord is keeping him occupied, so he has little time for his private amusements. But he is plotting… to ambush you - at the latest on Easter - in your family home if you leave the school." Snape leaned forward threateningly, his long hair framing his face, the tips nearly grazing me. As I was sitting to his left on the floor at his feet, he was now staring directly into my eyes, our noses almost touching.

I don't want to know what the others were thinking when they saw us like this, intimately close to each other, but I didn't feel the urge to change it. Actually I didn't feel threatened at all. I stored information away in my mind and quickly started to figure out a solution, whilst I still looked into Snapes opaque, black eyes. I could watch how his focus shifted from my eyes to my lips when I licked them with the tip of my tongue. Then, I could hear a stifled gasp and knew with absolute certainty that it wasn't Draco. Meaning it had to be Blaise or the Twins, or maybe even all of them together?

"Professor, is Lucius really raising the stakes that fast? What should we do? Let me think…" I whispered into the quiet room, sinking my teeth into my lower lip and pulling it back. "Mh-hm… That doesn't fit into my plans… He can't get hold of me before the summer holidays…!" I noticed how his dark eyebrows shot upwards when he heard my logical calculus and he caught my eyes again. Suddenly, he swiftly grabbed my upper arms with both hands and squeezed.

"You silly girl, aren't you seeing the danger for yourself, but for your parents too?" he snarled in a low voice, tightly holding onto me, which made me giggle softly. "You are driving me mad," he stated, frustrated, and pushed me firmly away from himself, making me topple backwards into the pillows from where I was able to see the boys' unbelieving and skeptical faces.

"But Professor, where would be the fun? However, returning back to earnest!" I resolutely straightened up with Draco's help. "I am actually serious: will you be able to hold him back until the summer break? I'm not going to be free and prepared until after the first week of summer. If Malfoy won't be able to restrain himself it would ruin all my plans, my carefully worked out plans." I declared with irritation when I considered the potential circumvention of all my careful preparations. "Gringotts, or rather Mr. Rangok would get a heart attack when I'd have to change all my plans!"

"What brilliant schemes are you concocting that you're going to be so free to decide after the holidays and would even be ready to face Lucius?" he asked caustically and indignantly. I could feel Draco's hand on my neck, how he started to caress me gently, as he knew what I was planning. Snape saw the intimate gesture as well although he didn't comment on it.

"I prefer not to talk about my plans until they are successfully executed!" I said mysteriously.

"Miss Granger, stop the silly games. You are not in the position to be able to behave like that. What are you planning that you will have less to worry about later?" he asked relentlessly and I felt Draco getting closer and whispering into my ear from behind me:

"Tell him, he won't stop to bother you otherwise," he advised me, kissing my ear softly.

I took a deep breath. "I have planned to be alone and stay alone after the first week of summer break. That means no attack potential anymore," I explained quite economically, not in the mood to be informative.

"Pardon?"

"As I said it, I will eliminate the sole element of uncertainty that exists in my life: my parents!" I smiled coldly and ruthlessly. A collective gasp could be heard from those sitting around me.

Snape surprised us all when he grasped his chin and sank back into the armchair. "That is good, very good. I had truly underestimated what you would be ready to do! You decided this summer to take this course of action?" he enquired, intrigued, and astonished even me. He didn't play the moralist, simply sounded out the facts with ice-cold determination. "I see you all taken aback. Why? Miss Granger is right to want to do what she does. She has address the problem rationally, coldly and analytically and has drawn the right and entirely correct conclusions. She'll make her only obvious vulnerability disappear!" he concluded not without appreciation.

"Hermione and I are marvelling about your lack of preaching and that you aren't telling her that she can't do it!" Draco spelled out my thoughts.

"Why should I? By now I am distinctly aware that the good Miss Granger does only what she thinks is right and doesn't let anybody dictate her what to do! Although I am curious what exactly you are planning to do, Miss Granger?" His voice sounded almost sugary, in stark contrast to his dark scowl.

"I don't want to detail the specifics, you'll see it when it happens, but it is well thought out… You'll be satisfied. However, I don't think I can prepone everything to Easter!"

"Well, I can promise you to help, but afterwards I want all the details, Miss Granger," it came quite uncompromisingly from him and i nodded, showing my assent. "Alright, I'll manage to distract Lucius until summer and you will stay at Hogwarts!" he made his demands.

"Fair enough. Thank you, sir!" I beamed at him.

"There isn't much to add. Stay away from the streets. How will you all get back to Hogwarts? Only two days left until the end of the holidays," he continued to plan. Our professor was a very single-minded man.

We were all impressed, exchanging looks of admiration. He thought of everything. We nodded unanimously, we had talked about it already.

"We will apparate to Hogsmeade and pretend that we travelled with the Knight Bus," I told him and he nodded slowly.

"That is good, but go as 'Abraxina' until you reach Hogwarts," he recommended, enunciating the word with as much contempt as he was capable of. Then something else seemed to cross his mind.

"Did you induct Potter as proposed, as I will have the honour to teach him the art soon?" He sounded less than happy and I knew he meant Occlumency.

"Do you think that is a good idea?" I asked very doubtfully. Why did Dumbledore demand something like that from Snape? I didn't believe for a second that was a beneficial constellation: Harry and Snape in the same room!

"I agree, but what shall we do… We will see. And, did you…?" he asked again curiously, albeit his expression demonstrated indifference.

"Naturally. Since the great incident he is looking into the books. The rest… as you said, we'll see."

"Good. Then everything is dealt with," he summarized gruffly.

"It is always a pleasure to have you here," I stated, smirking, and stood up to escorte him politely to the door as I had understood his implication that we were finished.

"Gentlemen!"

"Professor, sir," everybody chorused well-behaved, unbelievable but true.

In the corridor, I wanted to open the door and kindly hold it open for the professor, when he put his hand against the wood so I couldn't pull it open. Confused, I looked back over my shoulder and saw him towering over me, his outline barely discernible.

"What are you planning to do with your parents. You won't… kill them, right?" he whispered in a very low voice, staring intently into my eyes.

I whispered back just as quietly: "You aren't putting much past me, Professor. Let yourself get surprised. The plan is ingenious, you'll see!" I smirked deviously.

"Don't do anything you might regret!" he stated solemnly, laying his big but slender hands over my own, and pulled the door open.

I couldn't really say where he was, as he got one with the darkness of the night almost instantly and I couldn't make out more than the bleak blackness in front of me.

* * *

 _Review feedback:_

 _ **Kragh50:** Hermione wrote the location on the piece of paper, Draco just handed it out. Not the most secure method, I give you that. And Severus is full of surprises!  
_

 _ **gentledove2:** Thank's for capturing that slip. It got somewhere lost in translation. Three pairs of eyes don't seem to be enough to eliminate every mistake. I edited a 'today' to read 'tomorrow' instead. Don't know if there is someplace else where the times got mixed up.  
_

 _ **sjrodgers23:** That is one big question. I don't think Lucius is very easy to kill, one might die trying. But we'll see what Hermione and the rest will do about him ;)_

 _Glad you all liked it!_


	65. Hogwarts, Here We Come!

Chapter beta: Welcome our new beta, Olivia! And my heart and soul, Dani.

Chapter translator: (Svenja,) Sophie & Aivy

* * *

 **Hogwarts, here we come!**

The next days were filled with a welcome but unfamiliar harmony. Are you even able to picture that? Well, neither was I. The last time I remember having had time for contemplation was very long ago, so I truly enjoyed it to fullest. Draco and I slept with each other as often as we could and savoured any minute we were close together. We both feared the long and lonely nights awaiting us back at Hogwarts.

I hadn't known what I was missing before. Until now I had never shared a bed with someone for a whole night, only for a short tumble. However, after experiencing it with Draco I could hardly imagine the emptiness in my bed and knew that I would miss him and his bewitching scent.

Blaise had excellently integrated himself in our group. He was an 'insider' now; we liked him very much, and so did he in return. Besides, it would have been positively impossible to hide everything from him.

Since Draco overcame his inhibitions and opened up, he and Blaise finally mastered the gap between them to become true friends again. I was really happy for him, I could sense that something must have happened in their past, though I'd never asked about the details. In Hogwarts their friendship had been very superficial, but after this one week in the cottage together with us it had grown strong again.

He needed a male friend to bond with. And even if Ron was sometimes really annoying he could be a friend to Harry in a way I would never be able to. And now Draco had Blaise, it would be good for him when he didn't have to deal with all problems by himself anymore.

I knew what I was talking about. In our little group I was the vibrant, female flower and sometimes, just sometimes, I wished I also had a female person to talk to. Even in Hogwarts there were only Harry and Ron. Just imagine me telling Ginny, Pav, or even Lav about my life… I guess they would be so hysteric, I could ship them to the infirmary immediately, followed by an Obliviate or an Amnesia spell.

Anyway, I had survived until now without a female best friend and would continue doing so. As soon as I heard the girls' high and squeaky voices, the little spark of desire inside me would burn out. I couldn't stand them, they always gave me a headache.

And the Twins, well, they were on a completely different page. I believe Draco and Blaise were both extremely sad about the fact that the two hadn't been sorted into Slytherin and expressed it unequivocally. For Fred and George it was the greatest compliment and they showed their appreciation openly. With the exception of Lee, their one true friend, the both of them had no real friends at Hogwarts, just like me. They were just too 'subtle' for most people, to describe it roughly. They were admired, but also feared, for their revenge was legendary.

Blaise didn't know about the Twins as a couple, but I was pretty sure he already suspected something. He was extremely observant and analytical, and his power of deduction was outstanding. He must have noticed the loving way they interacted, even if they tried to avoid showing most of their affections.

So the Twins and the two snakes were bosom buddies. I was still amazed since I hadn't really expected this to happen, but found it great that they were still able to surprise me after all. I knew we all would miss the time here and only the hope to come back brightened our mood. I had given all of them permission to live here, no matter when or why. We also included Blaise into the blood protection, as he was very much on his own in the world.

The fact that Snape wanted to train us in depth, especially me, gave me an indescribable tingle of pleasant anticipation. I admired this man for his obvious and undeniable sharp wit and powerful skills. To be in the privileged position to learn from a master in so many areas left me overwhelmed. There could have been no better Christmas present for me!

Even though thinking of being alone with him so often and getting so close to him gave me quite a queasy feeling. Where would this end or lead to? Hopefully he wouldn't kill me, or I him. I'd just have to wait and see.

Luckily the others didn't ask any further about my parents after Snape had left. I was very thankful, but it left me a bit melancholic since I knew this general agreement wouldn't last long. Sooner rather than later, I would be around people who would start asking me to death again, so I was really grateful about their behavior.

How was I supposed to think about the fact that my professor trusted me to do something _unforgivable_ to my parents? His warning 'Do not do what you could be sorry about' was quite meaningful. Had he changed his standpoint towards me? Apparently he really thought I could…yes, what, _kill my own parents_?! How flattering that he believed I was willing to do anything. Well I was, just a little different than he thought. Though I was really eager to find out his reaction when he would realise that his worst concerns had come true. Would he _despise_ or _understand_ me? I mean his reaction had already been uncommon when I had told him a little bit and it had left Draco and me astonished. But how would he react when I would put my plans into practice? I would let myself get surprised!

"Now it's going back to Hogwarts!" we could hear Blaise exclaiming sadly, expressing his absolute displeasure to go back.

"Why aren't you excited?" asked Fred whilst we all put on our coats and I did the exhausting transformation into Abraxina again.

"What…? Um, no, it's just, this break was so cool, you don't want to go back to school!" he explained while watching me, mesmerized by the transformation.

"Woah, how amazing is this?" The Devils were almost going nuts.

"Crazy, you look just like Draco's sister!"

"You could be a Metamorphmagus with how completely you changed your look!" the Twins nearly screamed, totally astonished. Their astonishment didn't come as a surprise to me, given that they hadn't seen my disguise before. Draco smiled archly and pulled me, his "sister", into a deep kiss.

"I got a corny saying on the tip of my tongue, Draco, but I better keep quiet!" George said sheepishly and scratched his head. He hinted at his relationship with Fred, very funny!

I disentangled myself from Draco and breathed deeply, looking at him mischievously.

"My dear friends, it is not easy to maintain and requires a lot of concentration as well as power. Let's go, so I'll be able to keep it up until we arrive at Hogwarts!" I requested and with that we apparated to Hogsmeade and were greeted by the unfriendly, wet, and cold winter weather of Scotland.

"This is terrible weather; at least it was mild around the cottage!" Draco nagged in a bad mood, pulling his hood down into his face along with the rest of us.

"We don't know how to tell you, but Hogwarts is in the north and it is winter," the Twins' retort came very smartly.

"Quiet!" I barked at them, as a grumpy, whining Malfoy wouldn't stop and the Twins would only infuriate him more and more. To stop them, I casted a powerful Impervius over the group, making our clothes water-repellent so the rain couldn't harm them.

"Her… Abraxina, do you think it's wise to throw such a spell over all of us? You have to strain yourself the most even without doing that," a worried Blaise said circumspectly and I touched his arm graciously.

"It's alright, Blaise! If I am ever not capable to endure that, I can throw myself at Lucius' feet immediately." I laughed, brushing his concern aside.

"Thanks, my love, it's much better this way! I didn't even think of that spell," a thankful Draco interjected and I took his arm. In the distance we could see the impressive castle high above us. It was always a glorious sight and my heart beat faster in my chest when I spotted it. It was an honour to be allowed to lie hear, even if I already was out of ideas how I would juggle my activities. I fervently wished for my time-turner to come back.

"Hurry up… How are we going to proceed when we will have managed to reach the castle?" the Twins asked curiously.

"Look out!" Blaise hissed all of a sudden and we saw a group of at least five bulky adults clad in dark colours, lurking around in a corner and looking alert.

"Damn, I recognize Wilkes and Yaxley. They were certainly instructed by Father to be here!" Draco whispered to us, quickening his gait with his head down.

"Do you believe it's about her, or Harry?" the Twins asked worriedly.

"If you ask me that: both. Don't look!" he commanded. "We'll go to the dungeons quickly and show you a secret passage that you may not yet know. Then you can turn back into Gryffindors and then ... then you go to the tower!" Draco finished, and we all fell into thoughtful silence. We braved wind and rain and walked past the group as calmly, civilly and unobtrusively as possible.

At least now we knew that our safety precautions had not been without reason, and so I felt validated in my actions, though I hated to transform myself. I was already afraid of the transformation back into Hermione.

When we arrived at the castle there was quite a bit of bustle, even though most would arrive by train this evening. With everyone covering themselves against the weather, our little group did not stand out. We arrived in the dungeons quickly and unseen, continued down the corridor and stopped in front of a tapestry featuring a battle scene of magical animals in the Forbidden Forest. Blaise carefully pulled it away from the wall so we could all slip into the passage.

"Cool, we didn't know this one yet!" one of the Twins exclaimed happily. We all shed the heavy cloaks while the Twins looked around excitedly. There wasn't much to see besides grey stones, but well, if that excited them, they were welcome.

While they were distracted, I started the transformation, nearly wincing when the pain hit me when the bone structure of my face revered back to its natural form. The hair on my head pulled uncomfortably on my scalp as well. I grimaced at the rubbery feeling, rubbing my hands over it as I wanted to regain feeling in my face.

"Wicked, how icky is that? Your skin looked like rubber!" Thank you, very tactful, guys. Now I had the confirmation that it not only felt like it, it looked like it as well. Thanks, guys!

Draco rolled his eyes upon the Twin's heartfelt sympathy.

"Was it that bad?" he asked with concern, glaring at the two redheads while caressing my burning cheek gently. It was still stinging slightly under my skin, but it wasn't painful anymore.

"It's okay, still quite uncomfortable. Do I at least look pretty again?" I asked vainly, which made the others snicker.

"Beautiful, darling!" he declared and kissed me again. Now it was time to say goodbye. We could hear the Twins and Blaise whisper, however, they let us have a moment of our own. Draco pulled me close and I leant heavily against him. He broke our liplock, kissing my forehead instead. "Now we are back. I want you to visit me often in the dungeons, please!"

"Alright, I'll come to you after my lessons with Snape whenever possible. Okay?" I disenganged myself from him and turned away determinedly.

"Do that, my Mudblood!" He showed himself now honestly happy, slapping my butt playfully.

"Hey, my Pureblood. Where are your manners?" I scolded with pretend cheek.

"Two squirrels absconded with it!" He laughed diabolically and the Twins immediately jeered in protest.

"Bye, Blaise. Look after him!" I asked of our new friend.

"Sure, most beautiful. I'll keep Pansy away from him as well!" he grinned radiantly, having borrowed the Twin's pet name for me.

"Don't listen to him. Pansy is annoying as hell!" Draco objected.

"You'll do it."

"To battle. Let the lion roar!" the Twins yelled and rushed the piddling stairs.

"Whaat... ? We are already there? What a ingenious secret passageway is that?" They beamed at each other blissfully and waved at the snakes still standing downstairs. "And we only just learnt about it…!" they cried in dismay, amusing the other two boys.

Thus, we left the Slytherins behind and returned to our tower after Christmas.

There weren't many Gryffindors populating the tower yet, mostly those that had stayed during the holidays and a few that had returned using different ways to get back than the train. However, Harry, Ron and Ginny were there and jumped to their feet when they saw me and the Twins, rushing over to greet us. Their presence took us by surprise.

"Hermione, Fred, George!" they yelled, flinging their arms around our necks.

"Caution! Easy… It's nice to see you!" We greeted everybody.

"Where is Lee?" Ginny enquired.

"Um, he had to take care of something family-related and wanted to follow later with the Knight Bus!" The lie fell smoothly from the Twins' lips, sounding totally convincing, and technically speaking it wasn't even a lie, they had actually arranged that Lee would arrive via Knight Bus.

"And you, Hermione, shouldn't you have arrived with the train?" Ginny probed further. Do you see now what I meant when I said that it was nice that I hadn't tell every little detail to the rest of our circle? Here you had to be afraid to do anything because you had to report everything to a tee and justify your every action, too.

"I met the two of them in the bus. I didn't want to endure the train ride on my own," I said with a fake smile, noticing Harry's blank look. What was up with him?

"Fair enough. I would have done the same," Ron declared while we went to claim our usual seats around the fireplace.

Suddenly, Harry pulled me close and hugged me before I had the chance to sit down, tight enough that I thought he wanted to crush me. Hey, what was that about? I breathed into his ear "Harry, what?" and he whispered back:

"We have to talk!" and let go abruptly.

I was flummoxed for a second, but carried on and asked everybody: "Please tell, what happened at Grimmauld Place? How is Arthur?"

"Yes, how is dad doing?" the Twins chimed in with concern.

"He is well. It's a pity you didn't get to see him, but he is improving. Mum is fussing over him like a hen over its unhatched chicks. It's hilarious," Ron recounted, Ginny nodding in agreement.

"He is much better! It's the reason they sent us back via port key, that's why we are back already!" We all breathed in relief. The explanation was plausible as well.

"That's good and well. But please excuse us, business is calling," the Twins stated and waved goodbye. Everything was back to business as usual.

"I have nothing to tell, just a calm, peaceful Christmas. What else did happen at your's?" I asked the others curiously.

"Nothing. Absolutely boring. But something happened after we got back. Our ladies' man here has something to tell," Ron related with excitement while Ginny's face fell at his words and Harry's cheek had gotten a slight red tinge. Their reactions pointed me to the right answer.

"Cho," I said simply, getting astonished looks in return as if I was psychic. Alas, that was one of the few things I would never master: Divination and the caring and rearing of plants. However, to read Harry, Ron, and Ginny wasn't something I would call inextricably difficult.

"Yes! Woah, how do you know that?" Ron looked at me in awe with big, blue eyes. Harry on the other hand had simply raised one of his eyebrows.

"Come on, I know you. Now, spill it, Harry," I requested, but with a strained expression as I remembered our talk before the holiday. The way Harry looked he had still pinned his hopes on the overly emotional girl. Couldn't Sirius get anything right, I thought resentfully.

"Cho was in the courtyard when we arrived and approached me… You still remember our last DA meeting? Well, she asked me out to the next Hogsmeade weekend," he explained and I groaned in reply, looking at him doubtfully. He answered with a vague shrug of his shoulders. Okay, I wouldn't address the topic in front of Ginny, but in my eyes he tried to tell me that we weren't finished.

"You accepted," I surmised and he nodded. Figures. But please, I could tell him already that it would go pear shaped and he would be upset again. However, I wouldn't stop him, everybody had to make their own choices and mistakes.

"Ginny, do you have a minute?" We could hear Colin shout from another corner of the room and she glanced annoyed in the direction of her classmate.

"Yes, I'm coming! You… sorry!" She shot Harry an intense look out of brown eyes. _Well, Harry, snap her. Ginny would spread her legs for you in a second_ , I thought derisively, but didn't say a word.

"Now that Ginny is gone," Harry started and I gave him my attention, "Snape showed up in the kitchen on our last day. Sorry, Ron, but I wanted to have Hermione there when I tell you. Well, Sirius was there as well and… and he said I would have to learn Occlumency from him. Dumbledore's order! Every Thursday evening. Why doesn't Dumbledore teach me himself? I mean, I read your books and meditate in bed, which is totally not my thing. But Snape?! He doesn't like it, too. And you know what? For the first time I'm in complete agreement with him!" Harry looked feverish. "I mean, the books say it's all connected with the mind, and memory, and thoughts. Shouldn't you do that with someone you trust or like and not someone who hates you?" he stated absolutely correct and comprehensible questions. Snape and I had asked the same.

"Harry, I really don't understand or like it either that he chooses to force you both, Snape as well as you. But we haven't been able to understand his actions for quite some time, have we?" I remarked diplomatically.

"Uh, guys, do I have to understand what you're talking about?" Ron looked around helplessly.

"No, Ron, it's just about learning, an extra-curricular assignment," I clarified gruffly.

"I see! I had thought… Do we want to go and grab some food?" he asked cluelessly, standing up and stretching his limbs, his stomach growling loudly.

"In a moment, Ron. I just have to go to the special room with Hermione. We will follow shortly. Is that alright?" Harry asked Ron while looking at me with a clear request.

"Alright, mate. Until later," Ron rushed out to get to his dearly yearned for meal.

"Are you coming, Hermione?" Harry prompted me to follow him, which I did quietly.

Thus we walked silently through the dim darkness of the deserted corridors, which was only interrupted by some sparse torches on the walls, spreading their soft light. On our walk we were accompanied by the watchful gazes of the portraits on the walls until we turned into the floor where our special room was located. Here the wall hangings predominating weren't as snoopy as their painted colleagues.

Harry wished himself a room. It was surprisingly small and cosy. There were only one settee and a fireplace, nothing more. The room was decked in dark brown and beige tones, apparently he wasn't feeling cheerful.

"What was it you wanted to talk about, Harry?" I enquired. He sat down, nervously pressing his lips together.

"You first, Hermione. Say something about Cho!" he pleaded jittery.

"What could I say that I haven't said last time? I wish you well, although I don't think that she will make you happy!" I explained myself, squeezing his hand encouragingly.

"Yes, I know; and though I already acknowledged your position. She asked me out and I want to give us… me the chance!" he countered determinedly.

"Then so be it, Harry. I'll keep my fingers crossed!"

"Thanks! Snape next. You knew about the Occlumency already. Wherefrom?" he asked, from one second to the next mistrustful and much more self-confident.

"Do you think I am blind? Wherefrom? It is the only possible protection for the mind, therefrom! Though even if I think that your antipathy towards Snape is exaggerated, I don't understand why Dumbledore wants Snape to teach it to you. However, I really ask you to take the lessons seriously, Snape or not!" I tried to express urgently how important this was.

"Sirius said that as well. However, I'm a little bit scared. Tomorrow is the first lesson…" He ran his hand through his untidy hair anxiously.

"It will be alright… It has to be!" I sounded doubtful.

"We will see. Something strange happened back then. We were all sitting in the kitchen when Snape showed up and spewed some cryptic stuff at Sirius… For example if he knew where the magpie was and something about Malfoy Senior. He refused to tell us anything about who, what, how, or where. Sirius even run after Snape, but he too refused firmly to explain anything. Do you know what they were talking about or do you suspect something?" Harry related with agitation and I had to restrain laughter with difficulty. Wasn't it lovely when a spell was showing positive results? I was very happy and congratulated myself for my circumspection and far-sightedness.

"Strange, Harry, very strange. What is going on between Sirius and Snape?" I pretended to be innocent. However, I believed to see something flashing in the deepest depths of the green soul mirrors represented by Harry's eyes when I denied to know something. Was I deceiving myself or imagining something?

"It's a bummer that you don't know anything. Not even an assumption?" he wasn't letting it go.

"No, none!" I lied to him again.

"Well then, I wanted to tell you about our visit to St. Mungos. I remember you telling us about Neville. Well, we've met his grandmother as she visited his parents in the closed ward…"

"Poor Neville, it has to be horrible!"

"Yes, it was, but there was also Lockhart - he's still not right in the head - and another patient, also a long time patient of the Department for Spell Damage, a certain Broderick Bode. He was completely out of his mind, but starting to speak a little bit again. He got a super ugly potted plant with very long tentacles as a christmas present. Strange department, truly a pity you haven't been with us. I just can't forget this plant; I mean even Neville's plant, which he had with him on the train at the time, looked like a beauty against it.

"I truly missed you, Harry!" I admitted suddenly and honestly. I would have liked to have him with me in the cottage, it would have made me all around happy. "Did something occur with this thing?" I didn't let him get a word in edgewise, pointing at his scar.

"No, thank god, no!" He looked up, relieved. "Are you going to join us in Hogsmeade, in case something goes wrong?" Heaven help, when he already approached the matter like this. I knew I wasn't allowed to leave Hogwarts. However, I couldn't leave my best friend alone in such a situation, he already had to deal with so much on his own.

"Of course I'll accompany you!" I promised, knowing that it was a mistake, but he was my friend and I couldn't think only of myself. The others would kill me.

"Thanks, Hermione, I can always rely on you!" He threw himself at me and hugged me tightly, but in honesty this time.

"Harry, why were you acting funny earlier, when I came in?" I dared to ask after this hug.

He rubbed his arms self-consciously. "I talked with Sirius and he said I should be careful with you!" I thought I had misunderstood him at first. What did this mutt think? _Argh Sirius, I'll kill you, when I get my hands on you next time_ , I promised myself.

"What…?" I huffed in indignation and, now my acting skills were required, added in a hurt voice: "Why?" Tears shimmered on my long lashes, imitating a beaten Cho. However, inside of me a storm was raging. How dare Sirius to shake Harry's confidence in me?

"Shsh, Hermione, I didn't mean it like that. Don't cry, love! Please! He only said that he knew from experience that still waters run deep, and that not everybody is always as it seems!" he appeared slightly frantic, quickly trying to explain himself.

"Yes, but Harry, why does Sirius says something like this? I thought he liked me. I… You and I, we helped him escape from the tower. I really thought he liked me," I cried theatrically. If that wasn't enough for an Oscar, I didn't know what would be

"I had a row with him right then, and we left things out of sorts," Harry admitted, sad and incensed at the same time.

"Harry, no, not because of me. You like Sirius so much," I protested. They weren't supposed to fight over me, especially since Sirius was right. Alas, in itself it was the mutt's own fault, I only felt sorry for Harry.

"I don't understand what's his problem," he cried out frustrated, "I mean he does know what we have been through together; I would trust you with my life! Please, don't cry, I can't take it!" I sniffed into a hanky and straightened up. Harry was so kind. "I don't understand what has gotten into Sirius. He owes you his life and thanks you like this. This is not the Sirius I know!" he exclaimed with vigour, disappointment and bewilderment.

"And you'll always be able to trust me, Harry. I swear! Sirius though… Maybe being locked-in is getting to him. He exchanged one prison for another," I tried to explain and justify one of Sirius' mental blackouts once more.

"Maybe. Nonetheless, are you keeping something from me?" Uh-oh. Harry was growing up, believe it or not. Even if he was getting closer to me and my secrets, I could only be elated about this development of his. "I can see it! I saw it the moment you stepped into the common room! What is it, Hermione? Trust me!" he now begged me softly for my trust.

"Yes, Harry, a lot," I admitted truthfully. The friendship I felt for this boy required it, and if he finally managed to open his eyes I wouldn't have to lead him around by the nose all the time.

His eyes opened wide behind his glasses and he looked at me in disbelief when he heard my tone, understanding the meaning which went with it.

"What, how much, Hermione?" he asked, confused "What are you not telling us... _me_?

I now got up and walked to the fireplace before turning around again. I would now, for the very first time, show Harry my true colours. It wasn't easy, absolutely not!

"Does not every person have something he or she doesn't tell?" I started and he nodded at this statement. "Well, I am the same… I promise you, one day I will tell you everything, but please don't push me. I ask this of you, in the name of our friendship. And please don't even think about following me… Seriously! I am on the trail of something and do a lot of research. And the facts I already know, well, you wouldn't like them, though please don't ask me about them now! I don't want to say anything to you until I have all the facts together. You know me!"

"Hermione, I am happy about your openness. And yes, I know how you can be, like a terrier that has gotten his teeth into something! I have always trusted you and won't start to mistrust you now. I promise you to neither follow you around nor to probe further. Just give me a clue, please?" he asked solemnly and I was so dumbfounded and grateful that Harry behaved like Draco, Blaise and the Twins and didn't pick everything to pieces, giving me the chance to choose the time when I wanted to bring him into the loop. He hadn't been like this before, I knew that. He would have pestered me, argued with me. He was really growing up!

"Hearing you say that, Harry, means a lot to me!" I dried my tears. "Dumbledore," I gave in to his request and it was the only thing I said.

"What do you mean?" He looked up, intrigued.

"The past, but don't ask more; I think in a few month I'll know more!" Now I had a Harry in front of me that was deep in thought. "Don't worry about it, it's useless. Let me do it, I am better at this. And now let's go, otherwise we won't get anything to eat and you're still growing!" We both laughed and we knew the matter was partly resolved.

And thus we departed harmoniously and tightly entwined. Sirius' attempt to banish me from Harry's side had backfired. We were once again closer as before. Tomorrow we would be faced with more challenges and we would face them together.

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 **Kragh50 & sjrodgers23: **The two of you warm my heart with your steady reviews. Please let them keep coming! Next week we will hear the lioness roar ;)


	66. When the Lioness Roars

Chapter beta: Dani & Olivia, (Deeylla)

Chapter translator: Sophie, Svenja, Lea & Aivy

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 **When the Lioness Roars**

The next morning came as suddenly as always, and I got myself ready for my daily run. It was unbelievable how fast my body had gotten used to this daily obligation, but it felt good.

I couldn't forget Harry after yesterday. I knew I had assured him of my trustworthiness but I was also sure about the fact that a little bit of mistrust would still remain. It was a completely natural reaction, but it confronted me with a problem: I promised Snape not to leave the school for Easter, but I was unsure how viable that promise would be now. I needed to fill up the last holes in Dumbledore's vita and that would require a visit to Godric's Hollow - yet another thing I had to plan for.

Lessons after Christmas followed the usual pattern and sadly Umbridge hadn't gone missing over the holidays. She and Harry did their best to make each other's life difficult with their mutual antipathy, which is hard to believe, but nonetheless true. So it was up to me to calm Harry down after the day's lessons had ended. I even meditated with him to stabilise his mental shields, otherwise they would crumble in mere seconds. My problem was that in the last five years Snape had managed to ingrain into Harry's mind the belief that, no matter what he did in Snape's classes, his work would never be up to par; let alone good.

This was the main reason he had little… Nah, not even that, he had absolutely no confidence in his ability to master this particular field of magic. Adding to that, in Harry's eyes Occlumency was a more nebulous part of wizardry that he couldn't grasp and we had a recipe for disaster. I fully understood his wish to keep his intimate thoughts and feelings to himself, especially his desire to not divulge them to anyone, especially Snape. I wouldn't want anyone to read my mind as well, no matter who.

After sending Harry down to his damnation in the dungeons, I kept laying on his bed in the dorm and thought about a question I had successfully repressed until now. What would I do if Snape decided to call me again? It had been a surprisingly long time since his last call, most likely due to time restraints, seeing as he had multiple people keeping him busy. Nonetheless, I was pretty sure that I would hear from him again, maybe not in the next couple of days, but soon.

I had decided to stop nagging Draco about his feelings on the matter. He would only tell me the same "Snape is family" bullshit. Given that he never tried to talk to me about it, I just assumed his opinion hadn't changed. Maybe he wasn't inclined to change his opinion and didn't like to be reminded of it. Thinking about this as a possibility strengthened my resolve to not pester Draco again.

Lost in thought, my hand moved to the edge of my uniform skirt, moving my pointer finger below it to feel the mark that graced my skin since Christmas. I had hoped that I would be able to hide it, but given that I already tried multiple illusion spells - even the dark ones - and none of them had given me the desired result… and so my last resort was the unicorn blood, but it was far too valuable for a test run, thus I would only use it if a situation made it unavoidable.

I groaned. If this didn't work out, I would have to think of a position, where he wouldn't be able to see my stomach. The only reason why I was still keeping my hopes up was that I never yet had needed to take my clothes off. Though I knew myself that with my luck, he would want to see me completely naked next time for sure! Oh yes, I could just imagine it.

Frustrated, I stared at the canopy on top of my bed whilst my thoughts drifted from Harry to Snape, back and forth. _Snape, always Snape_ , I smiled wistfully. No, time to think of something different!

As I laid there I also thought with horror about my own dorm-mates. Lav, Pav, and my other two roommates had already managed to drive me crazy with their cackling after only the first night! Could you even imagine what they had been talking about?

 _RON!_

Yes, I am serious! They gossiped about how good he looked and that Lav fancied him! _Ron_ \- _the heartthrob!_ When I heard it at first, I had really thought I had simply misunderstood them or they'd finally gone mad. But hey, if they wanted to, that was fine with me. Though the worst was yet to be mentioned - that behind closed curtains I still had to hear them discussing his amazing body, sexy butt, how attractive his freckles were, and - yes, I couldn't believe it either - how funny he was?! I mean, Ron had many characteristics, but he was definitely _not_ funny!

There was something even more ridiculous: First, they'd have to eliminate the competition - which was me, Hermione - because apparently, _I had a crush on Ron._ I had a what?! Good thing that I didn't know about this! And they had asked Pav if she had noticed the covetous glances I had given him. I had thought that I was listening to a joke, a very bad one though. I'd rather share a bed with Snape, Lucius and Draco at the same time than once with Ron! And the looks I had given him were reprimanding but certainly not covetous. Were the cackling hens out of their minds? I was seething inside, fervently wishing to be with Draco. What had I done to deserve those maniacs?

Some hours later, shortly before curfew, Ron and I were sitting near the fireplace. He had snatched Dean and was flattening him at chess. I was often wondering how someone with such a great strategic talent, such an exceptionally gifted chess player could be… I don't know, so unstructured and immature in the everyday life. But well, that was Ron. Maybe someday he would change.

So I worked through my book 'Black Magic Curses for Every Occasion'. It was very enthralling, though downright nauseating in parts, especially the illustrious, very detailed drawings. Fascinating. What was that? Here the body was slowly turning inside out, the intestines were expelled through the throat. Thanks to the moving pictures easily comprehensible. Oh… At last the heart emerged, still beating? Inventive! It seemed incredibly painful and the book said that afterwards the victim was left without organs, everything was puked out. Interesting! A slow, painful death for someone you couldn't stand at all, very bloody, very filthy! However, and that was the drawback, it was a spell that was once more very draining and therefore not suitable in a quick fight.

But if you wanted to give somebody or an enemy a nasty shock, it might have its benefits, as they would be thrown a curve and forget everything else, I pondered earnestly.

I looked up after I had put the incantation and the corresponding wand movements to memory, throwing a glance through the occupied common room, spotting students with chubby faces, playing and chatting merrily in the orange light. It made me smirk that I was reading books filled with blood and thunder in midst such an idyllic scene.

Suddenly, the door opened, revealing a distressed looking Harry who was more stumbling than walking. He was pale, sweat plastering his hair against his brow. The Gryffindors that hadn't gone to bed yet were shooting him surprised and shocked looks. He pressed his hand against his scar, grimacing in pain. It looked as if he had lost control.

I immediately jumped to my feet, worried, and rushed towards him. Even if everybody looked at me funny, I shot spell after spell at him. When I arrived at his side, his knees buckled and I clung to him, following him to the floor. I held my wand high and shouted: "Accio Invigoration Draught," a powerful potion that helped in case of mental overexertion. A few seconds later a vial from my dorm flew into my hand with high speed.

"Oww," Harry moaned. We faced each other on our knees and everybody around us paused silently, showing worried faces.

"Steady, Harry. Here, drink this, it will help you!" I offered with forced calmness and Harry did as ordered.

"What's wrong with him, Hermione?" Rond enquired shakily.

"Not now!" I snarled, unnerved, as I wasn't liking the way Harry looked and afraid that his mind was laid bare without any protection.

I reached into my cloak, quickly withdrawing a Headache Relief Potion and a vial of Dreamless Sleep.

"Here, take this Headache Relief… Harry, is it better now?" I asked intently.

"Thanks, Hermione. Yes, now I can see again!" Harry said very reassuringly. "It was even more terrible than I had imagined, just so brutal and violent. I'll never learn it! I feel so exposed, my scar is hurting. I don't believe it did me any good!" he whined understandably, clinging to my hand fearfully and close to panic.

"I'll kill him!" I declared with such earnest and fervour in my voice that every head turned sharply in my direction, even Harry's.

"Twins, come here!" I ordered harshly and right on cue they appeared on my left and right. The astonishment and disbelief of the other Gryffindors went right over my head in my fury and didn't notice that they were more than surprised that the Twins reacted so well-behaved, not even Ron and Ginny could believe it.

"Here, a vial of Dreamless Sleep. Three drops, not more. Get him into bed and look after him!" I instructed angrily, but coldly, while swiping the strands of hair I had dried out of Harry's pale face.

"As you wish, Hermione!" the Twins dared to say in sync. "But…" I didn't even have to look up to know which one of them had spoken the 'but' and interrupted him harshly.

"What, George? But what?" I hissed in a voice so low and accentuated that it chilled the blood in their veins. The frightened looks of the others that had never experienced me like that and Harry's assessing gaze didn't even reach me! I instilled terror in them without even trying! The only thing I saw before my minds' eye was Snape and the way I showed him for once what power was. I was so angry. How could he release Harry from his care in such a desolate state? If it weren't for me, what would he have done?

The danger that the Dark Lord exploited his weakness was elementary. Why were the both of them in their mutual dislike so childish? I was downright working myself further into a fury.

"Hermione, if you go to him now you will just have another argument!" George murmured earnestly and Harry's head jerked around, making him go green in the face again.

"Don't try to stop me, you won't succeed!" I retorted icily, raising slowly.

"Very well, then go. But please no casualties. One is enough. If you don't return we will inform the viper," George whispered quietly, threatening me indirectly with Draco.

"Don't you dare!" I shot back viciously.

"Yes, we will! You aren't thinking clearly right now," Fred insisted louder, emphasizing his words with a distinct gesture.

"I'm not thinking clearly? I _am_ thinking clearly. He just isn't able to control himself!" I roared like a lioness, storming determinedly towards the exit. "Just do what I told you to do!" I yelled, closing the door behind me forcefully and leaving behind a tower that was shaken to its foundation. Which I would only realise much later.

End of Hermione's POV

Snape's POV

After the torture of teaching the subtle art of higher magic to Potter, I had poured myself a huge glass of firewhiskey in the hope to just push aside this most horrible and catastrophic of all hours. The moment Potter had passed the doorstep into my office, one look into his arrogant and hated face that looked so much like my school nemesis and overwhelming hate had overpowered my senses. When he then had looked anxiously at me with his big green eyes, reminding me of _her,_ my patience had been close to exhausted already.

"You know why you should learn the high art of protecting your mind, Mr. Potter?" I had drawled condescendingly, looking down my nose at him.

"No, sir. No one spoke to me, except Hermione!" he had admitted openly, surprising me with his honesty about his ignorance. Not that Potters had ever been anything else but ignorant, I had thought to myself and scoffed in acknowledgement of his words.

"Good, that you know that you know nothing. You have learnt something, Mr. Potter!" I had said spitefully. "Well, the Dark Lord has realised through the incident with Mr. Weasley that a mental connection between the both of you exists, thanks to the curse scar. Now it could occur to him to use the connection purposefully against you; he could try to search your thoughts and manipulate them. Because of this, you have to learn the subtle art of Occlumency." I had tried to convey the facts to him, while he stood in front of me like the little school boy that he was.

"Well, let's start. Clear your mind," I had said curtly. "Legilimens!" I had penetrated his mind and been treated to a flood of memories that hadn't surprised me. This boy was utterly incompetent, how should this weak mind stand against the Dark Lord? Then, I had seen some inexplicable memories:

The inside of a dark closet with a mattress. A big fat boy who beat and chased a smaller one. A scene where Potter peeked through a door gap and watched a family celebrating Christmas, then returned into the darkness.

I had been perplexed, those were his memories? Something hadn't fit there. Once again, I had fixed my piercing gaze on the uptight and shaking form and spoken to him.

"Mr. Potter, it won't work like that; fight back, you are a wizard! Perform magic!" I had snapped bitingly. "Legilimens!" Again, I had gone into his mind and again one confusing and inexplicable memory had come after the next.

A cleaning Potter, a cooking Potter, a washing Potter… a Potter holding Granger in his arms… the Dark Lord killing Diggory.

Then he had managed something that I hadn't expected anymore, but all the time hoped for. However, it had happened completely unconsciously in the form of a burning charm which shot out of him and into me, throwing me into the stone wall behind me and subsequently out of his confusing mind. I had shaked my lightly burned hand groggily. Nothing severe, but annoying.

"What…?", he had asked, surprised with himself, and held his aching forehead.

"We only go in the right direction when you manage that on purpose, not unconsciously. Alas, you behave as incompetently as expected!" I had snarled angrily and spoke the devastating judgment.

I had already straightened my back, targeted him again, and cast the spell, giving him no time to breathe.

This time, I had stopped after a few seconds, because I realised that Potter could assign the place of his vision with the snake to a memory, that this place was located in the Ministry on the ninth floor, and the door he had seen led down to the Department of Ministry on the tenth floor.

"That's enough, Mr. Potter; go and work harder on clearing your mind," I had ordered mercilessly, noticing how he fought with the memory. He had hardly been able to stand unassisted on his feet, but what did that matter to me?

And now I sat in my armchair and tried to make sense out of this unexpected memories, which I had seen in Potter's mind.

My information had been that Potter had a good, tidy, a tranquil life at his aunt's. A Muggle life, but a normal one like every kid should have. Not like the one I had seen in glimpses today. If that was the truth… But why wouldn't it be? Potter's mind was unable and not trained to lie. So if that was the truth, why did Dumbledore do nothing? He always knew so much about everything else, and he had warded Potter's home, and that shrew, Figg, also had an eye on the boy. How did all that fit together? I pondered with irritation.

I took another sip of my drink. Again, the idea of the Professor that I should introduce Potter to Occlumency was just grotesque, an idiotic idea which couldn't result in anything good, I thought in disgust. This type of magic required trust and that was simply nonexistent between us.

When I suddenly perceived how my warded office door was blasted open forcefully. A loud, deafening bang caused me to jump out of my cozy armchair. What happened here? I could hear now that the entrance to my private rooms was assaulted by hexes as well. Naturally, my wards held. But how dare the intruder to attack me inside my sanctuary! Who was performing this sacrilege?

Who dared to do that, I thought irascibly, standing furiously in front of the door, ready to attack, and opened it, aimed and disarmed the intruder with an Expelliarmus. Surprised, my eyes widened when I saw Granger seething with rage in front of me. However, no shock or fear were in her eyes even after her wand lay on the ground. Despite the fact that she was disarmed, she looked challengingly at me and she took action before I could talk to her.

Indeed, she took me by surprise by stepping up to me in a matter of seconds, seizing my white shirt with both of her hands and bringing her face, which was contorted in anger, close to mine, and before I could react she rammed her knee into my groin forcefully and ruthlessly.

A pain-filled wheeze escaped me. I didn't believe it, in this moment I saw stars. Unimaginable pain shot through my body in waves. I could prevent only just to fall to my knees with an absolutely ridiculous whimper, regaining control over my body only with absolute willpower and by grabbing her wild, open, curls roughly. Brutally, I pulled on her hair so that she would let me go. Her painful hiss showed that I had been successful, and following her first instinct, she released me and I was able to push her away from me with powerful shove.

She reacted immediately, striking out with her right fist, placing a short right hook on my chin. My head was thrown back and I tasted metallic blood. Was the Mudblood out of her mind to dare to hit me? Until now, she had only had a chance against me because I hadn't expect a physical attack.

So I made a grab for her and clutching her even more tightly, my hand closed to a fist inside her hair. With ruthless momentum I let her crash into the shelf. Unfortunately, she could cushion most of the momentum with her hands. I would have liked to see her connect with it with force and with her face first.

I was incredibly angry. How dare that mad, stubborn woman to assault me, her professor, and my private chambers. Had she lost her senses?

Now I knew why Black had lost it when it came to her, I was losing it as well right now. She didn't look like if she would tremble in fear before me though, she rather looked as if she wanted to seriously beat me up and would only now start for real. Sadly, I had dropped my wand in the heat of the fight. No wonder after this tactical K.O. hit which she had given me right at the beginning.

However, I was another kind of opponent than the mangy mutt. I had her hair still relentlessly clutched inside my fist, forcing her into a twisted posture from which she was glaring at me, just wanting to continue to slash at me, blind with rage.

In our rage, we both didn't even notices that other people came into my office. Only when we were magically separated by force and our intensive eye-contact was broken, I became master of my mind again, which was otherwise so terribly clear and only failed me when she was involved.

Draco had separated us with a spell and kept us in check. Granger yelled at him in agitation why he dared to interfere, and I agreed with her wholeheartedly, what was he thinking? I would have made mincemeat out of her. Someone had to show the brat where her limits were.

Then I saw one of the redheads repair the door hectically and speak a quick soundproofing spell. After he had managed this, close to collapse, he went to Granger to calm her down. They let me stand more or less tied in front of my bookshelf. Very kind of them, though this way I could become aware of the damage of my body and to analyze it briefly, using the time in which I was unheeded.

The bitch! It was throbbing like crazy between my legs. The pain when she had thrust her knee into my groin had felt like a needle driven directly into my spinal cord and had gone straight to my brain. Only with years of practice I had been able to make the effort to prevent her from causing even more damage by pushing her away!

I tasted blood. Apparently her blow had burst my lip, though I had to grant her that there was actual force behind her punches.

"Draco, dissolve the spells immediately! George, what are you doing here? I gave you different instructions… And why did you get Draco?" she ranted. I kept quiet and concentrated, unraveling the spells wandlessly. It wasn't easy because of my physical condition, but I was just too good.

When I was done, I summoned my wand non-verbally and turned to the three students in front of me, ignoring the dragging pain between my legs when I straightened my back.

"Miss Granger, how dare you assault me?" I hissed, my anger flaring up. I could see the two boys stepping aside, though Draco swiftly freed Granger of her magical bonds. Thanks, Draco, it's always nice to see which side you are standing on, I thought deridingly.

"You ask that? You ask that! How do you dare?!" she screeched furiously. I stared back at her coldly but bewildered, not understanding what she was talking about.

"Please oblige me and explain yourself. What warrants your attack on my person?" I asked with deceptive gentleness.

"Harry!" Her eyes flashed with fury. "How dare you to let him get back to the tower soooo… so absolutely whacked? What kind of teacher are you? What would he have done without me and my potions? You made him totally vulnerable!" she snarled in disgust and I was astonished. Potter was feeling well when he left. Well, relatively well.

"Potter was well. Don't overexaggerate," I declared without pity, which resulted in her wanting to lunge at me like a lioness. Draco more or less grabbed her out of the air by her hips and held her in place so she didn't launch another utterly fearless attack on me.

"Shsh, Hermione, calm down!" he soothed her while trying to get her struggling form under control. He knew me and what kind of foe I was.

"Calm down? Calm down?! This self-righteous asshole does nothing but harm!" Her choice of words and the lack of respect towards my person left me outright speechless. The last time someone presumed to confront me so brashly, the person was pushing daisies soon after.

"Harry needed an Invigoration Draught to even see straight again!" she shrieked, enraged, which caused Draco to glare at me and even I was astounded that Potter must have actually felt poorly when he had been in need of this powerful mind-strengthening draught. Briefly the thought came to mind from where Granger had gotten this rare potion once again, when she interrupted me with further caterwauling.

"Miss Granger, come to your senses already!" I snapped at her with frosty impatience, struggling to keep my posture straight and intimidating.

I could observe how she suddenly retreated into herself, breathing deeply while Draco whispered sweet nothings into her ear. When she finally opened her eyes again and set her sights on me I could discern that she had herself back in control and banished any emotions.

Her eyes that had been blazing with emotions a moment before were now alarmingly cold and lifeless.

"Hermione, I have disregarded your request to not get Draco because Harry collapsed when we reached the dorm room and something very creepy happened! It was as if he spaced out and laughing like a madman, totally crazy. It didn't sound like him at all. We slapped him to bring him back to his senses and he continued to laugh like barmy despite being back with us. Suddenly, he went still and was nonplussed when his brain caught up. It was scary! He was as confused over his laughing fit as the rest of us and said that he knew something was going very well for the Dark Lord and that the Lord was feeling downright ecstatic! We put him into bed and gave him the potion. Fred is looking after him! I, though, took to my heels," Weasley summarised the truly disconcerting news quickly, adding self-consciously in his defense: "And got Draco as reinforcements!"

"Which was the right thing to do. Thanks, George!" Draco barged in firmly.

"And now, Professor, what do you have to say about your accomplishment?" Granger spit at my feet scornfully.

"Alarming that he seems to have such a strong connection to the Lord!" I offered coldly whereas it looked quite different inside me, but I would never show her that.

"Potter and I, we are not in tune regarding this subtle art!" I snarled further, annoyed at Dumbledore beyond all measure.

"Professor, you of all people, I thought, should be able to subdue any feelings like hate or love completely!" Granger tossed in gleefully. No fitting, cutting remark came to my mind as she was, in this case, right. "I don't know why you hate Harry so much, only because his looks like his father. Please, that's childish and ridiculous. I can assure you that he is a totally different person than his father. Who, as I know, has been a cared for and pampered only child and most likely enjoyed love in its entirety. Harry has been neither in his whole live, nor has he been loved. He would deserve your sympathy, not your hate and contempt!" she spoke very frosty and disrespectful, turned around and left, surprising me once again when she called her wand into her hand wandlessly and non-verbally like me. She vanished without looking back or heeding anyone of us. She swept out of my rooms as she had stormed them before: swiftly.

"Wow, isn't she temperamental?" Draco said, besotted with a delighted twinkle in his misty eyes. Thank you very much. I had been brutally confronted by a fury like Granger who had tried to castrate me and my godson worshipping this dangerous wench.

"Draco," growled angrily.

"I'll better follow her before she kills Mrs. Norris," Weasley had the excellent idea to make himself scarce. Draco looked at me with a surprised expression, letting me briefly lost for words.

"What? Though I don't like Potter, I think she isn't wrong. What did you do to him?" he enquired curiously.

"Occlumency!" I informed him grudgingly, tapping my wand against my lip to heal it.

"What? And you used brute force?" It was more of a rhetoric question. "Well, with his connection to the Lord, was it really the best method?" He now thought as well that I was interested in his opinion, which I wasn't, I thought resentfully.

"That doesn't give this harridan the right to attack me, her professor!" I replied icily.

"Severus, apparently Potter was worse for wear and he is her top priority. If you really took a lot out of him and then let him get back to the tower on his own, I'm surprised that you are still standing! Furthermore, you must have stripped him to his briefs when she flings intimate details of his life at you and… don't look at me like that, I have no idea. It's not a subject we discuss, she is very particular about it. What did you see?" Draco once more showed his curiosity openly, grabbing my arm and leading me into my living room, where he pointed at my armchair. I sat down gingerly, thanks to my injured groin, using the opportunity to cast a non-verbal Episkey, while Draco poured me a new drink. He didn't have to know everything. Unfortunately, he was very observant and noticed it. However, thanks to his inherent intelligence he didn't say a word.

"What did you see in Potter's mind?" he restated his question bluntly.

"Mh-mh," I showed myself incredibly cooperative.

"Oh, please, I promise faithfully to tell nobody!" he promised solemnly. Actually, I wanted to talk to Draco about it and hear his honest opinion.

"It was strange. He seemed to have lived in a cupboard.." I started. Draco's eyes widened in shock and he blinked in disbelief.

"And didn't have any kind of privileged or pleasant life with his relatives. I'd never have thought…" I voiced my observation out loud, shrugging my shoulders to emphasize my indifference.

"Heavy! I feel sorry for him, even if I think he is a blithering idiot… But please don't continue… I think I'll have to hear the rest from a different party," he interrupted my account, astounding me with his attitude. "Rather tell me where… your brawl would have ended if we hadn't arrived. It didn't look good; you still have blood on your face!" he informed me impassively. I used a quick cleansing spell on my face, I'd completely forgotten about it.

"Granger would have gotten what she deserved: a proper hiding. Someone has to show her where her boundaries are!" I declared sternly, viciously and coldly.

Draco started to chuckle which made me stare at him.

"What is the matter?" I hissed like a snake.

"That is hilarious. You might have a tough time of it. You know that she didn't look nearly as messed up as you?" Draco asked, amused. I was speechless. Such an impudence.

"How dare you speak to me like that! Have you forgotten to whom you are speaking, Draco?" I said menacingly, my magic agglomerating around me in rampant fury.

"No, Uncle! But I'm still allowed to tell you the facts, aren't I?" He grinned at me cheekily. "I think I'll leave you alone and wish you a pleasant night," he took off with a smirk. Clearly, today's youth didn't know their place in the general pecking order.

I was absolutely out of words. Granger reacted once and again differently than I expected; I was unaccustomed to the way she behaved and conducted herself. Greedily, I chucked my drink. Tomorrow our first training session was going to take place and I would enjoy it to the fullest to show her what it meant to train with me.

I wasn't dumb. She had been aware that she couldn't hold a candle to my abilities and nearly incapacitated me in the only matter available to her. It hadn't been nice, but effective, although very unfair and dirty. Apparently she liked it like that.

Should I worry for Potter after all. The brat, he was a pest! However, tomorrow I would talk to Granger about the Occlumency thing. It couldn't continue like that… We would see.

End of Snape's POV

Hermione's POV

I ran as fast as I could, choosing the long way in spite of the nightly hour, hoping to cool down, but I was still livid! What was the dungeon bat thinking? Meanwhile, I was developing a headache thanks to him pulling my hair like a cissy. Hopefully he would never again get it up, I showed my ugly face.

When I entered the tower the common room was even more crowded as before I had left. The incident with Harry and me seemed to have gotten some people to leave their beds. I was welcomed with total silence and assessing glances, caused by me first healing Harry, than ordering the Twins about, leaving in a rage, and now my very heated arrival.

I couldn't be phased by it, simply looking around the room soberly and coldly with my lips pursed. I don't want to know what I looked like, my hair wild and tousled, and, I believe, I had a bloody scratch along my cheek from the bloody wooden shelf that I had been thrown against.

I could perceive how Ron stared at me dumbfounded, and the looks of the rest were similar, so much disbelief and lack of understanding. The atmosphere in the common room was more than tense.

Then I spotted Fred standing in the archway, trying to be invisible .

"FRED!" I now lifted my voice. "Where is George?" I assumed he had taken the shortcut and should had arrived before me. Fred sidled about insecurely, before stepping closer quickly and looking at me.

"With Harry!" he announced and started to raise his hand. "How are you?"

"Get him!" I just issued my order and could hear the Gryffindors react with a scandalised intake of breath.

"Um, please don't be angry. We thought you wanted to know!" He looked at me seriously, causing me to arch an eyebrow.

"Do I look angry?" I asked calmly.

"Honest answer, beautiful?" he made certain, his expression doubtful.

"By all means!" I sneered indignantly.

"Yes, okay, yes, and always when you look like that and glare at people like that you scare the living daylights out of us, alright?" he answered awkwardly, pointing at his own face. I couldn't stifle a laugh, conjuring a mirror and looking at my reflection.

"Why didn't you tell me that I have blood running down my face?" I enquired pragmatically, casting a non-verbal cleaning charm.

"Would you have cared about it?" Smart question, easy answer.

"No!" I shook my head, unconcerned.

"I knew it. Er, do you still want to talk to George?" he hummed and hawed.

"Get him," I reaffirmed and he turned around and did as I had asked, to the great disbelief of our house mates.

"What, Hermione? What kind of drama are you enacting here? What is this about my brothers?" Ginny got all agitated. I just looked at her blanky, mindful of the other Gryffindors absorbing everything that was happening and unable to make sense of things.

I was aware that I was walking a fine line. It was getting more difficult right now to keep my double life secret and would get even more so in the future. However, there were moments when you had to decide where you were standing and I had done so earlier this day. Snape had to be reigned in regarding his ignorance and snootiness towards Harry, otherwise he would ruin him for me! That was more important than what the lions thought about me. I didn't care either way what they thought or said or, well.. It didn't matter, plain and simple!

I was ready to face the consequences regarding Snape and was aware that I had never stood a real chance against him, he was just to battle hardened and experienced. He would have put me through the mangle if Draco and George hadn't arrived. Only my not very ladylike starting move had let me hurt him. As I said, I didn't overestimate my abilities.

Also, I knew that he wouldn't easily forgive my attack on his person, but if it had opened his eyes only a little bit, it would be worth it. That Harry was by now behaving like the Dark Lord and laughing madly because the latter was happy, made my reaction appear not the least bit excessive, on the contrary, it was more than justified.

"Stay out of this, Ginny!" came the demand, unusually cold for most of the Gryffindors who only knew the Twins good-humoured at all times, from George who was descending the stairs, nipping her protest in the bud. She looked at him shocked about the harsh tone.

George! .. Thanks!" I knew what was appropriate, though he hadn't expected it, the way he looked at me now with confusion. "What?" I asked him directly.

"You are thanking me? Are you sure making the acquaintance of the shelf hasn't damaged your head?" he enquired worriedly, ignoring the loud noises the lions made upon this insightful revelation.

I waved it off, declaring: "Believe me, a stone wall hurts more and with them I make close contact more often than I like. Wood doesn't come close in the slightest!" He stepped closer and raised my chin.

"You and your hobbies! Wood leaves abrasions just as well. Should I heal them?" he examined me, smiling slightly.

"No, that isn't necessary. I'll do it later. But I am serious, thank you! How is Harry?"

"Better. He's sleeping! … What now?" He asked softly, but still earnestly. He, too, prefered to ignore our house mates.

"We move on, we always do, George. It's the first rule! I'll see what I can do for Harry. For now I have made my position clear, now it's his move to make!" As Ron was the only other one to know where Harry had been, his pale face was the one I now focussed on. He looked back at me with wide eyes, he had inferred that I had been at Snape's and nodded at me understanding my silent request that he would keep quiet. We three would talk tomorrow. Sometimes I was proud of Ron when he acted like now and remained silent, understanding what I wanted him to do.

"You are not afraid?" George enquired carefully and I broke off my eye contact with Ron, instead looking at the Twin with bewilderment.

"Not at all, I am sure!" I declared, deadly serious, reaching for my mark in an unconscious gesture, prompting George's gaze to dart there as well. A second later, the familiar twinkle returned to his eyes and all worries seemed to be forgotten when he realised that I was truly safe, thanks to Draco!

"I see! That is good. I really like him!" he informed me, nodding enthusiastically and I laughed out loud as well.

My reputation in Gryffindor might be in tatters now, but that had been worth it to me, hence I addressed the pride in my role of Prefect:

"Go to bed, curfew is long gone," I ordered sweetly, and could witness many fleeing at one, likely because I was looking frightening.

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 _Review feedback:_

 **Kragh50:** Much change to come. For now there is some more Hermione/Snape interaction on the menue.

 **rabradley09:** Sirius doesn't get much sympathy at the moment. He's really not much in touch with his Slytherin side, he has much to improve regarding his manipulation skills.

 **Jces999:** So glad that you love it. Me too, that's why I'm translating this monster of a ff. Many more room to build left x) **  
**

 **sjrodgers23:** Their friendship is one constant in WHF, it will change, but never end. Hermione will do everything for Harry and someday Harry might even appreciate it. **  
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	67. The Trio and Draco's Revenge

_On the end of this chapter is smut. I didn't want to cut much of it, but edited it as always. You just have to use a bit more of your own imagination to guess what exactly he is doing to her in comparsion to the uncensured version on the other archives._

 _I would like to get some feedback from you about how we handle explicit scenes here on . Are you okay with way I do it? Do you prefer a clean cut or are you fine with the slightly censured version? Please tell me._

Chapter beta: Olivia

Chapter translator: Aivy & Sophie

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 **The Trio and Draco's Revenge**

The next morning I awoke in a bad mood. When I thought back to the day before, the fury resurfaced that Snape had made me lose my composure… But I dearly hoped that Harry was feeling better today and waited with concern for his arrival. I even skipped my daily run.

When he and Ron finally came down, actually quite earlier for them, I hugged Harry tightly. The common room was still deserted; until now, only two lions had snuck out, who had turned tail and run when they caught sight of me.

Ron looked at me funny and Harry's expression was questioning as well. The two seemed to have talked before they came down and now they wanted answers.

I erected privacy wards with my wand, casting a Muffliato and a Silencio for good measure, as I didn't want anybody to eavesdrop on us.

"Now, Harry, do you feel better?" I sat down next to him. We three had squashed together on the couch as if we needed the closeness.

"Yes, thank you. The potions were great. Where did you get them from?" he asked shyly. "I'm still a bit out of it, yesterday was way too much strain for my brain!" Harry gripped his head as if it was still hurting.

"Lots of questions, huh? Well, I did brew some potions back in the holidays, I couldn't help suspecting that we could need them sometime. Lo and behold, we did…" I explained matter-of-factly. He nodded, content with my explanation, that was even true.

"Okay, before I tell you about my experience, I'm curious what happened yesterday in the common room. Ron told me that it continued while I was asleep?" he replied hoarsely, while Ron just sat there looking slightly overwhelmed.

"Yes, Hermione, that was pretty intense. You came across like an avenging angel, so aggressive! I don't know you like that, talking to Fred and George so… bluntly, totally commanding. But the most wicked of all, they actually did what you wanted?!" He sounded more and more agitated the more he said, in the end looking at me with his mouth open. "Not even Mum gets them to obey!" he added shrilly.

"Ron, I know that you might not understand the fear and worry I was feeling for Harry, but I read everything there is about this topic and I know the dangers, too. Usually, you would protect your mind against invading forces, but in Harry's case the connection is permanent… Harry, do you understand the difference as well? It doesn't happen normally!" I tried to make them understand how unique the situation was, but also how volatile. "It's, like everything involving you, extraordinary! After you arrived yesterday evening, or rather stumbled in, I knew that you would be very vulnerable, which unfortunately proved to be true, as George reported your laughing fit in bed!" I tried to look at them urgently with wide eyes.

"You mean Snape did it on purpose?" Harry breathed mistrustfully, his gaze wary. He was quick to again accuse Snape of being the Dark Lord's loyal servant.

"No, Harry, not on purpose. Ignorance, yes, he is narrow-minded regarding you, but not on purpose. Nonetheless you were very vulnerable. Without the potions it would have been worse, as your mental defences aren't ready." I sighed deeply and unhappily.

"Why are you now defending him, when you lost it so much yesterday?" Ron asked, totally confused.

"Because I can expect from an adult man, professor and teacher that he is aware of that and able to control himself. His behaviour was unacceptable and when he thinks about that he will hopefully realise that as well!" I grumbled darkly, meaning it very harshly. I was starting to get upset again.

"You went to see him yesterday and what? Started a fight? Ron said something about blood and a shelf!" Harry turned his body to face me, catching my eye. Sometimes it seemed as if his ever so green eyes were able to look to the bottom of my soul.

"Do you really want to know that?" I avoided his penetrating gaze.

"Yes, dammit! He isn't allowed to raise his hand against a student!" Harry's anger flared already again.

"Harry, please, let it go. I could get into great trouble if you told McGonagall, because not he started to get physical, but me. He only defended himself… The situation escalated somewhat. However, it was still my fault!" I appealed urgently to him, seeing that it wasn't finished yet. But more and more Gryffindors crossed the room, shooting the three of us disconcerting looks. Harry was eyed suspiciously, however, the stares I secured broke every record. Wow, they appeared to absolutely love me as of now.

"They all look funny," Harry already provided, upset and returning the glares furiously. "Why are they gawking?" he clamoured indignantly.

"You have no idea, Harry, what happened here yesterday. All hell broke loose as soon as Hermione had left!" Ron said fervently. It appeared he had to listen to a lot.

"That isn't important now. What happened to you?" I now asked Harry, wanting to divert. What did I care about my housemates?

"You can remember that Ron's dad was attacked at the Ministry? Yes… Well, I know now what he was guarding, or rather where he was! He was at the door to the Department of Mysteries!" Upon Harry's revelation I nearly choked on my spit. What… what did he say? What were the Order members guarding in there? What did the Dark Lord want from there and furthermore: hey, if someone wanted to get in there, they could! A short recall of my detour at Christmas came to my mind. The hurdles were rather small.

"Wicked, man. What are they protecting?" Ron looked at him curiously and questioningly.

"No idea. But now we know more! Though I haven't got a clue about what Voldemort was so happy about. It was simply terrifying that I was feeling so different! The emotions were so intense, as if it were actually mine. It was scary!" Harry exclaimed, stricken, his whole body shuddering. "Another question, Hermione: George rescued you from Snape's clutches?" he tried to distract himself.

"Well, that's not how I would describe it. It's more like he separated us," I objected, discreetly omitting Draco's involvement.

"That was very brave of him! You're not afraid? After all Snape is our teacher! Hold on, what do you mean, 'separated'?" He showed his surprise.

"Yes, the Twins are brilliant! And no, I am not. Though I'm not proud of it, I kinda lost it. I think the professor would prefer silence just as much as I!" I replied quietly.

"What did you do, that you think like that?" The enquiry came immediately. How could they be so damn curious? Harry and Ron nearly slipped of the couch in there urge to not miss a single detail. We ignored the other gawking students expertly.

"I blasted the office door and kicked him! Are you satisfied now?" I huffed angrily, crossing my arms in front of my chest in annoyance.

"You did _what?_ " they yelled in unison. Were they certain that they weren't Twins as well? I thought venomously.

"Whoa, that reminds me of you punching Malfoy in third year! Too bad that I wasn't there!" Ron was commiserating as could be expected with a dreamy, wistful expression. He seemed to picture it in colourful details for himself.

"Hermione, since when are you doing things like that? You of all people! I can't imagine him putting up with that. What reason should he have not to go directly to Dumbledore?" Harry asked with concern, looking at me skeptically.

"Harry, just because of you. I went mad with worry! You know Snape, he won't let it rest. Wonder, oh wonder, I have detention with him today. However, it isn't finished with this one session. I'll have the honour Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, for attacking a teacher, and he said should I complain, he will tell the headmaster what I have done. That wouldn't end good for me…" I explained my lie, smiling shyly. "I'll try to reason with him after apologizing, though, and ask him whether it would be alright with him when I try to help you mastering Occlumency!" As always, I tried to make the best of a messy situation, seizing the opportunity and reconstructing my many training sessions with Snape into my alleged punishment. I didn't need much imagination to be sure that he would shape the future meetings into a form of punishment.

"Whoa, you have to go to him so many days of the week?" Ron echoed with disbelief, a sorrowful expression appearing on his face, which made me nod dejectedly.

"I think you got off lightly. But you shouldn't have taken on Snape on my behalf. All of us know that he is a scumbag!" Harry stated, looking at me sadly. "But what did you say? Can you actually do that Occlumency shit?" A hopeful shimmer came to life in his eyes.

"Well, to some degree. I taught myself, but Snape mastered it many years ago and utilised it successfully against the Dark Lord! I might give you some support, nonetheless you won't escape him fully!" I tried to rein in Harry's temperamental enthusiasm.

"You can do it and didn't say a thing? Why?" he now asked me reproachfully and seriously affected.

"What should I have said? I can only support you a bit. I can't teach you, honestly, I only learned it some months ago," I qualified. It was true; I was glad to have managed it on my own.

"She's right, mate!" Ron sided with me for once. Harry fell into sullen silence, before looking up and nodding resignedly.

"What I worry more about since yesterday is the standing of our Hermione in Gryffindor!" Ron provided unusually seriously and thoughtfully, looking concerned. I couldn't believe it! Where did Ron go? What happened here? Did the events around Christmas, including his father's injury, let Ron grow up into an adult or at least take away some of his childlike naivety?

When considered from this perspective, one had to admit that we were living in bloody awful times. Everyone around us were losing their childhoods much too quickly or never had had one from the beginning. It was an indicator for a society that was approaching turbulent, warlike times, the children grew up too fast and were confronted with the harsh reality of life much too soon.

I wanted to concede to Ron that the attack on his father hadn't left him cold, the way he had sat in the kitchen back then and expressed his gratitude to Harry. Yes, I believed he had partially left behind his childhood and that pleased me immensely. It was good for them both, as now they could give each other even more support.

"Do you see their looks, how they keep an eye on Hermione and us? Everything went crazy after you left. Nobody knew where Harry had been and everyone was wired and said they should call McGonagall! They believe you think of yourself as far too important!" Ron told us. "Ginny was extremely unhappy, she called you a drama queen!" His expression was very disapproving and Harry turned, outraged, to Ron, although he remained silent.

"Oh Ron, they don't know anything, not even a half of it… Well, actually, they know nothing. What do you want us to do? They don't even believe he's back! Most of them think Harry's a liar, don't forget about that!" I tried to refer to our situation.

"She is right again, Ron! They don't believe a thing I say, too, and without Hermione it would have ended badly for me yesterday. I'm still not feeling fully fit again! Let them think whatever they want. As long as the three of us hold together everything is alright. Let's show the lions that the three of us will always stick together! On top of this, you, Hermione, have always, always, always stuck by me, whatever happened! You covered my back in every situation and you can forever expect the same from me! You are the sister I always wanted! We will always keep together!" Harry gave the command with firm determination. It was very sweet, though he would have to work on his speech making skills.

I beamed at them. Wasn't it nice to have such good friends? I nearly sobbed with emotion! It did so good and I hoped one day they would be able to understand and that Harry could forgive the secrets I kept from him. However, at this point in time they wouldn't condone many of the things I did. Only slowly they freed themselves from the embrace of peace and accepted the laws of war that permitted everything; they weren't ready yet.

Even though I had never planned to do this, it felt like I would train them all how to prepare themselves. It had started with the DA, which I founded, and continued with my help for Harry to learn how to close up his mind.

"Solidarity!" Ron roared touched with emotion, then grinned and winked at us. In reply, I said quietly, almost imploringly:

"Solidarity!"

United, we stood up as a trio that had never parted and left together for breakfast.

The lions' table greeted us with a lot of silence and sceptical views. Even the professors and the other tables noticed that something must have happened yesterday involving the three of us! And I believed we gave a very impressive picture, the House of Gryffindor against the Trio. Harry had pulled me close and put his arm around my waist while Ron on the other side had linked his arm with mine. I guess we must have made quite silly sight, but nobody in the Great Hall looked at us like this, more as if were a very rare and exotic plant.

In the midst of the lions I spotted the Twin's faces who were beaming at me with relief over the fact that the two boys at my side still seemed to trust me. We sat down under the suspicious and assessing gazes of my house mates. Harry and Ron didn't let themselves be bothered by the attention, we had experienced it often enough in the past few years. Without a word Fred served me a cup of black and highly coveted coffee, which was received by those around us with special attention. With practiced indifference I picked up the Prophet.

With our refusal to pay our house mates any attention, the conversations started up again and I dared to glance fleetingly at Draco and Blaise, who both smiled at me encouragingly. With a careful look at the teachers' dais I established that my nemesis wasn't present, the goddess be thanked.

Thus I busied myself with reading the newspaper. A second later, I froze with my cup raised halfway to my lips and put it back on the table with a clang, again bringing me frowns all around.

Here was written that Broderick Bode, a patient on the closed ward in the Department for Spell Damage, got strangled by a Devil's Snare. The murderous plant hadn't been recognized for what it was and had been given to him as a Christmas present and put on the nightstand. The Ministry was now in grief over the loss of a longtime and faithful member of staff, an "Unspeakable" who had landed in St. Mungos after an unfortunate accident with a curse in his department had made him mad.

It was as if a computer had come to life inside me, information flashing from one corner of my mind to the next. All irritating noises had faded to the background. It was buzzing inside me. In situations like this my instincts took over, I retreated back into my mind and let them guide me. I had realised that I had gotten the crucial puzzle piece that allowed me to unravel a riddle a little bit. My brain cells flooded the single synapses with information and when all parts fitted together, cold, loud laughter spilled from my mouth. I couldn't believe what happened right in front of our eyes without anyone catching on. It was quite dramatic.

I didn't notice that I reduced the Gryffindor table once more to total silence again. Even Harry and Ron looked at me questioningly. Slowly, I resurfaced from my immersion with a very clear view and an active mind.

"What is it, Hermione?" Harry asked with a lot of curiosity.

"I know why you were in such a good mood last night, Harry!" I warbled almost jauntily, alluding to his experiencing the Dark Lord's emotions, and he stared at me with his mouth wide open.

"You mean you know why he… I… well, he was so happy?" he quickly corrected himself, running his hands through his dark hair.

"Yes, exactly!" I looked at him with a satisfied expression. Everybody had eavesdropped on our conversation with rapt attention. I didn't care; I was sure they hadn't understood a single word. "And I know even more. I know now what the Order is guarding!" I now whispered quietly and conspiratorially after all into Harry's ear.

"We're going!" Harry stood up jerkily, leaving his plate untouched, and grabbed my arm roughly. From what I could glimpse from the corner of my eye, that move made Draco twitch slightly; it seemed like he didn't like this very much. Many others also looked skeptically at us due to Harry's bubbling impatience.

"Wow, Harry, did you have to seize me like that?" I laughed boisterously, still blissful about my conclusion.

"Hermione, hurry up. I'm bursting with impatience!" he proclaimed in a not very quiet voice. Ginny glared at me like a venomous snake, angrily brushing the long, red hair out of her slightly reddened face.

"Do you need me to come with you or are you able to handle it without me? I am _so_ hungry, you can tell me about it later!" Oh well, there it faded again, my little hope for a grown-up Ron. But well, what had I expected? A miracle?

"Sure, Ron. Until later! Hermione, if you don't hurry up, I'll carry you!" Harry threatened with unfamiliar wildness, which made fury spark in Draco's storm grey eyes. I couldn't understand why he made such a fuss. At that moment I didn't know yet how he would take revenge for that scene, and yes, he would!

"No need to rush," I climbed over the bench in a civilized manner. Already, he grabbed my hand and dragged my out of the hall. We hadn't fully left the room, when we could hear the beginning hum of the rumour mill about what our departure implied.

We went to our first lessons, as we would find an empty classroom there. Harry was very nervous.

"Spill," he pressed me impatiently.

"Very well. Read this!" I handed him the newspaper article that had explained everything to me.

"I don't understand, what does that have to do with me?" He raised his head with visible confusion, shaking it because of his lack of understanding.

"First of all, you told me about this plant yourself, don't you remember? It was quiet vivid in your memory because of its ugliness!" I explained to him. He pulled a thoughtful face and then suddenly looked at me.

"Yes, the ugly plant and Lockhart," he recalled eventually, cocking his head, intrigued.

"Precisely, Harry, and I don't think that was a mistake. It was a well-planned and cunningly executed, ice-cold murder," I summed up my realisation in an attention-seeking way.

"Are you saying somebody wanted to kill this poor man, who was just able to start to speak a little bit again...? Why?" An expression of horror spread on Harry's face.

"You just answered it yourself! He could speak again!" I pointed out the, in my opinion, very obvious fact.

"Yes, but why would Voldemort be happy about that? I really don't understand!" He was still visibly confused.

"Quite simple. Read where he had been working," I requested, trying to set him onto the right track, and he lowered his head obediently and resumed reading.

"It says here he had worked for the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry!"

"Exactly, Harry, and what is the place the Order is guarding in the Ministry?" I was grinning diabolically right now.

"Sorry, but I still can't see the connection!" He gave up and I took a deep breath. Oh my, he definitely needed stronger glasses, I thought in frustration.

"Okay, Harry, then let's do it differently. I have looked into this department quite intensively and there is very little to no knowledge out there what the Unspeakables are researching. However, I found out that there is an archive, amongst other things! And an especially well protected room whose contents are secured with a curse that causes insanity. That is the room the Dark Lord is targeting. I'm just asking myself why he was so stupid to force an employee to try and steal it. This Bode must have known that the objects are guarded by a curse… I think poor Bode was acting under the Imperius," I reasoned. I was gnawing on my lip, lost in thoughts, when Harry said doubtfully:

"But when you know this, why does not Voldemort know about the cast?"

"Well, I guess he didn't attend Divination!" I chuckled deviously and remembered with slight terror my short but very memorable interlude during my third school year. It had ended quickly but still had made me read some books about the topic.

"I'm sorry to point it out, but you aren't attending since third year as well!" Harry already reminded me matter-of-factly.

"Harry, that doesn't mean that I haven't looked into the matter. I mean, Trelawney is incompetent, the subject rather nebulous and not right up my alley, but I am looking into it regardless." I shook my head, scandalised at his opinion about me.

"You hate it and learn it anyways?" he gawked in disbelief.

"Of course!" I looked at him indignantly "But back to the topic, I found a book in the library about Divination, and there it was written just as a little cross-reference that there's a Room of Prophecies in the Department of Mysteries. There they record and store every prophecy ever made by a true and genuine seer. However, only the people the prophecy is about may touch it. Everyone else will be driven to insanity!" I quickly told him my knowledge.

"Oh god, that's wicked. And you think… Yes, why should an senior employee who knows about the dangers, pick something up all of a sudden? Sure, now I see it. It took too long for Voldemort's linking and somebody had the idea to try it that way. And now that Bode began to speak again and fought against the Imperius Curse, they had to eliminate him. When he died it 'cheered up' Voldemort immensely. Oh, but what were they after?" Harry had summarised quite well what I had realised earlier.

"If I only knew. Though we can be sure that it's a prophecy," I declared thoughtfully, it was the only sensible explanation.

"More than before! Hermione, you do know that your brilliant mind can be very frightening?" He smiled at me mischievously.

"Come now, Harry, as long as I only use it for good reasons!" I played it down resolutely.

"Yes, but the connections you always make… Although… Hermione, I think you weren't truly honest with me earlier. I'm not so sure anymore that the thing with Snape is sorted out… What aren't you telling me? I understand if you don't tell Ron everything. Me, however… Please!" he begged in a whisper. Nevertheless he took his seat, as more and more students were entering McGonagall's classroom, including Ron, and thus this particular conversation was finished for the moment. I knew that Harry was a bright spark and that I hadn't answered all his questions in the previous conversation. Now, I had a breathing pause, and I allowed myself to relish it.

The rest of the day was exhausting, but luckily it went by fast, although the Gryffindors never let me out of their sight. I felt downright traced and monitored by them; they were awfully suspicious and Ginny seemed to be their leader, as she was a very temperamental young girl. It was annoying as hell.

At the grand finale, Ron and I entered the Prefect Room in the North Tower. Today was a meeting of all Prefects under the supervision of the Head students. It would be so enervating to listen to the lecture and I was sure I already knew what it would be about. Namely that we should have a closer look on the first-grade students after the Christmas break. They could get homesick easier and additionally we would have to take care that everyone knew the new passwords. And of course the observance of house rules.

As we were some of the last to arrive, we only just now realised that there was a seating arrangement for today. I asked myself: Had he bribed somebody to arrange that? My name was written on the place card right next to Draco, who groaned in annoyment over the fact, that I, the Mudblood, sat next to him. Pansy, five seats further away, looked quite miffed as well. Ron's place was to my left.

We sat in the back, at the lowest end of the table. Draco looked gorgeous. His hair was a bit longer and from time to time he brushed it out of his face with a casual gesture, smiling dreamily. He appeared so relaxed and content, it was strange and after yesterday it made me anxious.

"Well, my dears, as you can see we already assigned you partners, with whom you will work with together, so you'll get better acquainted with the other houses." Rodger Davies beamed complacently into our group. Most people answered him with murderous and disbelieving expressions. But he stood above it… at least, it looked like he did.

Draco to my right suddenly drew his wand, well-hidden under the table and I frowned with irritation. What did he want with it? Whatever, I bent my head over my parchment and took notes dutifully, as was expected of me. I had left my hair open for today and it fell into my face. To my alarm I could feel how Draco bent forward as well and his hand suddenly descended firmly on my bare knee, making me twitch slightly at the unexpected contact.

 _WHAT?_

What was that? We were here in a room full of people and he pawed at me?! I tried resolutely to push him away from my knee without anyone noticing and moved it reluctantly. A tactical mistake, a very great mistake. Of course he took advantage of this opportunity my opened thighs presented and went up quickly, sliding swiftly under my skirt and stroking over my naked thigh with his palms. And I had foolishly made it possible.

I pressed my lips together. He only wanted to aggravate me and had chosen the short side of the table so that we were relatively well protected as we had no direct seatmates and nobody saw what happened under the tabletop.

All of a sudden I recalled his expression when he had observed me and Harry in the Great Hall this morning. Was this the revenge he had concocted for Harry's and my behaviour?

I threw him a surly glare, hidden by my tresses and got a terribly smug smirk in return, while his fingers caressed the sensitive and tender skin on the inside of thigh. An arousing but very inappropriate feeling for the place we were in spread in my belly

I could feel how he snapped his fingers. Why did Draco snap his fingers? Uhh, he had vanished my knickers. What was this devil planning? Now I was sitting in the Prefect Room with all the Prefects, that is twenty-four people plus the Head students, butt naked, without knickers. I choked on my spit for a moment, shaking my head dizzily.

And even if I didn't want to, I started to feel an unwelcome tickling sensation at this thought. I knew that Draco's finger was only inches away from my exposed private parts. I looked up, horrified, and discovered a smug pepsodent smile. Immediately, I hid my reddened face under my hair and stared stubbornly at my parchment, smudging over it with unusual sloppiness, while I tried to press my legs together. But try to hinder a Malfoy from doing something he had set his conceited mind to; you can't.

[start of edited part]

I tried to suppress the shiver he caused me. I mean there were our classmates all around us, I couldn't afford this kind of exposure. Although imagining how everyone would look like if they knew where Malfoy had his fingers was very amusing.

I hoped he wouldn't go through with it, but the way I knew him, it would be his greatest pleasure to 'tickle' me. He did go through with it.

Tormented, I closed my eyes and fervently wished to be in a bedroom instead, where I would be able to let myself go. This way, though… though… I shouldn't, couldn't and wouldn't show what our Pureblood did to me under the tabletop, biting my lips hard. How clever of me to wear my hair open today. If Malfoys were proficient in one thing, it was savouring their revenge, demonstrated by the way Draco was behaving, outwardly totally indifferent and aloof, he enjoyed tormenting me to the fullest.

I thought I would burst into flames, throwing my head back and glaring at him full of emotion, as I was feeling so terribly hot at the moment.

"Why are you looking at me, Mudblood?" The cheeky question came from Draco, loudly in front of everybody, while he continued to caress me! Oh, this, this… Didn't he know any shame? Naturally, we attracted everyone's undivided attention.

"Eh…" _Very intelligent, Hermione,_ I complimented myself for my reaction to his insult.

"Don't call her that!" Ron roared furiously, the anger colouring his face red. "Stop your vile actions against her immediately!" _Yes, Ron, that's right, tell him to stop before I can no longer prevent myself from moaning loudly. Give it to him good!_

Hence, I only gave a jerky nod. Draco stopped to touch me, his hand pausing on the spot, and he looked at me with a surprised expression in his storm grey eyes.

"Really, Mudblood? Should I stop it?" He taunted me. I knew, my voice wouldn't obey me and so I simply nodded again, which made him smirk nastily, his eyes sparkling jauntily, and it frightened me.

"No, I don't think I'll stop with it!" he murmured darkly, sounding very suggestively to my ears, and went even further, which made me whimper slightly. Ron took it for a sign of despair about Malfoy's pigheaded demeanour and his promise to continue his insults. If only he knew…

"Malfoy, get it into your thick head. You can't provoke Hermione, she's standing high above it!" Ron declared. _Oh, Ron, shut your trap! You don't know what he is doing right now!_ Draco just looked at Ron with contempt.

Thus I gathered my willpower to put an end to it.

"Ron, let him be. It's the way he is. Let…" I cut off, out of breath, bracing my arms against the table with sudden weakness and hiding my blushing face in my hands so that my hair covered it like a curtain. I fought with myself to suppress every twitch and tremble. He wouldn't release me from this affair without an orgasm; it was so cruel.

I asked myself why nobody paid attention to his left hand, but then I remembered the spell he cast in the beginning. It had been non-verbal, probably some kind of concealment spell.

Well, never mind, now I wanted to be in on the fun. I skidded to the edge of my chair and obediently spread my legs wide to ease his access. Draco immediately understood it as it was meant, a demand to better not stop!

Anxiously, I pulled my lips between my teeth and tried not to pant while I mauled them. I stifled every noise. Finally the wave swept over me, double the strength as usual because of the forbiddenness of the situation and the fear of discovery. I screwed up my eyes and tensed, biting my lips until I tasted blood to stop myself from screaming before eventually releasing a shaky breath.

I heard a very raunchy, stifled chuckle that was positively vicious and glared at him with hazy eyes.

[end of edited part]

"What, Mudblood? I didn't do anything, don't complain!" he grinned like the monster that he was.

"Come, Hermione, let's go. We are done here. Don't listen to the ferret!" Ron stood up determinedly. I bent down to grab my bag and Draco used the opportunity to whisper into my ear:

"After your visit to Snape, come to me. You'll have to repay me the favour," he said, licking his lips suggestively. The audacity was jaw-dropping and I hurried out the door accompanied by his loud laughter.

Slytherins! What did I expect?

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 _Review feedback:_

 _ **Kragh50** : Is that a good 'interesting' or a bad 'interesting'? What prompeted that term with the question mark? :D_

 _ **gentledove2** : If she really put her mind to it, she could come up with an impotency spell, I think, or research one. But she enjoys the pleasures of the flesh too much, to use one ;) Oh, it will throw him for a loop, alright, though it won't play out quite in the way you picture. However, it will take us some more chapters to reach the point, we are not there quite yet._

 _ **sjrodgers23** : Back to standard? I still appreciate every review._


	68. Snape's Punishment

Chapter beta: Deeylla & Dani

Chapter translator: Sophie, Aivy and a new addition, Cara :)

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 **Snape's Punishment**

I couldn't believe it. Draco was so, so… impossible! And now I walked through the school without knickers, thanks to him! How did he even manage to bend his hand like that? He had seemed totally relaxed next to me earlier. Maybe he had used a spell?

Never mind. Now I didn't even have enough time to get to the Tower as Ron was pulling me to dinner. Let me phrase it this way: Nobody should stand in the way between Ron and a well-filled plate. He'd develop the fantasy, strategy and even skill to overcome _any_ obstacle! Thus he dragged me mercilessly into the hall, all the while contuiniously cursing about Draco. I felt butt naked with every step that I took and my mind was grumbling together with Ron incessantly on the exact same person.

Great! Nevertheless, I still sat down and ate, knowing that the evening was going to be rather exhausting. I was allowed to see Draco's self-satisfied expression and cattish smirk. He knew very well that I had not had the time to fix my underwear. He seemed to enjoy having that knowledge and I gave him an attempt of an indifferent look. It made him laugh smugly. Oh, that arrogance!

"Hermione?" Ginny addressed me and my attention moved to her.

"Yes, Ginny?" I looked up politely.

"Can you tell me what that was supposed to be, yesterday? Where did you go? That was really peculiar," she asked curiously, surrounded by a group of enthusiastic eavesdroppers. I was sitting to the left of Harry, who was leaning more towards Ron, talking to him.

"Um, away? It really is none of your business," I explained to her in a sugary voice. Man, this girl could be so annoying. I couldn't understand her, or wait, I actually did, at least partly:

In reality, she never knew where she actually stood with me, and she seemed to continuously ask herself whether I fancied Harry. Or it's the other way around? And what was going on between me and Ron; did I want something from him? Or he from me? Lots and lots of questions.

 _Sorry, little Ginny but you won't ever get an answer from me._

I found her behavior ridiculous. Everyone knew she had set her sight on Harry from first glance and chosen him as her future boyfriend. I don't know, but I didn't very much approve of her ways in dealing with her infatuation. She clung to guys who were supposed to be a substitute for Harry, who did not return her interest. However, she hid her intentions just to make Harry jealous, which was a very poor attempt of hers, in my eyes.

She was a funny, feisty girl, but that was all she was. I could not see the genius of the Twins in her; she was a tad wild like Alicia and Angelina, though she also did have something of Lav or Pav. Nothing extraordinary; except for maybe Molly's temper, and a fierce determination to get her hands on Harry, which I didn't like, not knowing whether she really fancied him for his sake or for his fame and fortune.. Did she see him as 'The Boy Who Lived', or just Harry?

I was unsure. I knew best what kind of bitches us women could be! But honestly, contrary to Cho, who was very hesitant to do so, at least I knew that Ginny actually tried to see the person _Harry_ , otherwise she would be much more aggressive in pursuing him, and I knew that he wouldn't be opposed to a relationship. Nonetheless, they still didn't fit together, in my opinion.

However, I also knew that if Harry ever gave her the smallest indication that he wanted her, she would fling herself around his neck and spread her legs wide enough that it would probably scare Harry. Which was the reason I didn't take to her.

"Well, I wouldn't see it like that. We are from the same House and you took off in the middle of the night,and when you got back you looked worse for wear and… Harry… too. Now, who is giving him a hard time?" she replied, her brown eyes filled with a cunning glitter.

"Ginny, if you don't know it yet, I won't tell you either. Ask Harry!" I offered diplomatically.

"But Hermione, you are a Prefect, you must lead by example!" she further replied in agitation, daringly pointing out my designation.

"Ginny, I think that neither my past behaviour, nor the fulfillment of my duties gave any reason to lodge a complaint!" I frostily explained to her. I had always performed my tasks with due diligence!

"Of course, nobody says otherwise. But why….are you suddenly getting familiar with my brothers? I haven't seen you with them very often before," she kept pushing, certainly disliking my closeness to the Twins.

Quickly, I took a bite so I didn't have to answer the question immediately. Gosh, the annoying little bitch! Now I could understand Snape a bit better. Were all teenagerssuch a pain in the arse?

"And I worry for Harry. What did he have yesterday?" She pressured me further. Yes, and now we arrived at the subject of her most immediate concern. However, Harry soon noticed that I was badgered by Ginny and he stopped his own conversation with Ron.

"Ginny, leave Hermione alone. All of that doesn't really concern you, that's a thing between Ron, Hermione and me!" Harry declared coldly and firmly. Wow, his mood seemed to have reached new depths after today's occurrences, which I could understand. Why did Dumbledore and the Order make such a racket of the prophecy yet didn't tell us anything? They treated us like toddlers, unlike supposedly young adults who were capable of listening, thinking for themselves and contributing to the cause.

I doubted the strategy, though hadn't I already said that I often didn't understand Dumbledore?

"But Harry… Hermione can't just act like she owns Gryffindor. The others and I are interested in what you are doing. We can help!" Ginny argued confidently, throwing her straight, long, bright red hair over her shoulder and ignoring Harry's dismissing tone.

"Ginny, I disagree, it's nobody's business! And thanks for your offer, but we don't need any help!" he snapped, annoyed. Oh yes, he was in a _very_ good mood today.

"But… But Harry… all of this… Why are you being so dismissive?" She certainly was involved but today Harry was not in the mood to act like the gentle and empathetic guy; that guy wasn't here today. To know a part of the Dark Lord would be forever ingrained in a part of your mind would make just about everybody grumpy. But I have to say, I approved on the way Harry reminded Ginny of her boundaries clearly; in this regard I was a stereotypical woman after all.

"Ginny, leave it be. We know what we're doing, and it's not for little girls!" Ron explained condescendingly. I pressed my lips tightly together to keep myself from laughing out loud. Ron was hilarious. I mean, Ginny blushed a dark red up to her ears, which clashed horrendously with her hair colour. Even Harry's eyes sparkled suspiciously. I really applauded Ron right now! Just divine! How he had snubbed Ginny in front of everybody because she had tried to become the ringleader of the mutinous Gryffindors and sound us out. And here came Ron and gave her shot across the bow, saying what he thought about her, and Harry didn't object when she was labeled as a small child. Instead he tried frantically not to laugh and maybe I looked slightly gloating. Sometimes, when you expected it the least, Ron could be brilliant!

I interrupted this embarrassing interplay for Ginny, whom once more was shown quite plainly that Harry harboured no romantic feelings towards her. I rose to my feet, said:

"I'm gone for now…," leaning between Ron and Harry, I whispered quietly: "Don't wait for me. After yesterday he won't let me leave before four in the morning!"

"Yes, I think that isn't unlikely! He's a sadist!" Ron chuckled pityingly and Harry nodded sadly. I thought to myself: _If only you knew!_

"But I'm worried for you. What if something were to happen?" Harry fretted. I rolled my eyes, though I could understand their worry, after all this was Snape we were talking about.

"When something happens, I'll heat up the Galleon!" I offered.

"Brilliant, Hermione! Just brilliant," Ron was thrilled and Harry nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that's good. We'll do it that way. Have fun!" He laughed nastily, slapping me on the back. It was obvious that he was happy not to be the one having to go to Snape.

Right now, I was standing in front of the wooden door I had blasted in yesterday, staring at it with deep reluctance. I had made a short detour to the Tower, exchanging my bags and replacing my knickers. I was pondering on ways I might approach him. I mean, I had hit home, but I wasn't sure if the Professor forgave such low blows so easily.

Probably not, I thought. That's why I could feel my heart was beating forcefully.

Lionhearted, I stepped forward and knocked briefly. We had an appointment and I wouldn't want it to be rumoured that I was a coward.

"Miss Granger, I didn't hear you..." Snape said sugarly, sitting behind his desk. His whole demeanour was dark and impressive.

"Sir, I knocked on the door and thought I could enter." I walked towards him with controlled movements, outwardly displaying coolness.

"You shouldn't think so much!" he proposed venomously..

"Of course not, sir!" I swallowed, thinking that this could all go to hell in a moment.

"Well, come on," he ordered, standing up with his usual confidence and litheness. He looked unexpectedly calm and mild-tempered when he walked towards his private quarters.

I mean; hello? Was that Snape?! Where was the dressing down? What was he playing at? Was that his way to unsettle me? If it was, it worked well - to my regret. I had anticipated that he would address the happenings of last night first thing. Now, however… this behaviour of his unsettled me quite much.

I followed him to his living room, watching him with anticipation. Where would we be training?

"You can change in there. When you are done, go through this door!" He pointed to the last door in the back. The room had exactly three visible doors, the rest of the walls were covered with book shelves.

"Sir!" was the only thing I dared to utter, walking to the appointed door and through it, only wanting to turn back around on the spot. It was his bedroom!

I was standing in my professor's bedroom! Okay, now I was sure that it was part of his diabolical plan to throw me a curve. Snape's revenge had already started, only much more subtle than I had anticipated.

It was a spacious room that contained only the most essential furniture made from precious dark woods, but those were drilled and turned as elaborate as possible. Take his bed for example; a truly gigantic and ostentatious bed, covered in black satin sheets.

Had I ever wanted to know how my dear professor slept? No, I hadn't! But apparently, my humiliation would be complete today. Were the snakes out to hit me below the belt?

I snorted bitterly. Please... I didn't care. If he wanted to imagine how I changed in his private area, he damn well could and I just didn't care at all - I refused to! Quickly, I shed my clothes and put on my training gear; a short shirt and comfortable trousers. I was curious on what he would be wearing. _Don't wonder, just take a look,_ I promised myself.

I tied my hair into a bun, to keep it out of my face. Last night my open hair had given him too much to pull. Today however, I didn't believe that I would get another chance to kick him in the groin. I would have to improvise.

Gathering the courage I had in abundance, I stepped swiftly through the door and tried not to look amazed at what magic was capable of. The room was large, surprisingly large and empty. The only thing lying around was a big, black mat and on top of it stood a proud man with his hands clasped behind a straight back, greeting me with a smirk.

"Miss Granger… I assumed you had made yourself comfortable with how long it took you," he breathed out silkily, nearly making me shiver while I realised the suggestiveness in his words. At the same time I could only stare. Yes, okay, I had seen him in a different light already, or rather I had become intimately acquainted with his most intimate body part. But I had never seen him like this, so I was unable to react to his biting comment.

He stood before me clad in black from head to toe, which wasn't surprising. His shirt was of medium length, its sleeves ending in the middle of his upper arms. I could see his biceps. Wow, he was no bodybuilder, but hey, that looked good just the same. He looked strong. Though I had known that he was, now I could witness it as well. The most shocking aspect was that he had tied back his hair, and that changed his appearance altogether. I had to keep a tight grip on my control to stop myself from shaking my head in disbelief. I pulled myself together with an enormous effort of will and stepped closer to him.

 _Just don't show him that he unsettles you in more than one aspect!_

"Your bedroom is fascinating, sir! One must be sleeping well in such a bed," I provoked him, immediately facepalming myself internally. Why, oh why, did my brain-to-mouth filter fail every single time whenever Snape was concerned? Why did I always have to aggravate him with my cheekiness? I mean, it didn't attest to my true intelligence that I used the words, 'bed', 'bedroom' and the likes in his presence.

"Miss Granger, I'm happy that my private chambers passed your muster! If you want to, you may try out the comfortability of it!" he replied smugly, making it clear that my words had yet to faze him.

"I don't think Draco would approve, sir!" I retaliated..

"Do you always have to hide behind my godson? Afraid?" he grinned wolfishly.

"Of you, sir? No! Never!" I replied indignantly, raising my chin arrogantly.

"Then you are not as brilliant as we believed!" he stated with mockery. .

"But one shouldn't show one's fear, Professor. Don't you agree?"

"Also true!" He agreed with me to my great surprise. Before I could react, he beckoned me closer.

"Come closer. You now have the great pleasure to be taught by me… You should expect no mercy!" He informed me coldly, eying me deprecatingly.

"I never expected anything different, Sir!" I showed myself unaffected, giving him a short nod.

"Good. As long as you don't put your hopes up," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Anything goes, everyone can do whatever they want to do! I need to get an overview of your skills and capabilities!" he explained very businesslike.

"Aye, aye, Sir!" I confirmed, straightening my shoulders.

"Well then, let's start!" he gave the signal.

And so we stood facing each other with determination, both calm, both relaxed. To keep your calm is the most important rule. Someone who was hectic had lost the fight before it even started. Quick, fluid motions were perfect, whenever they became uncertain and nervous it would be disadvantageous for me; I was really not that stupid to believe he would lose control in a fight.

He stood casually but with the presence of a predator in front of me, only his dark eyes scurrying back and forth, otherwise he remained motionless. Wow, he was very intimidating! His half-length shirt exposed his Dark Mark, displaying it quite uninhibited as he stood still and at ease. When he saw where my gaze had wandered, he only mockingly raised his eyebrow.

And then he lunged at me, fast as lightning and quiet as a shadow, aiming to kick the shin of my right leg as I had placed it in front of me. However, I had become fast as well in the last few months of continuous training and so I narrowly avoided getting hit through a courageous jump.

He then tried and succeeded to catch the front of my shirt, pulling me closer while I aimed a karate chop at his carotid artery, which found its target. However, he was not impressed by that. In retaliation, he dragged me down mercilessly, throwing himself backwards, unbalancing me in the process and causing me to fall forward, towards him. In a fluid motion, he set his foot on my pubis bone - I realised in this moment that I had been caught in his trap - forcing me to roll over him!

I seemed to hover in the air for what seemed like an eternity while I flipped head-over-heel. Then, both our backs hit the mat, though I landed a lot heavier due to the leverage and momentum of the rollover in comparison to his simple fall and the air was forced painfully out of my lungs on impact. Thanks to my valiant resistance, he had not been able to complete the backward roll and land on me, otherwise this would have been a very short fight

I immediately got up and we began to circle each other like a pair of predators, at the slightest twitch the other would attack. It was admirable how calm he was, his face showed nothing.

As he was physically stronger than me, I resorted to Taekwondo kicks. A kick was three times as strong as a punch, and my legs were longer than my arms, so I used a foot combination against him in the near distance, a quickly but well executed kick. After yanking up my bent knee, I quickly extended my leg and rammed my fist powerfully in the direction of his face, but as expected, he dodged smoothly and my punch found nothing.

He aimed an offensive attack at my neck and although I tried to dodge, I still got hit by the edge of his hand, which made me briefly black out. But thanks to our close proximity, I caught his shirt and could retaliate by ramming my knee into his chest with all my might, and was rewarded when the air left his lungs causing him to hiss.

Lightning-swift, he jumped away, trying to normalise his breathing. The pace was murderous, blows flying in quick succession. I didn't even get to think, I just reacted. It got bloody and dirty very quickly. We switched between all types of fighting and styles in a wild rhythm. Kicks alternated with foot sweeps, punches with elbows strikes.

Krav Maga, Judo, Lutra Livre, freestyle fighting, Karate, Sambo and so on; I could happily keep enumerating. We did not stop when the first blood flowed, spilling freely from both our mouths and noses. He didn't pull any punches and neither did I, and so we pummeled each other mercilessly.

Although I had to admit that I was very defensive; he was the one who determined the pace, but I defended myself to the best of my abilities. I could downright feel how he used the anger he had nursed last night and let it out of his system by battering me and my body with his wild kicks and punches. I could vividly imagine that my body wouldn't have a spot left that wasn't sore after this workout. However, I was doing quite well and I couldn't be more proud of my achievement of being able to stand up to him. I guess I could claim with a clear conscience that he wasn't holding himself back.

While I was distracted by this small, cocky review of my abilities, he caught me, getting hold of my shirt again, and dragged me with the use of a spectacular technique to the ground alongside him, applying the Maki-Komi-Waza. This was a wraparound technique and he buried me almost completely under him. I was lying with my back pressed ruthlessly against his hard chest and he had thus the advantage to keep me on the ground. Hence, I was in a very precarious position, nearly unable to act and he took advantage of that when he captured me in a submission hold, where we lay intertwined, arms and legs entangled, our bodies pressed tightly together. He had his legs wrapped around my waist and his right arm around my neck, the other clutching my left wrist in a vice like grip. I felt like I was wrapped in a tight cocoon.

If anyone could see the professor and me like this, sweaty, bleeding, breathing heavily, they would think we were trying to kill each other quite successfully. He had managed to make me immobile, leaving me with only one choice: to give up or - as if we were in a real fight - pass out. Still, I squirmed and fought vehemently against his grip and his rigid body pushing me steadfastly into the hard mat. I could feel his heavy breath on my ear. I tried to get his arm off my neck to stop him from choking me. Unfortunately, I was exhausted and almost unable to move, so I did not succeed in fighting against his constant and steady pressure. His legs squeezed my middle harder, so that I had almost no air left; he had overwhelmed me and now was showing me his full strength.

And thus I gave up, went limp in his arms still fully conscious and played dead. He did not seem to realise my surrender right away, because I noticed how he kept pushing, only that my muscles no longer provided resistance and yielded, so he could crush me even more.

Suddenly, he halted and after a millisecond he also loosened his tense, cramped muscles and although he still kept me embraced in the position I had given up in, he no longer tried to break me. And thus I could feel him pressed so close to me as I had done so far only as Minna, except this time he held me, Hermione, like this in his arms.

"Miss Granger?" he whispered breathlessly into my ear and I could do nothing against the goose bumps that spread from my ear over my body. And since I did not answer immediately or otherwise gave a sign of wakefulness, after a moment I felt him burying his nose into my tied back hair and inhaling deeply. I could not believe it! Aghast, my eyes flew open - they had been closed until then. He apparently thought I had lost consciousness and I could feel to my excessive horror something hard beginning to press against my back all of a sudden... Help! I mean, I was his pupil, not Minna. I placed importance on that, his actions went too far!

Consequently, I went back to my existing acting talent and awoke theatrically with a groan. Immediately, he jerked his head back and untangled our bodies.

"Sir?" I asked breathlessly and sat up, displaying confusion, and wiped my face to then look at a bloody hand. Great, yesterday blood, today blood! Hopefully my body produced enough of it...

"Miss Granger, how are you feeling?" it thundered behind me and I looked over my shoulder into a no less demolished face. As great as he looked, I couldn't be prouder of myself.

"Good sir, thank you. And you?" I was in a really good mood, although I felt how everything started to ache slowly but surely. He, on the other hand, did not look as if everything hurt him, he was really tough.

"I don't know why that would be any of your business. But let me tell you, you still have a lot to learn!" he spoke his scathing judgment about me . Alright, sir, if you say so! For the short time I had actually been training, though very intensely, he looked very battered... But please, this was Snape!

"I know that, sir. Do you think you can teach me something?" I asked cheekily while he summoned his wand and cleaned the both of us magically, most likely to even be able to see what wounds we had.

"At least you're not such a hopeless case like Potter is in Occlumency !" he snarled. A few strands of his smooth hair had loosened from his short ponytail and framed his face.

Now we were back at the topic from last night. We still sat on the mat, me with my back towards him, only my head turned to face him. We only had one problem, I would never ever in my life apologise, neither for the kick nor for the punch, he had deserved them both.

"Thanks for the compliment, sir. Since we're on the subject ... " I licked nervously over my split, still slightly bleeding lip and tasted the fresh blood in my mouth. "... after talking to you yesterday, I ... talked to Harry and offered him, after this disaster, to teach and help him in Occlumency every Tuesday, complementing your lessons, sir, if you agree with that?" I now asked the floor, as I had averted my face. However, you should never turn your back on a snake, that much I should have learned by now, shouldn't I? But mistakes come again and again and so did this one!

"Do you think so? What makes you think so?" he hissed menacingly in my ear. I flinched. I hadn't noticed that he had snug up to me so quickly, so silently, that he could now whisper directly into my ear. "What makes you think I'll just forget about yesterday?" His arms closed around my chest from behind, mercilessly pressing my arms against my upper body, his chest against my back. _Oh, he is still angry,_ I thought in astonishment. I could see his bare arms, which were at other times always hidden under clothing.

"I don't know, sir." I swallowed with difficulty, feeling his warm breath on my skin again and suddenly a pain that shot through me. I could stifle the outcry, but not the startled and unexpected gasp.

"Owaarrgg ..." He had bitten my earlobe! Hopefully it was still in one piece. Why were those annoying Slytherins always biting me? Did they have problems?

"Pro ... Professor!" I let myself be heard, out of breath, but I would not apologize.

"And you think you can teach Potter better, in this difficult area, than I?" he breathed silkily.

"No, sir. But I could do it differently and you know that your relationship is not the best. Hence I think it would not hurt, so that something like yesterday does not happen again! Trust, he trusts me and that's important in this art!" I tried to say as normal as possible from my unfavorable position.

"Alas, do you think so? Well, then I should examine you on Sunday. If you can withstand me, you may practice with Potter, if not ..." he threatened to pull all my secrets out of my head. Wasn't he nice? But alright, it was an offer, the only one I would get. And it was kind to give me time until Sunday.

"As you wish, Professor!" I immediately responded affirmatively to the offer, not daring to move a muscle. He did not let go and still had his mouth against my neck, as if he would kiss me at any time or the like. The tension between us was palpable.

"What shall I do with you? How can I punish you for your impossible behavior last night? You are aware that this can not go unpunished, aren't you?" He asked with his velvety voice, his breath brushing lasciviously over my heated skin.

"Yes, sir, but I do not apologize!" I blurted out, thinking immediately: Fucking pride! Goddess, was I stubborn.

"That's what I thought!" he just said, summing it up. He pulled one arm away from my chest, grabbing my hair instead, and brutally bent my head back so that my throat was overstretched and I stared at the ceiling and into his threatening, grim face.

And then he kissed me suddenly, though this was a punishing kiss, not gentle at all; so brutal and raw that it could be nothing else but a punishment. He bit ruthlessly into my already bruised lips, which made me whimper into his mouth. That seemed to please him even more, as I felt his hand in my hair tighten its grip, painfully pulling on my scalp. His tongue now forcibly seized my mouth and slid in, exploring me with little affection.

He still roughly pressed me against his chest with his other hand. I was able to free my left hand, which I purposefully lifted to grab something from him. I found his tied-back hair, grabbing it brutally in my fist. It caused him to growl, but he didn't release me and so we descended into the next duel, only in a different area.

Then he bit my tongue as a sign of who was in charge and when I shied away, he abruptly let go of me and stood up. I had immediately detangled my hand from his hair and was still sitting there, confused, and touched my wounded mouth in disbelief. Terrified by how he knew how to punish me!

He had announced his opinion and his punishment. From now on he would always punish me this way, because he was aware that I took any other reprisals indifferently. If he knew what I had already taken from him… However, no matter how he had behaved towards Minna, that kiss here had been so cold and cruel that it left me very cold inside.

He had already left the practice room and now it was my time to get up, in a clumsy way, under his watchful eyes, and stride to his room to change, which I did routinely, not wasting a thought for my surroundings.

"Professor, should I leave then?" I framed it as a question, cautiously stepping up to him wearing my black cloak. He looked critically at my figure, raising his eyebrow thoughtfully.

"Oh, are you going to seek comfort with my godson?" The sarcasm dripped from his voice.

"At least I have somebody who does that for me, right, sir?" I had to show him that he could not break me with a mere kiss. I found it much more degrading to get money from him. Sometimes, I would love to scream in this arrogant guys face.

I could make out how his jaw clenched and began to work, and then he shot his glass at me like a cannonball. I escaped it narrowly by a dive, hearing it clank loudly as it shattered. Quickly, I got to my feet and ran away from him as fast as I could, before he could devise even more drastic punishments.

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	69. Something Unforgiveable

_Is it Thursday? It's Thursday!_

Chapter beta: the wonderful Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy & Sophie

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 **Something Unforgivable**

Crap!

Pity that he only had to use a Reparo. In the Muggle world he would have to buy new glasses; it would have served him right! Why did he always threw his glassware at me?

In an unconscious gesture I reached for my injured ear. Ow, it really hurt, though not as much as Lucius' barbaric bite had. Why did Snape have to start things like that, too? … At least it wasn't bleeding.

I was trapped between three snakes. It was a situation that made me want to tear every hair on my head out, but I wouldn't be able to help it. Meanwhile, I had pulled my hood deep into my face. Just as well all of the professors, and even Filch, steered clear of the dungeons and left the supervision completely to Snape. Therefore I had more or less freedom to do whatever I wanted and didn't have to worry until I reached the common room.

I checked that the hood was fitting well and entered, downright rushing in, curious how it would go down. I didn't come here that often that I could afford to be totally unconcerned.

With a Snape worthy grandeur, I swept into the room. As it was only half past ten, I landed another fulminant performance. I had said it already, Draco was rubbing off on me. Dramaqueen. Didn't Ginny say something of the likes earlier today?

I noticed that many looked bewildered upon my appearance, shying away fearfully. A quick glance through the room didn't yield a glimpse of white-blonde, instead I spotted a dark-skinned beau raising swiftly from his seat at the fireplace and stepping up to me with his arms wide open. I could see and hear some of them object at Blaise's reaction to me, asking themselves what it was about. Immediately, the whispering started.

"Does he know her, too, now?"

"Who is that girl? I'm dying of curiosity!"

"The way she acts…!"

"Horrible, as if she owed the House!"

"When will Draco have enough of her?"

These spiteful comments and more of the like wafted through the crowded room.

"Abraxina! It's lovely to see you! I missed you!" The monumental charmer greeted me with sweet-talk. Blaise was very charming; when he wanted to, he could wrap every girl around his finger.

"Blaise, you flatterer!" I replied, letting him hug me, though I flinched back slightly when he applied too much pressure. All under the watchful eyes of the snakes, who couldn't get their heads around the fact that Blaise knew me too and seemed to be close to me. It was a lot of fun to shock them so deeply and I smiled brightly, well hidden under the black cloth of my hood.

"What's up, most beautiful? Are you in pain?" His face darkened under his worried gaze. "Draco told me about yesterday and… where you… where you have been until recently! Was he the one to… Did he hurt you?" I waved his suspicions aside. In reaction, he took my hand gingerly and pulled me towards the couch. "Pansy, get lost!" He chased her away just as kindly as Draco had done the other day.

"Please, sit down," he requested, which I did carefully. Now that the training was over and the adrenaline was disappearing, my body began to rebel. I wasn't really injured, but my muscles were aching nonetheless and I was bruised all over. "Do you want some whiskey?" he asked attentively and I nodded affirmatively.

"Blaise, as you mentioned yesterday: How did Draco knew where to go?" I enquired quietly but highly interested.

"A small, truly adorable, silver squirrel came here and whispered something to Draco. Afterwards, he left at a tearing pace!" Upon Blaise's description I burst into honest laughter when I pictured how George overcame his inhibitions in his worry over me and sent his Patronus to Draco. Blaise was chuckling as well.

"Hi!" Nott found the heart to address me. He was a more reserved boy with an hare-like appearance and light-brown hair. I got a hold of myself so I could answer him.

"Hello, Nott!" I replied politely. "Thank you, Blaise, your just too precious." A second later, a glass was handed to me. It was astounding that the Slytherin stocked up on booze by default; we didn't have that in Gryffindor. I savoured the first sip. "I really appreciate that you are tending to me, but tell me, where is he?"

"No idea! He said you would come by and that he would be back by then. Where he's gone to? I haven't got a clue! You know him better than anybody else; he is just too stubborn!" he declared with annoyance, shrugging his shoulders. I jumped out of my chair and started pacing resolutely in front of the fireplace despite all the pain, taking another gulp of the invigorating drink that burned so deliciously. Meanwhile, I wasn't able to tune out the hum created by the snakes' conversations. They were nervous because I was here and Draco wasn't.

"Blaise, don't talk about Draco like that!" I told him off and to my satisfaction he ducked his head. At the same time, the common room fell silent as nobody wanted to miss anything. I had just snubbed Draco's representative in Slytherin and reprimanded him and everybody was dying to see his reaction.

"I'm sorry, but…" he started.

"You're worried? For how long has he been gone?" I wanted to know the details.

"Since dinner…!" Blaise answered, slightly intimidated, looking at me apologetically with his big, dark eyes.

"What!?" I flew into a rage. That was hours ago! I could venture a guess where he had gone; it was the only explanation as he hadn't been at Snape's. The conclusion wasn't at all to my liking, thus I shot my glass Snape-like into the fireplace where it shattered into thousands of shards, making some people jump and many students felt affronted by my fit according to their comments:

"Who does she think she is?"

"Draco isn't here, she should better take care!"

"How dare she act out like that?"

"Did you hear how she spoke to Blaise?"

The whispers came clearly audible from all around the room.

"How dare you! You can't make such a fuss here!" Only Parkison dared to screech loudly. Slowly, very slowly I turned around and faced her when Blaise immediately jumped in front of her, leveling a glare at her. He grabbed the raven-haired girl and shaked her roughly.

"Don't listen to her. You can do whatever you want! Pansy, bugger off and shut your gob!" He hissed dangerously. I shrugged my shoulders and turned away in a show of indifference.

"Keep the little girl away from me, I'm in a lousy mood!" I spoke disdainfully about Parkison without dignifying her with so much as a glance. Thereupon, she crossed her arms in front of her chest aggressively in a huff, glaring at me venomously. I, once more, ignored her childish behaviour in favour of asking Blaise: "But now tell, do you have a guess where he might be?"

"No, of course not, he doesn't tell me anything. I know, I…" Blaise broke off in the middle of his grumpy tirade.

In this moment, the blonde I was searching for stepped through the wall with a proud and autocratic bearing like a king gracing his subjects with his presence, and everybody looked at him. Some might have thought I was jealous and that had been why I had lost my composure and shattered the glass. From what I could gather from the whispering earlier, they thought I assumed he was with another girl here at Hogwarts. Guys, come off it! No way I would think that. Furthermore, I knew that he hadn't been with a girl…

"Abraxina!" He beamed at me. "Did he release you so early from his clutches?"

"Why did you go to Lucius?" I hissed at him, enraged. His face froze into a mask. A lot of people gasped in surprise. It meant that Draco had left the school grounds and that I hadn't been agitated because of a girl. But thanks to the secret passage I had shown him, coming and going as one pleases was really a piece of cake.

"I always knew that you were clever, my darling!" he praised in typical Malfoy fashion in a patronizing manner. Something must have happened for him to speak so blasé to me, and he, too, ignored everyone around us.

"Was it because of me?" I voiced my concerns.

"Among other topics. You are highly sought after!" he answered cooly and with little enthusiasm. Meanwhile, the snakes tried to make themselves invisible.

"Haha," I laughed dryly.

"She's injured," Blaise announced helpfully. I turned to him and would have sent him a deathly glare if my face hadn't been concealed. Telltale!

Immediately, Draco's behaviour changed on the spot. He quickly closed the distance between us and gently clasped my upper arms.

"Was it very bad? Did he treat you too roughly?" Though he spoke his questions softly, he was still clearly audible in the large and very quiet room.

"Let's go to your room!" I asked, wanting to leave the gawking masses behind me. Like Snape, I loved to merge with the shadows. A Malfoy, however, didn't! They were different, they loved an audience, they needed the attention.

"Forget them. They won't tell, they wouldn't dare! … But please, tell me. What happened otherwise?" he pressed me for information.

Please, when doesn't something ever happen? Name one single example where something went normal when it comes to me… But well, nothing bad. Although I'm aching all over… Sore muscles, bruises and a split lip. Otherwise I'm okay… He had to take some punches, too!" I couldn't bite back to mention.

"That doesn't sound too bad. But what happened for you to appear so cantankerous? I know you too well to let it pass!"

"Do Slytherins always have to bite? Is that a disease?" I snapped, wishing for another drink, and wrenched myself away from his hold.

"I've not bitten you yet!" he chuckled; he seemed to find it all hilarious once again.

"Draco, you already filled the cup to the brim today. Even though you might not have bitten me, you've done something much worse!" I hissed. He rolled his eyes when I alluded to his mark. The snakes surrounding us tried to catch and soak in every single detail of our conversation, whilst their eyes scurred hectically between the two of us.

"I know what you need and I promise you, afterwards, nothing that happened today will matter to you anymore…" That sounded very suggestive, but I didn't think I would be down for sex today, if that was what he tried to insinuate.

"What, you have a Time Turner?" I remarked sweetly.

"No, only you had one. Don't get all worked up, that's what he probably wanted to achieve," he dismissed my brilliant mood with a wave of his elegant hand.

"He threw another glass at me," I now said with frustration.

"Now I can confirm that nobody accomplishes to let him loose it as much as you. What did you say to him this time?" Draco groaned sufferingly.

"I… nothing special. I repeatedly said it: everybody go mad around me! There is possibly nothing I can change about that in this life. But now tell me , why did you visit Lucius?" I could deflect just as well as he could and determinedly diverted attention from Snape and me.

"Oh, lots. He's a pain in the neck, because of you… amongst others!" He looked snobbishly at his nails.

"Can we go to your room now? I'm in pain, I want my potions and to go to sleep," I stated impatiently.

"Has she been in this great mood the whole time?" Draco asked Blaise in a whisper.

"No, only after she concluded that you were with your father." Blaise twitched in discomfort.

"What are you all gawking at? Go to bed!" He yelled at his house mates just as enervated as I had done with the lions the other day. Just then, Blaise whispered nervously into Draco's ear and the longer he talked, the more Draco's eyes darkened.

"Pansy, STOP _immediately_! And look at me when I talk to you. What are you thinking to mess with Abraxina? Didn't I say she can do _everything_? She stands far above you! _Above you all_!" He exuded a frosty calm that was so much more intimidating than any words that he could have shouted. Every snake had stopped and were watching Pansy's personal quandary with interest while still keeping their distance. It was always overwhelming to see the houses intensive teamwork and solidarity, I thought smugly. Draco stood in front of her like a vengeful god, looking at her fiercely.

"I, Draco… I mean, it's enough that you bring your whores here, we accept that you bring your little sluts from other houses! But she has to behave!" she defended herself petulantly. Tactical error, dear Parkinson, to call me a whore. And peng, he exploded:

"How dare you call a member of my family a whore!" Draco sounded very scary and dangerous. He looked as if he wanted nothing more than to wring Parkinson's neck, a vein pulsing visibly on his temple. I had never before seen him so furious. Well, when family was concerned the guy did tend to lose his cool! And he had added me to his family very deliberately. Just as Snape, he managed to manifest his fury in a visible aura that would pulse around him, an impressive and very rare feat.

Parkinson outright ducked her head when the adamantine expression in his grey eyes hit her. She realised she had gone too far.

"Draco calm down, I don't give a damn!" I claimed indifferently, observing the Slytherins remaining in their spots and watching their leader having a first class rage fit.

"Oh no, forget it! I want you to show her what happens when she doesn't know and accepts her place! When she tries to mess with my family! But you also have to accept to whom you belong to and act like it!" He focused his anger on me as well. Oh, Lucius must have aggravated him, I thought resignedly.

"What do you demand?" I asked him, raising my eyebrow. But hey, a furious Snape was enough, I didn't need Draco to get mad at me too.

"You've never performed the Cruciatus on a human, only animals, right?" His grin was downright diabolic and his facial expression made me unsure for a moment whether he was serious or not.

"You know that," I answered with emphasized nonchalance, hoping to conceal my disapproval about the way this went down. Everybody looked at Draco with horror, even Blaise was staring at him, apparently surprised about my confession, and Parkinson gaped at us with disbelief on her anxious face.

"Draco, please, please… I haven't done anything!" she wailed, throwing herself at Draco's feet to my blatant bafflement, pleading and begging in a show of submission. "I didn't mean it like that … Please, forgive me…" Wow, how pathetic was she? However, the fear showed freely in her whole demeanour.

"Do it, darling. It's time for you to learn!" he ordered and kicked Parkinson contemptuously, which made her howl. He really asked me to do something very dark, very indecent and absolutely forbidden.

I swallowed. I hadn't expected this demand. Of course, I had practiced the curse, but I had never planned to actually use it. After a glance around I realised with astonishment that nobody looked shocked about the order, only the offender, that was about to be prosecuted ,was deeply affected, apart from that the amount of emotions displayed was vanishingly low.

Think of me as crazy, but I knew that I had no choice, I had to do it! The Slytherins would never accept and approve of me otherwise and I had to earn their respect in order to be free from challenges and this was how they worked, the snakes. Weren't they sweet and nice little beasties?

And on the other side, my cold-blooded side came to light again. I really wanted to know how this ministry-banned curse worked and how I would feel when I cast it; hence I pulled out my beautiful white wand playfully slowly, going along with Draco's order without discussion.

The Slytherins, who had been about to leave, had stopped in shock when Pansy had been convicted and were watching the three of us as if we were from another planet, but without interfering, and I wondered if that had happened before ? But with house leaders like Bellatrix, Lucius and even the Lord, I could hardly imagine anything else.

"Draco… You can't be serious?!" Blaise dared to interject, pointing at me flabbergasted. "An Unforgivable, from her… in school!" It seemed to affect him more that I would be the one to cast an Unforgivable in school, and less that somebody was going to do it at all. I found it very interesting and revealing .

"Blaise…" Draco growled warningly and the addressed young man reconsidered briskly whether he wanted to continue to argue for the convicted and hence fell silent. I looked down at Pansy who was still lying shivering in front of Draco. In fact, I couldn't care less for her and would prefer to ignore her, but Draco was right.

I needed the prestige and respect and I wouldn't gain it any other way here in the serpents' nest. That's why I overcame any reluctance and aversion I still harboured, aimed my wand and recalled all the anger I felt for Snape, Draco, Lucius and Ginny - ah, Dumbledore, too, came to mind - to help me. I focussed all those strong, negative feelings on my target, bathing in the surge of rage that bubbled up inside me, and shouted fervently:

"Crucio!" The beam burst mercilessly from the top of my wand and hit the girl who was already on the floor, making her cry out in agony. She convulsed, jerking up, only to collapse like a puppet and then suddenly she began to shriek, writhing in unbelievable pain in her torment.

She twisted her limbs on the hard stone floor of the dungeons and screamed her mind to the heavens. It was a bloodcurdling sight; it shocked me that I was causing her so much pain, the sight made me feel very insecure. Her arms and legs connected again and again with the solid, unyielding floor without control, it looked like her body was plagued with epileptic seizures. Her agony seemed abysmal. Her face was an ugly, contorted visage with drool dripping from her mouth! Blood joined it soon, she must have bitten her tongue.

Her cries resonated from the high ceilings of the dungeon, reverberating in our ears. Nothing else could be heard but Parkinson's distressed, frantical screams. Though the curse had only been active for a few seconds, the effects were substantial.

Did it bring me sadistic joy to see Pansy going through this torment before me? No, I had pulled my face into a shocked and disapproving grimace under my hood. I think, that's why my spell wasn't as strong and intense as it could be. However, the others, including Blaise, looked at me totally horrified, aghast that I would do it, that I could do it; although I was sure that I couldn't compare to people that were experienced with this particular curse and I figured Pansy wasn't the best test subject to determine the strength of my curse.

After no more than a minute I lifted the spell, effectively ending the torture.

"Why did you stop already?" Draco asked coldly, who had observed everything emotionlessly with his arms crossed and a distanced expression.

"Because it is enough. She didn't do anything to me. Besides, this girl isn't used to pain, just look at her!" I pointed at the picture of misery at out feet, whimpering, whining and crying heartbreakingly.

"Should I feel pity for her? Then she should have thought in advance with whom she was messing!" he hissed nastily with narrowed eyes, essentially without any sympathy.

"Pity? Rather not! But one has to know when to end!" I didn't budge in my decision to end Parkinson's torture.

"Never mind, if you insist! … Take care of that!" He pointed contemptuously at Pansy, as if she was trash, addressing nobody in particular. "Come," he took my arm and led me to his room past the crowd of frightened Slytherins. I was somewhat besides myself. What would the Slytherins think if they knew who was hidden by that hood and had done the scandalous deed?

Wasn't it great what I was able to learn? I guess soon I'd have broken all taboos. I had tortured a poor, defenseless girl; I believe I myself was in a slight state of shock as my head felt like it was filled with cotton wool.

What did I become after performing such deed? A monster! When had I become a person that always paid the price, without ifs and buts?

What did those men make out of me? Nothing good! Draco taught me to quash the last bit of humanity I had still left, to become an ice block like him. Earlier this year he had told me that he had practised torturing for years and now he let me partake in the lessons he had learnt.

I believe, I didn't even want to know what happened with Lucius to make Draco so bad-tempered that he requested something like that of me. I had only given in so quickly and done what he wanted because I had known he would have been relentless in his demand and insisted that I would go through with it. He would have enforced his will, even if he had to get rough with me. Had I refused regardless, he would have used the torture curse on Pansy himself eventually and his spell probably couldn't be compared to my own. From this point of view she had come off well, I tried to silence my conscience with little success.

My cooperation had to happen willingly; a refusal wouldn't have got me the standing with the snakes that I had gained now. That way I tried to justify the advantages I had gotten through this renewed crossing of lines.

When Draco's door shut behind us, I shed my cloak, absent-minded, went straight to his bed and sank down on top of it. This evening had held once again a lot of surprises and imponderabilities and now I was exhausted, not only physically but mentally as well. The training hadn't been easy on me and the curse had required a lot of power, strength and no small amount of concentration.

"Was it very bad?" Draco's concerned voice reached me. "Please forgive my harsh demeanour, but when Pansy utters such words in front of me, I can't accept and tolerate that. You know that and are clever enough to be aware that you are only safe here when I'm not present as long as they know what you can do, what you are capable of and how far you are willing to go! That's how we are, things like that happen here occasionally…" He explained himself with unfamiliar urgency, pacing agitatedly in front of his small fireplace.

"That was hardly the first Cruciatus inside these walls. And yes, before you ask, I as well have shown one Slytherin or the other that I rule them. Unfortunately, it is necessary from time to time… Although you were the first outsider who tortured a Slytherin with this curse, therefore the shocked expressions!" He chuckled now. "I think they will talk their heads off speculating who you may be. The rumour mill will work overtime!"

"Draco, I feel so evil. Poor Pansy…" I admitted tiredly. He stepped up to me, looking into my face, and caressed it gently. I gave him a crooked smile with my split lip. It hurt. "Do I look bad?"

"Who is actually good? Don't worry about her, she is a nasty bitch. She would have treated you to the same kindness without a second thought. Never underestimate Pansy, she is a scheming, mean girl!" he reassured me while casting a spell and in the next second I was naked on his bed.

"Draco, what are you thinking? Drop it!" I wasn't in the mood for amorous adventures in the least and wanted to cover myself, but he stopped me.

"You are thinking only the worst of me, aren't you?" He examined my battered body that was a masterwork of different colours. When I looked down at it, it hurt even more. "Severus has done a good job."

I watched Draco bending down to fetch a jar from his night stand. Then, he sat down on the mattress next to me. I looked up, finding a sad smile on his face.

"What's that? It smells potent!" I said, sniffing in the direction of the open jar while I watched him take out a great portion of bright-green salve with his hands.

"I am going to rub your whole body with it and you will love me for doing so! The moment I saw the commercial for this product I ordered it for you. I've got it for a week now and can't wait to use it!" He put his hands onto my swollen, hot and colorfully shimmering skin and spread the ointment with soft and rhythmic movements before he started massaging it into my skin. "It's a healing salve that eliminates bruises, a brand new invention! And it works amazingly! Look!" He had rubbed it into my hands, upper arms and forearms and - lo and behold - the unsightly discolourations started to fade.

"Wow, that's wonderful. Thanks for thinking of me!" I was genuinely delighted. That would help! He continued, applying the salve to my whole body. I could feel the pleasant and healing properties taking effect.

He spread the salve over his hand again and rubbed it carefully into my face. I was feeling the tingling sensation of healing, when he paused.

"What's that?" he asked, touching my injured ear.

"What do you think it is?" I groaned exasperated when he rubbed the salve into the bite.

"He bit you there. Not nice!" He grinned at me. "However, with him it doesn't mean… anything, besides making his bad mood visible," he said reassuringly. "Now you can't see a thing. That's magic! Turn around!" I did sluggishly what he wanted before he continued to treat my sore muscles and irritated skin.

"What did your father want from you?" I mumbled into the pillow.

"Oh, he had some spare time as it is going well for the Lord. Fudge is playing into his hands with his 'don't see' strategy. He had some questions, for example whether you would stay at Hogwarts over Easter…" He concentrated on kneading my thighs, making me moan in pleasure.

"Ohhh… that feels so good! Is that so? I believe I just got an idea how I might keep Lucius busy for a while!" Exactly; if he got too much free time, because people didn't want to acknowledge the Dark Lord's activities, I could cause a little disturbance in the population and I already knew how.

"Draco, I need your help. If you don't bitch about it, assist me, and play nice, I'll forgive you for fucking me during the Prefects meeting and forcing me to do that to Pansy earlier!" I made him an offer of conciliation, groaning again when his skilled fingers found a muscle which was particularly cramped.

"Well, firstly, That was only my finger and I think you were satisfied. It was your own fault, you let Potter and Weasel get much too close to you! And secondly, that with Pansy: Where did I force you? You did it immediately, without protest," he tried to act the innocent.

"Firstly, my dear, that was no favour that you granted me, you wanted to annoy and humiliate me! Secondly, if I had refused to do it, you would have forced me to!"

"Oh well, why argue with you when you are right?" He slapped my ass cheekily. "Done."

"Okay, what else do I have to do for you to like me again?" he asked, good-humoured. I turned around to be faced with a mischievous grin.

"Tomorrow, I have to go to Hogsmeade with Harry. I'll only sit in the Three Broomsticks, nothing more, but I have to go!" I admitted reluctantly, watching his lips thinning the longer I spoke. But then he spelled himself naked as well and beckoned me to move closer.

"You know how dangerous that would be; you promised not to leave the castle! After tonight I can confirm that Father is serious about you!" He pulled me firmly against his side and I laid my head against his chest, extremely tired.

"Draco, I know that. Do you think I would ask if I wasn't aware how dangerous it is?" I whispered quietly against his naked chest.

"Is it important?"

"Yes, if it succeeds it will keep Lucius out of my hair for a bit!"

"If it makes you happy… I'll organise your safety and inform the Twins with the Galleon that I'll await them in the secret passage after breakfast to arrange your surveillance!" He breathed a kiss on my brow.

"Good, do that! Thank you, Draco." I craned my head so that he could kiss me properly and he was so gentle, very different from Snape's painful kiss.

Slowly, he broke away and determinedly breathed another good-night kiss on my brow.

"Sleep well," he said softly. I snuggled closer to him and, as tired as I was, I fell asleep quickly.

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 _Review feedback:_

 _130 reviews! Thanks so much, guys!_

 _ **Kragh50:** I'm glad you managed to follow the fight in the end. This chapter today shouldn't be any less intense, only on a totally different level :) Looking forward to find out how you liked it. _

_**sjrodgers23:** Did you mean to say that something has to be done about Snape and that what he is doing is wrong? He certainly isn't behaving like a teacher should behave toward his student. But Hermione can't stop provoking him._

 _ **nick7745:** Thank you for your review! We appreciate every single one of them. This story is going many different places and there is a reason I tagged it as 'slow build' and 'long fic, like really, really long' on another archive. If you aren't into that, it might not be the right fic for you, but I would be happy if you let yourself get captured by it and come along on the ride. After all, you made it through 68 chapters already! Some days might span over several chapters and sometimes weeks go by in a paragraph. It always depends on how much the author has to tell about that particular period of time. We never made a secret out of the fact that it will take us 4 million words to get through 4 years of Hermione's life ;)_


	70. Three Broomsticks

Chapter Beta: Dani

Chapter Translator: Aivy & Sophie

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 **Three Broomsticks**

The feeling of getting crushed woke me and opened my eyes quickly. Draco had managed to bury me in his sleep, so I was getting squeezed, sunk deep into the mattress. I almost had to laugh that he didn't want to let me go even for a little bit, otherwise, he would never have wanted me so close overnight.

I started to nudge him gently until he rolled over with a grumble and I could breathe freely again. What ... so late already? Almost seven o'clock, I could forget about my run for today.

Then I remembered my plan. Now, as always, I had to be quick, so I jumped up and summoned Orange with the same spell Draco had used for his owl back in Rose Cottage. I hopped into the bathroom and washed my teeth, cleaned my school uniform, and changed into some jeans and a warm sweater in the time she needed to reach the dungeons using the magically twisting paths. I would go straight to the Great Hall just in time for breakfast so no one in Gryffindor had a chance to notice I had not spent the night in my house.

During these minutes I had to myself, my inexcusable action from the previous day came back to my mind and it almost made me feel sick when I recalled Parkinson's cramping and twitching body. I leaned against the wall for a moment. _Please, Hermione, pull yourself together, you've already taken a life, so a little torture doesn't hurt!_ And no, I couldn't really convince myself of that; no matter how often I kept repeating it silently to myself, it was not right to torture. To punish, yes, but not like that!

I knew now that I could do it, just as I could do everything I put my mind to, though I also knew I wouldn't do it again ... Stop! One caveat: if ever justified, I might do it again, but only then! I shook my head numbly to suppress the cruel images. It affected me more than what I had done to Bole. But what could I do? My trained pragmatism set in again. What had happened had happened, I couldn't change it, and so I left the bathroom.

After that, I sat down at Draco's desk, took parchment and quill, and, with alacrity, I wrote a brief order. I demanded a meeting for today at 16 o'clock in the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. While I was sealing the letter, Orange arrived.

"Hello, sweetie, nice to see you. Here, bring that to the beetle and only Rita Skeeter, understood? " She hooted quietly into my ear, looking at me with her huge, orange eyes. I tied the letter to her leg and dismissed her.

When I looked up, I noticed Draco watching me with a tired smile on his face.

"I did not want to wake you, sorry!" I approached him- When I reached his side, I brushed strands of his hair out of his face. He caught my hand and kissed it.

"I have to get out anyway. You look good, even your face! The ointment has done a wonderful job," he stated, grinning pleased after his examination and pulling me by the hand into the bed, which made me fall on him and prompted him to chuckle playfully. "You wrote to the beetle?" he enquired, burying his face in my hair.

"I want to meet her today in Hogsmeade."

"Oh, I understand, my little schemer. Did I tell you that I'm addicted to you?" He grinned, his hands roving covetously over my sides and now it was my turn to giggle.

"Draco, really, we have no time for that. Sorry." I tried to disentangle myself from him, but he didn't let me, instead embracing me even tighter, pulling me against his chest.

"Rrr," he growled and what I could feel against my thigh made it clear to me what made him react with aversion. It would be the perfect revenge for his fingerplay. Hence I gave in and started to purr, kissing his naked chest and trailing my fingers further down, as if I wanted to give him what he desired so dearly, and so he released me, enjoying my caresses. I slid over the whole duvet and reached his stiff erection, brushing over it with a feather-light touch, and started to pleasure him gently through the bothersome fabric.

"Yes, just like that…Hermione?" he moaned, then looking up questioningly when I was already halfway to the door, throwing on my coat.

"Sorry, Draco, not enough time," I explained with a nasty grin. He looked flummoxed and unhappy before a furious gleam entered his eyes.

"Mudblood, you will pay for that!" he vowed and once again an object was thrown at me, only this time it was a pillow that I could hear thudding against the closed door. It made me chuckle under the cover of my hood.

I fled through the common room of the house of snakes, noticing many fearful, anxious looks that followed me until I left Slytherin House behind me. They regarded me as if I was a monster, the monster that I truly was. It hit me like a swinging blow to the stomach that I couldn't simply ignore and it left me slightly bemused and insecure.

Now we should appreciate the work of Lady Luck once again. Could it be any other way? As I hurried around the corner, I collided with a rock-hard chest that didn't yield even a bit. That the owner was so considerate as to grip my upper arms and steady me so I didn't fall could only be due to my luck.

"Miss Granger! You seem to love the dungeons and its inhabitants very much!" he snarled. Quickly, I pushed back my hood and hissed:

"Let go off me, sir! I have to take off my coat. The Slytherins will go to breakfast soon!"

"And you don't want them to know who storms their common room so often?" he ventured a guess.

"Professor, please!" I outright begged. He looked at me wonderingly and loosened his clutch. To my astonishment, he unclasped my cloak himself, pulled it from my shoulders, and shrank it down. Then, he hooked a finger into a loop of my jeans, pulled me closer and tucked the shrunken piece of fabric inside.

His very intimate and unexpected touch made me swallow heavily.

"Now tell me what happened that you appear so confused and disoriented." He looked at me sternly. "You do come from Draco's bed, don't you?" I simply nodded and when we heard footsteps approaching the staircase, he pulled me into one of the alcoves Draco and I favoured, getting much too close to me for comfort, but I was still distracted by my insecurities. I couldn't get over what I had done.

"I, I, oh, sir… Draco visited Lucius!" I hadn't even finished speaking and he had already clutched my arms again and was watching my face with a serious expression. "He only said that his father enquired whether Draco knew if I would stay at the castle during Easter and that he has free time because it's going so well for the Lord!" I groaned and gnawed on my lip. "Due to this information I have to go to Hogsmeade today, to meet the beetle. I have an idea that could make sure that Lucius gets once more occupied with the Dark Lord's business…" I was still nervous because Snape didn't twitch a muscle, just regarded me calmly, his face framed by his chin-length black hair.

Leisurely, he raised his hand, tracing my cheek, and I downright froze under his touch.

"Sir?" I asked breathlessly, the images of yesterday's occurrences fresh in my mind, including our farewell.

"What did actually unsettle you? I know you, Miss Granger, all that wouldn't elicit more than a yawn from you. So what happened with my Slytherins that you are so pale?" I could only marvel at his ability to spot the things I wanted to keep hidden and now I was a little bit fearful about Sunday, when he would use Legilimency on me. "Tell me, what happened?"

"Sir, I don't think I should tell you." I licked my dry lips.

"If I assure you that you won't have to face any reprisals, would you tell me then, Miss Granger?" he breathed into my face. How could I resist such an offer?

"Deal, sir!" I agreed and an almost satisfied smile crept onto his face.

"I… The Slytherins rebelled a bit yesterday, when Draco wasn't there yet. I didn't find it that bad, but Draco demanded that I use the Cruciatus as a punishment!" I faltered and forced the lump down my throat.

"Who ended up as a target?" He showed himself unperturbed, staring alarmingly deep into my eyes. He seemed neither surprised nor particularly worried.

"Sir… Parkinson!" I whispered soundlessly.

"And what is it that affects you so much?" he asked, terribly cold and indifferent. I stared at him dumbfounded and thus he continued: "You already did worse."

"Did I truly? I found the other thing less bad than this kind of punishment," objection sparked inside me.

"You are something special, Miss Granger, so corrupted yet still so good… Mh-hm, it's rare, a blend like that, as one tends to use their scruples relatively fast once one begins to play this game." He braced himself against the wall, his cheek nearly touching mine, to whisper in a low voice: "Miss Granger, it's too late to back out. You know that well enough. Learn to live with it. And that here…" He laid the palm of his hand directly and unabashedly on my chest, causing me to catch my breath. To feel his large hand on my chest, was so… It made my heart beat faster, which he noticed easily. "That has to harden!" He declared silkily, his thumb tracing circles over the cotton wool of my jumper.

"Professor, don't tell me that you don't care about what happened in the common room of your house!" I whispered haltingly, standing frozen in place.

"What…? Draco is Slytherin's leader. If he decided it, then I won't call his decision into question. Did you perform well, Miss Granger, was Draco able to be proud of you?" he asked quietly. He didn't retract his hand, though, just watched my face with interest.

I swallowed with difficulty. "I fulfilled the task!"

"Miss Granger, Outstanding as always, I assume," it came ironically from him. "But what did I expect? A refusal? No! You aren't stupid enough for that. Now you have won the Slytherins' respect, because, let us be honest, most of them would cast the curse and you would only feel a tickle, am I wrong?" He seemed to amuse himself quite well.

"Yes. But sir, aren't those curses treated as Unforgivables for a reason?"

"Oh, please, Miss Granger, don't act the fool. I can't have an opinion on that. I'm not who I am for nothing. Everyone of us has to carry aspects of the person we present ourselves to be inside of us, or we couldn't play the part convincingly!" He spoke very honest words, but very true as well, while watching me with a solemn expression, though still caressing my heart with circular motions.

"You mean, you aren't a Death Eater for nothing? Part of you is truly one of them?" I enquired tentatively.

"If you want to phrase it like that, be my guest! … I raised Draco that way, to not show pity when he feels obligated to act. You have to learn that too. Don't waste your sympathy on people like Parkinson, they aren't worth it!" He responded in mentor-mode, a side of him I was unaccustomed to. He was really astoundingly nice to me, considering that I had dodged a projectile just the night before.

"Understood, sir, thank you for your words. I think I'll come to terms with it now… Better, at least. I know that I can't back out. The frightening thing is, that I don't want to," I admitted freely, looking deeply into these dark eyes.

"Mh-mh. And I always thought you were clever," he replied hoarsely, a slight rebuke resonating in his voice.

"That was not actually a compliment, sir, was it? If it was, I believe I'll faint!" I exclaimed, joking. He surprised me when the corners of his mouth actually twitched in reaction.

"You want to leave the castle and I believe you think it is important?" he went back on topic.

"Yes, unfortunately, but I have to go. Draco wants to provide me with security!"

"Very well. I am going to visit Lucius immediately and keep him busy. Take care, we don't want Draco getting anxious!" he pointed out. Then he lifted his hand from my chest, pushed himself off the wall and left without looking back.

I released all tension from my body and slumped against the wall behind me, leaning my head back. It had done me good to talk about what had happened the day before. I truly appreciated that Snape had listened to me without flying into another rage or even mentioning our little, really just itty-bitty disagreement.

Thus I went on my way and arrived at breakfast the moment Orange soared into the hall, prompting me to nearly throw myself into my seat next to Harry to prevent the owl from crash-landing.

"What kind of cute owl is that?" Ginny cooed from her place opposite me.

"Orange, she's a Ptilopsis leucotis, a white-faced owl!" I informed her in my usual swotty tone while freeing my little owl from its burden. "Thanks, sweetie!" I handed Orange a small rasher of bacon that I took from one of the plates.

"Hermione, she's really beautiful. Since when do you have her?" Harry asked, seeming very nervous. The moment he turned around, a suffocating cloud of aftershave enveloped me, so much that I was in danger of passing out. What did that smell of…? Moss?

They had arranged to meet at noon and he was already polished? His hair had a silky shine to it that wasn't normally there. Had he used conditioner? Oh goddess, that was too… sweet. Hopefully, the whinging goose would appreciate that Harry was sacrificing his olfactory nerves for her and mine right after.

"Uhm, I got her from my parents for Christmas so we can stay in contact more easily!" I lied.

"She's a beauty and her name is well-chosen!" Harry said honestly and I could hear Ginny huff. Why was she sulking this time?

"Thanks, Harry!" I looked up and noticed Ginny glaring at me when Harry started to pet my little owl. I smiled and opened the letter to find the anticipated positive answer from Rita. She wrote that she would await me and the moment I had finished reading the letter disintegrated, leaving only ash.

"How did yesterday's detention go? Was it as horrible as expected?"

"Of course, my hands would be raw if I didn't have my healing salves! But please, let us draw a veil of silence over it; I only just managed so nicely to push it out of my mind. The next detention is certain to come soon enough!" I explained dismissively. Harry patted my back compassionately and encouragingly. A short silence encompassed us while I pondered how I would be able to pitch my idea to him.

"Harry, I learned something more yesterday. HE is gaining more and more influence because Fudge is such an idiot. I might have arranged a little something for today. But only if you want to, as you don't like the person… However, I would be happy if you agree to it!" I whispered into Harry's ear, breathing with utter fearlessness the overwhelming scent he was emitting mercilessly. He seemed to have bathed in it.

"Hermione, don't beat around the bush, just tell me. Your ideas are usually brilliant!" he professed flatteringly, looking at me fondly.

"I want you to give an interview in the Three Broomsticks at four o'clock… it's Skeeter!" I rattled off quickly and boldly.

"WHAT?" he yelled loudly with indignation, making me flinch back and bringing us no attention at all in the Great Hall.

"Shhhh, Harry!" I felt the focus of Ginny's attention on us, who watched us constantly, not letting us out of her sight for a moment.

"Gee, Harry, what's that racket about? What have you two been whispering about this whole time?" Ron enquired curiously now, leaning towards us.

"Not now, Ron. Wait, Harry will tell you in a moment!" I asked for his patience and he nodded, staffing another rasher of bacon into his mouth, munching happily.

"Harry, she's the best journalist out there," I tried to convince him.

"But I won't give an interview to the Daily Prophet, and about what should I talk anyways?"

he declared petulantly, showing us a rebellious face.

"No, of course not. However, I wanted to ask Luna if the Quibbler would print it! And you should talk about everything that is always held back by the Ministry!" I played my trump card.

"Wow, you think that would be possible?" He immediately glanced at the Ravens' table, at once appearing more cooperative.

"Yes, but first I wanted to ask you. Can you be at the Three Broomsticks at four, with or without Cho?"

"Well, in that case, I'll do it, even though I don't like to think or talk about it. Maybe it'll help to stir up one person or another," he said earnestly, looking up with determination. However, I knew what it demanded from him to say that.

"That's what I wanted to hear. Then I'll deal with Luna." I laughed, relieved.

I walked up to the Ravenclaw table where the petite girl with the slightly tousled, waist-length, ash blonde hair sat alone looking quite lost but not unhappy in her isolation, reading intently in a magazine. I nudged her shoulder.

"Luna?" I asked and she turned her delicate face towards me. Everybody was watching us; although she was a DA member, only a few were really talking to Loony Lovegood. However, I didn't think she was loony, or at least not that much. On the contrary, when she looked at me with her blue-grey eyes, I often had the feeling she was able to see more than most think her capable of. I knew I wouldn't make the mistake and underestimate this very outlandish girl.

"Hermione, what can I do for you?" she purred, inviting me with a gesture to take the place beside her and I slipped onto the bench.

"Harry wants to take a more active role against the Dark Lord and is going to give an interview to Skeeter today. However, it won't be published in the Prophet, we would like to publish it in the Quibbler instead. Do you think it will be possible to include it in the next edition?" She listened to me while humming quietly, rocking back and forth in a gentle, swaying motion.

"Harry would do that? Mhhh… finally… mhh… That would be good! I'll have to ask Father and send him an owl, though I think, why not?" She made me smile and I extended my arm, whistling. Immediately, Orange flew back to me.

"Here is the owl, you can take mine!" I offered her.

"You are always quick to act, aren't you?" She beamed at me almost ethereally, penned down a short note and handed it to me. Thus, Orange flew off with a new assignment.

"Will I come along when Harry speaks with Skeeter?" she asked softly.

"If you want to, be in the Three Broomsticks at 4 o'clock latest," I said, waving goodbye to her and walking towards Harry with a grin on my face to show him that everything had been taken care of.

I had done some calming meditation exercises with Harry in the boys' dorm to give him a little more confidence and had sent him into the shower once more. He had taken offence at my open words, but I wouldn't have been a very good friend if I had let him go on a date smelling _that_ fragrant. I had told him straight to the face that he stank!

When I left the sheltering doors of Hogwarts behind me in the shadow of the Twins, watching Harry walking in the direction of the village with Cho, I groaned in relief as Ron had made the last minute decision to go to Hogsmeade in a group with Lav, Pav, Dean and Seamus during the time I had hounded Harry to use the shower. With Harry out of the picture due to his date and Ron not in the mood to attend an interview with Rita, the Twins escorted me like bodyguards.

In my back, I had spotted Draco, Blaise, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle who surprisingly always stayed near us. One time I even noticed Blaise giving me a worried glance.

We observed how Harry turned off towards Madam Puddifoot's with Cho, hearing the Slytherins dissolving into mean laughter. To our shame, we had to admit that the three of us found it difficult to keep our expressions neutral. Harry was entering the soppiest small café, decorated with lots and lots of pink frills, something so totally not his world. Harry was many things, but a romantic was not one of them!

Oh goddess, I could just imagine that Cho had chosen this café, probably knowing it from Cedric, who had been a covert softy. But if that was the right location to escape the past? I had my doubts, but nobody ever listened to me! I stand by my opinion, this girl was not a good match for Harry.

We were walking quickly to the Three Broomsticks as the boys wanted me out of the open as fast as possible. The clean and welcoming pub was as well-frequented as always. We found seats around an old, scarred wooden table. Draco and Blaise were in front of us, making it possible for Draco to smile at me. They had sent the others away, reserving the table for them. They were close enough to witness everything.

Then it was time to drink butterbeer and wait, something that wasn't boring in the least when accompanied by the Twins. We spoke about business mostly. They had arrived at the decision to not return to the Burrow. As soon as they finished school they would open a joke shop in Diagon Alley.

I assured them of my continued support and learned that they had found another investor besides Harry and me, someone that had hair so pale it was more white than blonde and was smirking very impertinently in our direction right now.

They also told me about a vacant house in a prime location on the main street with a shop on the ground floor and a flat above it, right next to Gringotts. It had belonged to Draco's late great-grandaunt. He had inherited it and via Gringotts, he and the Twins had negotiated a rental contract for the next ten years for a ridiculously low price. I could only stare at Draco wordlessly, mouthing thanks once I had collected myself. He accepted it with a slight nod of his head and a playful wink.

Right then, the door opened and Harry stormed towards us with fury in his eyes as soon as he had spotted us.

"Women!" he declared nastily, slumping into a chair.

"That well, mate?" Fred tousled Harry's shaggy hair that looked like he had torn at it more than once on the way to the pub.

"Dreadfully." Harry's head connected with the table. Above it, I could see Draco laughing. Yes, I could imagine quite well that the Slytherins, who were complete once again, were having a field day.

"What did go wrong with Cho?" I enquired carefully.

"You!" was the unexpected retort.

"I… What… Why?" I jolted in my seat in indignation, pressing a hand against my chest.

"I told her that we would meet you here by four o'clock and then she started to get nasty. She's of the opinion that we are much to close for 'just friends' and very determined… I said that a girl that wanted to be my girlfriend would always have to accept my best friend, the girl that is like a sister to me," he explained with so small amount of venom and agitation.

"Honest words, brother. You'd never ditch Hermione because of such a stupid cow!" The Twins worked themselves into a rage.

"Harry, no, you can't fall out with your girlfriends because of me!" From the corner of my eye I saw Draco perking up his ears to not miss anything. "You have to understand, she was and is jealous of me and when you told her first thing that you're going to meet me it rubbed her the wrong way," I actually defended the goose against Harry.

"Hermione, I don't care a bloody bit. You're the most important person in my life next to Sirius, you two are family!" Ow, that hurt. You don't tell lies to family and that was what I did with Harry. Soon… soon… I made a vow to myself.

"You forget Ron!" I pointed out.

"No. Ron will never be able to understand our relationship like we do, he already has a big family," Harry spoke words that rang true. "And then I said that I don't trust her friend, that girl, Marietta, and after that we only yelled at each other, quickly abandoning this small, stuffy hut where I couldn't breathe properly. She huffed off, and I don't know… I think you were right, Hermione, as always!" He looked at me sadly, like a whipped puppy.

Suddenly, Luna appeared at our table.

"May I sit with you? I know, I'm too early… but…" she asked with uncertainty.

"Do sit down, Luna. Interested in our newest invention, Canary Cream?" the Twins welcomed her and I thought: Luna, better leave it alone. She would be transfigured into a large canary. Fortunately, the effect only lasted for a minute. Although it was fantastic that they distracted Luna so that I could give Harry a moral uplift.

"Harry, dearest, don't be upset. If she is such a stupid cow, then forget her. Oh, she's already here - Miss Skeeter - much too early. Catch a hold of yourself, I'll intercept her," I said quickly and did just that.

"Rita, so nice to see you. It has been a while. How are you, my dear?" I stopped in front of her, murmuring a spell that would protect us from eavesdroppers.

"Miss Granger, was your evening at the ball pleasurable? Astounding, the kind of company you enjoyed at the ball!" The old bitch tried to take the lead at once.

"Oh, my dear, I think that is not a topic that should interest you!" I threatened her playfully with a wagging finger. Today, she was wearing a silvery grey ladies' suit under her grey cloak, very professional.

"But Miss Granger, don't you think you are overestimating yourself? Lucius Malfoy, please!" She shot me a derogatory, calculating look through the lenses of her spectacles.

"Don't tell me you were again undercover on spy business?" I snickered.

"And if I was, Miss Granger, would I have been shocked with what presented itself to my eyes?" She stated a rhetorical question and pressed her lips together grouchily.

"Well, Rita, then we should all be happy about my spell and the fact that you know you can't do anything with your observation! Or why are you telling me that…?" I taunted her. Man, I loved to debate with this woman!

"I… I would never violate our agreement!" she ground out.

"I know that, otherwise I would already have heard of your deep slumber!" I acknowledged generously. It made her visibly swallow with difficulty. I loved to show her that I was firmly in control.

"You know what, Miss Granger…" she hissed with eyes squinted in spitefulness. "I think you deserve exactly what I was allowed to witness that day. How goes the saying? You made your bed, now lie in it!" Wasn't she lovely?

"Did anybody say that I don't like the way I lie? Once again, Rita, you make the mistake thinking that I feel sorry for myself. I like everything the way it is!" I declared truthfully.

"Lie to yourself all you want. I don't believe you wanted what the man did there!" She bit out viciously. Well, who ever liked what Lucius did to them? It hadn't been _that_ bad and I couldn't change it, so what did she wish to accomplish?

"Rita, what do you know about me? Nothing! And it will remain like that forever. Let it be my concern. What I do goes over your head! Now come, Harry is waiting!" I ordered coldly.

While I approached the table with Rita by my side, the Twins stood up and went to the bar. We should be a small group for now.

"Miss Skeeter, may I introduce you to Miss Luna Lovegood? You know Harry!" Luna politely shook hands with her, smiling her absent-minded smile. Harry just nodded curtly, the gesture not hiding his dislike for her.

"I heard that I'm permitted to interview you, Mr. Potter," Rita chirped immediately.

"Not so fast, Miss Skeeter. Today, you get an exclusive report from Harry about the rebirth of the Dark Lord. The article will be published by Luna's father in the Quibbler!" I informed her, which made her jaw drop. "Now, after the mass breakout and the other activity, the masses will more likely to listen to Harry's story!"

"Miss Granger, when I write something, it's only for the Prophet, not for that rag!" she hissed indignantly and with that I was at the end of my tether.

"Rita, please consider carefully who you want to make angry here. You will now fetch your feather and write down what Harry tells you, or… Do you really want that I employ the 'or'? If you don't do what I want, I won't have any further use of you! You have a minute, beginning now!" I explained with total indifference. I still didn't like the beetle. When I turned away, I was confronted with the absolutely perplexed and surprised faces of Harry and Luna. I gave them a relaxed smile in return. Once again, only Harry's eyes told me that he wanted to know more, so I nodded subtly to give my affirmation.

It was satisfying to see everything was working out the way it should. Rita complied with my demand, assiduously noting down Harry's story with Luna listening attentively. I knew she was not dumb enough to tempt fate and challenge me. If she had her doubts, I would badly disappoint her. I would follow through on everything I had threatened her with, without hesitation, without deliberation!

While the three of them had their heads together, I looked around, noticing Draco watching everything with interest. He showed me his respect with an appreciative nod as he had heard everything for I had included him in the protective spells. This way I wouldn't have to retell so much later.

I was certain, as soon as the interview was published, I would get some rest from Lucius. The sensational article would produce a public outcry after which he would be busy to convince Fudge to keep burying his head in the sand. It was his job to keep the Minister calm and compliant and he would have to invest a lot of time to ensure that.

I wouldn't want to be exposed to the Dark Lord's moods in the coming time.

After they had finished and Luna had gone off with Rita to sent the article to her father, we took off in a convoi back to the castle. I pulled my hat deep into my face and my scarf over my mouth, so I wasn't easily recognizable. But it seemed Snape was successful in keeping Lucius occupied as we all reached the secure halls unscathed.

That way an eventful day came to a close, though the expression on Harry's face led on that it wasn't finished just yet, at least for me.

* * *

 _Review feedback:_

 _ **Kragh50:** I agree that there might be other spells, even 'light' spells, that might work similar to the Crucio. What makes the Crucio worse, is that it requires intent. _

_**sjrodgers23:** Well, that's what Hermione tries to take care _ of: _Snape's treatment of Harry. Their relationship will get better in the coming chapters. They will never be friends, but there will be an understanding._

 _Thank you both for your continued support :)_


	71. Harry

_Hello beautiful readers,_

 _update next week might be cancelled. Most of my team is occupied by exams and my work life is stressful at the moment, so we aren't far along with the translation for chapter 72. I'll look what I can do, but it is a long one and I can't promise that we will get it done in time._

 _I hope you enjoy this week's chapter all the more. You are about to get a bit more Hermione-Harry-interaction, more judgemental Gryffindors and, as a result, a furious little dragon and some smut (edited for FFnet) ;) Have fun!_

 _\- Aivy_

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **Harry**

"There you are. You needed a lot of time with the old bird!" we were greeted loudly by a bored Ron.

"It took a while. Somehow there were quite a few details!" Harry explained apologetically and twitched. To relive all those events avidly was probably not so nice.

"I'll accompany you to the dorm, Harry!" I anticipated his request for a talk and we were allowed to witness Ginny's head swivelling around in shock.

"Why don't you stay here? What do you want up in the dorm? It isn't bedtime yet! How did it go with Cho?" she wanted to prevent us from being alone by ourselves and acted very subtle in her attempt to learn how Harry's date had gone.

"Nah, it's too noisy for me here, I'm tired!" I declined. I was truly tired and wanted to escape a jealous Ginny quickly.

"And I want to lie down to. Are we allowed to do that, Ginny?" Harry asked cynically with an annoyed undertone, passing over her question regarding Cho. Considering how stupidly he behaved around Cho, he showed himself amazingly eloquent right now.

"Gosh, Ginny, that's cringy. You're not Mum!" Fred scolded, which made Ginny blush furiously.

Nobody else bothered us, so we reached the dormitory, divested ourselves of the thick winter cloaks and shoes and sat down on his bed.

"What do you want to know, Harry?" I asked immediately, sitting down cross-legged right opposite him.

"What was that earlier with Skeeter? The way you talked to her, that was a threat. I've never seen… no, stop! That isn't right, I've rarely seen you like that!" he declared. That made me laugh.

"Sorry, Harry, what kind of qualifier was that?" I was really curious.

"Well, some time ago in the common room… But what I truly recalled was when you snarled at Remus back then about the fact that he was a werewolf! " Yes, Harry was right there. Back then, in the shack, I had attacked Remus similarly when I thought that he collaborated with Sirius to get their hands on Harry.

"Oh, yes I remember. And yes, I admit openly, I'm blackmailing Skeeter! Oh, please, Harry, don't look at me like that. I told you at the time, more or less. But well, maybe you didn't commit it to memory because of your frame of mind after the tournament. Do you remember that I conjured a jar when we visited you in the hospital wing? You two looked at me as if I wasn't right in the head!" I tried to bring the incident back to his mind. He took off his glasses, laid them to the side, and rubbed his eyes wearily, contemplating the question. "... you will remember eventually. You were in a bad shape back then, it's understandable, and that's why I didn't say more back then, you were in no capacity to absorb any kind of information." I explained myself defensively.

He looked up tiredly and focussing on me with his blurred gaze, his green eyes so much more striking without his glasses, while strands of his unruly hair fell over his brow. He looked so cute and so out of his depth.

I skipped over to the head of the bed, pulled Harry's head down into my lap and ran my hands steadily and soothingly over his hair. It was rare that he permitted actual physical affection. At first, he tensed at my touch, he wasn't used to it. Only Ron, Sirius and I frequently came close to him and touched him, but even we didn't have bodily contact that often. He seemed to like it though, and it seemed to do him good, as he relaxed gradually.

"Now, you know everything she had done… the awful lies she has written. I did some research and quickly had a suspicion!" I stated. It cost me actually quite some effort to tell him the story in such an intimate setting and await his judgement. Apparently, the Twins kept the other boys from disturbing us; Ginny wouldn't like that at all.

"That evening I saw my suspicion confirmed and caught her!" I was still amazed by my deed, looking down into my lap and Harry's frown.

"What do you mean?" he asked for clarification.

"Wait… So, the only way she could have obtained that many very intimate, in part even highly sensitive details is that she had a way to spy without getting recognised. Only one plausible explanation came to mind: she has to be an animagus. The question remained though: which form does she take then ?" I smiled mildly at him while elaborating on my thought process.

This revelation made Harry start and he wanted to jerk upright, but I held him down and calmed him by continuing to stroke his hair.

"Shsh… Harry, stay relaxed. Yes… Where was I? Right. In the hospital wing I saw a green beetle with an ugly pattern around the eyes and at this moment the puzzle pieces snapped into place. That had to be Skeeter's animagus form. And that was how I caught her!" I explained to him, slightly proud of myself.

"What… She's a beetle? That is so gross! Why didn't you tell me earlier?" He stayed put but gave vent to his feelings quite loudly.

"When should I have told you? From the end of the tournament until the time that we left the train you were barely recognizable in your mournfulness. Isn't it enough that I've told you now?" I looked at him expectantly through the curtain of my curls that had fallen into my face the second I had tilted my head to look down at him.

"You could have told me a bit sooner. I believe I don't even want to know everything that I haven't been made aware of yet." Ouch. I became abruptly aware that, I wouldn't be able to keep all my secrets for much longer. In a loving gesture, he brushed one side of curls behind my ear on one side, so that he could see more of my face.

"Oh, Harry… Where was I? … Yes, I kept her in the jar for nearly a month as punishment," I admitted to my crime, waiting for his reaction with an apologetic expression.

"What…? You kept her captive?" he yelled in agitation, sitting up straight after all.

"Don't get all worked up with your moralities, she deserved it," I declared vehemently, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Hm-mh… I didn't say anything!" He worked his lower lip less than gently. "... but the things you get up to are kinda crass!" All of a sudden a small, subtle smile appeared on his face.

"Yes. But thanks to that we will have a well-written article published soon, which will work in our interest. I find it difficult to feel guilty for that." Tentatively, I returned his grin.

"Do I say anything? When I remember… how difficult she made my life with her defamatory stories, I would deliver her myself to you in a jar. And now that I imagine it, I find it very funny to picture her in captivity. Don't tell anybody, but you have my blessing!" he said, nodding at me with darkening eyes, surprising me very much.

"Harry, you shock me. You give me your blessing for - how do you call it? - really, for something like deprivation of liberty?" I asked positively aghast. For the first time since I've known him, Harry showed a totally different side of himself, a side I hadn't expected to ever see in him! But it pleased me all the more. I said it repeatedly, we were the ideal surrogate family for each other. He was my brother, we fit perfectly in this regard. "What happened to Harry? Where is he? I don't even know you!" I teased him.

He laughed out loud and ran a hand through his hair. "You are hilarious, Hermione, when you look so surprised. What should I say? I'm so disappointed with everything here, and I don't even mean Cho! No. At first, I have this shitty life at the Dursleys and now that. Everybody is eying me strangely all the time and don't believe a thing I say… Nothing! I'm so sick of it, of the looks and the way they follow me. The lies, Skeeter's included. Believe me, I'm honestly happy and grateful that you took revenge in my name and taught her a lesson!" Harry spoke earnestly and very disillusioned. "... and on top of it is Dumbledore's strange behaviour and that of the Ministry. If you must know… I've had enough! More than enough!" He punched his pillow. Maybe it had been a bit too much today.

Oh yes, he would be ready for the truth soon. Very good. I wouldn't have thought that Harry would change his stance upon his environment so soon. I was happy though that I had underestimated him. I'd have to make sure to get my evidence quickly.

It wouldn't be a good point in time for a wholehearted reveal on my part, however, I resolved to take it into serious consideration. With the way Harry had explained himself just now, the chance wasn't so bad that he would understand my reasoning. Not now, but soon…

"You know what? Even Sirius annoys me. He said I could live with him. And where do I live? You can't trust anyone here but you, Hermione. You can forget about everybody else!" Harry declared harshly, looking thoroughly unhappy.

"Harry, don't say something like that. What about the Weasleys and…?" I tried to build him up.

"Yes… You see, Ron is my best mate, but he is always so impulsive… I would trust you with my life, but Ron? Not so much… Yes, the Twins, I like them very much, but they will be gone soon. Who else is there?" He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Ginny. That down there earlier… She is jealous of Cho, of me. She is very interested in you!" I tried to continue my list.

"Believe it or not, Hermione… I'm not a complete idiot. Who doesn't know that Ginny has a crush on me since she was ten years old? And that makes it difficult for me. I don't think I was so attractive with eleven that I caused a girl sleepless nights!" Harry's words were delivered very dryly, positively sarcastic, and I stifled a laugh.

Something that Harry showed only to a few rare people was that he possessed a biting kind of humour; he only tried most of the time to act the role of saint, kind and courageous hero of the wizarding world that was expected of him. However, it looked like he really had enough. His act hadn't helped him; nobody liked him more or less because of it.

"And now as well. She might be jealous, but she has a boyfriend. That's not very sporting, I don't like behaviour like that!" he worked himself into a state.

"I know what you mean… Does she like you or does she like the hero?" I nodded in understanding.

"Not only that, Hermione, feelings like those don't come on demand! She's Ron's little sister for me, a bit annoying! Cho? For her, I had feelings, even if I have to admit that they lessened some after Cedric's death, and after the argument earlier… No, I haven't been in love. It was a crush, nothing more! Do you think I will ever fall in love?" He looked at me very sadly and unhappily. I pushed myself away from the head of the bed and pulled him into a heartfelt hug.

"Yes, Harry, every Jack will find his Jill!" I assured him, playfully poking him. In answer, he let himself fall backwards and as we were still entwined, I fell with him, landing on his chest. Now we were really lying in bed together and laughing.

"The thing with Skeeter was a good idea, as all your ideas. Although the way she looked at you… Be wary of her, she hates you!" he warned me with concern. I got comfortable in his arms, snuggling into his side.

"I know, Harry, I will never make the mistake to underestimate the beetle. I have her firmly in my hold, however, and, well, I know how to protect myself. Don't worry," I asked him imploringly, and he started to yawn. "You are tired, no wonder. I'm sorry you had to relive all of that," I said sympathetically. He just groaned and pulled me tightly against his side.

"Yes, I'm tired, but you sound exhausted, too," he stated. I had my eyes closed and my head was resting on his shoulder.

"It was a trying day," I agreed; my words recalled the memories of the night before and left me with a queasy feeling in my stomach.

"Do we want to shock the others? I offer you my bed!" he proposed out of nowhere. I opened my eyes to look into the moss green ones that were fixed on me, glowing with mischief.

"Sure, let us get under the covers!" I accepted gratefully, feeling mischievous myself and getting the impression that he not only wanted to annoy the others, but also sought bodily contact, a person's warmth after the horror of his memories, and so I offered him solace, and even if he didn't know it, I, too, was scared to sleep on my own this night.

Every time I closed my eyes, Pansy performed her horrible, macabre dance in my mind and I could hear her screams; knowing that I was the one responsible would deprive me of my sleep. I knew it was unforgivable to torture someone. My conscience was protesting as well, as I knew that the pug-faced girl was no opponent for me; I would have made her cry with words alone, I didn't need a curse for that. Hence I gladly accepted Harry's offer to find oblivion in his arms.

When he transfigured our clothes into comfortable pyjamas, I showed myself surprised but didn't say a word. He covered us with the duvet, pulled me back into his arms and we cuddled close together. I could hear his steady heartbeat and feel the rise and fall of his chest. Just before I fell asleep, he whispered into the room:

"I love you, Hermione." He was the only person who had ever said that to me up until now.

"I love you too, Harry," I replied and it was the truth; I loved this boy like a brother. Thus we huddled together and fell into a restful sleep.

In the morning, when I opened my eyes, I saw the dust motes dance in the dim light of the rising sun. I could feel Harry's arm hugging me still. The snores of his dorm mates sounded wretched but showed me that they had to have come in sometime in the night and must have seen us sleeping together in this intimate embrace, but they had left us alone. Who did we have to thank for that? Ron? I was curious.

On the other side, we did have a restful night and for that, I was extremely thankful, as I knew I would have to face Snape today with a clear mind and with all the razor-sharp wit I could manage. I was playing with fire after all. IF he saw something about my plans, Dumbledore or mutual experiences in my times as Minna. Oh… I shouldn't think about it, it would only give me stomach pains.

Determinedly, I sat up. It was just before six and I was already feeling bad about skipping my run yesterday. Despite my careful movement, Harry woke up, his eyes opening slowly, and when he recognised me as Hermione, he beamed, grinning at me lovingly and very sleepily.

"Morning, he whispered hoarsely. "How late is it?"

"Quite early, close to six!"

"Why do you want to get up already? It's Sunday," he asked with confusion.

"Why not?" I returned the question.

"Well, the guys here have seen us sleep together already. When you leave now, I won't be able to fall asleep again! I could get used to it…" he mumbled grumpily, rubbing the grit from his eyes.

"Harry, I liked it too; I slept very well. But I'll go for my run now, just like every morning. Don't you know that?" We continued to whisper to not wake the others. He shook his head, nonplussed.

"What else do I have to discover? You run? Since when do I live under a rock?" He ran a hand through his wild hair, that was standing away from his head in several directions.

"Oh, Harry. I think there is so much going on in your head, that nobody can fault you for that!" I excused him.

"Hermione, I call you my best friend and don't know what you are doing. We've been back at Hogwarts for nearly half a year and I'm astonished that you tell me you go for a run every morning. It doesn't work that way!" he declared firmly and resolutely. I looked at him dumbfounded upon this declaration.

"What…? You don't want me to run?" I asked for clarification with no small amount of reluctance and a frown.

"No, I don't mean it like that. It doesn't work that I'm so clueless about your activities. We'll meet in the common room in five minutes and go for a run together, and we will do that every morning from now on. Together it will be much more fun, and I would be happy to share something with only you. Let's be honest, I don't think Ron would be ready to get up at such an early hour!" he grinned conspiratorially and I nodded happily, darting out of the room with a spring in my step as Harry's commitment pleased me greatly.

Since yesterday Harry tried with all his might to overwhelm me with wonder. What was happening here? I was delighted that I would have company from now on, remembering fondly the time at Grimmauld Place when Sirius and I were still on good terms and were doing our laps together in the park. I knew, with Harry, it would be even more fun.

Thus Harry and I went for a run around the Quidditch field and he even kept up well with me.

"Wow, Hermione, I didn't know that you are in such a good form. With that kind of stamina, you could join the Quidditch team!" he made me a big compliment. He himself stood there with his hands braced against his knees, wheezing like a walrus.

"Thanks for the compliment, Harry, but I think I'll leave that sport to you!" I patted his back encouragingly, not showing any signs of exertion myself.

"That was fun. If you let me, I'd truly want to do that every day with you! I can't allow for you to stand there like nothing while I'm on my last legs!" he quipped.

"You don't have to ask. I would be happy to have you!" I exclaimed with amusement.

After the hour-long run, we returned to the tower and curled up together in our usual places. I continued my studies, including black magic, and Harry did his homework with surprising zeal and studied for his lessons even though it was Sunday. Should I get afraid of him? It was very peaceful and, thanks to the early hour, most of the lions were still asleep. The house would only come fully alive in around an hour.

"So that's what you are doing every morning when Ron and I come down!" Harry said, looking up from his parchment and I laughed at him scoffingly.

"What do you mean? Learning?" I asked disbelievingly, closing my book with a loud thud.

"Mh-mh, first running, then learning, and it really goes smoothly. I don't know why. Is it the quietness, because everybody is still sleeping? Or is it because you have started the day with exercise and fresh air?" he mused and I looked at him questioningly.

"Oh, Hermione. I think I like it; I could get used to it!" He sounded truly genuine to my ears.

"If you could become to like it, I'm happy for you!" I replied and meant it as well, and we returned to our books.

While we had been outside for our run, I had given it some thought. Apparently, Harry had come to the conclusion that he had paid me to little attention as of late and he wasn't wrong with that. I approved of his plans to spend more time with me, but I was aware that Ron wouldn't like it, as my schedule and Ron's didn't agree with one another, starting with my early rising and ending with the time we went to bed.

"Morning, Harry, Hermione," we were greeted by Ginny, who took a seat next to ours. "Up so early, Harry? We expect that from Hermione, but you?" she said intrusively, seemingly having an incredible amount of self-confidence.

"Good morning, Ginny!" we greeted in unison and I continued: "Why? It's just before eight. Ron should be down soon!" She shot me a calculating, not very nice glance.

"Did it get late for you to yesterday? I haven't seen you when I went to bed, Hermione." She got to the point that truly interested her: Where I slept last night. It must have been truly preying on her mind.

"Well, not that late. I fell asleep relatively early!" I phrased it in a way that omitted that I had slept at Harry's side. Harry's shoulders trembled suspiciously when I circumnavigated the question like that, his eyes fastened resolutely on his homework assignment.

Goddess be thanked, the conversation was interrupted by a noisy group made up of four students that made a racket coming down the stairs and into the room that had become crowded in the last minutes. When I noticed Ron among them, I packed my things away and Harry his as well.

Unfortunately, the boys couldn't keep their traps shut and I already felt sorry for myself, as it would find its way into the grapevine and this way to the ears of one snake or the other, where it had no business to be.

"Wow, where is the cutest cuddling couple I have ever seen? And then we get up and think we might see them one more time and only find an abandoned bed. Not nice, guys!" Dean blared at the top of his voice through the whole room.

"What? Did I understand that right, Dean? Hermione, our Hermione, slept in the boys' dorm last night?" Lavender enquired loudly. "We already wondered why her bed was untouched!"

If they thought that I would blush now that the lions knew that I had slept among the boys, I would divest them of the illusion quickly. There was nearly nothing left that could make me blush. Thus I still reclined in my armchair, relaxed, and looked indifferently into the faces of those watching us. Ginny looked like she had been run over by a train, her gaze flicking back and forth between Harry and me while the boys continued to give way private details.

"Pity we had no camera, they looked so cute, cuddled close together and deep under!" Seamus reported. If you had friends like these you didn't need any enemies, I realised once again. When Draco got wind of that, he would flip out, justified or not. I'd have to think of a way to appease him, and quickly.

"What… you slept… together…?" a very pale Ginny stuttered. Harry couldn't help himself and rolled his eyes. I, too, felt sorry for myself. Didn't I say that already? Up until now, neither of us had said a word, we prefered to stay silent.

"Gee, guys. Stop it. The two talked and then dozed off. Stop making up things that didn't happen. They were wearing pyjamas and simply sleeping!" Ron intervened resolutely, his temper flaring up for the first time, giving the jabbering lions a thorough dressing down.

If Ron wanted to, he could be pretty convincing and I was delighted that he took our side, especially because he was right, and I could see that Harry felt the same, as something flashed in his eyes and he looked quite content.

"Yes, I agree. Leave Harry and Hermione alone. Nothing happened, don't make a big deal out of it!" the usually shy Neville declared with annoyance and walked in the direction of the exit, and we got up as well to follow him out.

Behind us, I could hear excited whispering, from Lav, Pav and many more. What would Hogwarts be without its gossips?

"Then there's nothing?"

"I don't believe it."

"We all know that she's always had the hots for him…"

The theories continued to come.

"Thanks, Ron, mate, that was very decent of you!" Harry said to Ron.

"Sure. But there really is nothing between the two of you, is there?" the other boy asked doubtfully, watching us curiously from blue eyes.

"No, Ron, nothing. It was nice to hold my sister in my arms, it calmed and comforted me!" Harry admitted and I was happy to hear that he had felt similar to me. Ron also looked at him with understanding. What was nice was that he had taken our side first and had asked the questions after.

"Then the conversation with the old bird yesterday was probably very exhausting," Ron guessed. I wouldn't have thought him capable of so much empathy.

"Unfortunately, Ron, unfortunately… but it was necessary!"

The later the day, the bigger the gossip! Hogwarts rumour mill shone in all its splendour, even worse than after Rita's articles in our fourth year. It was unbelievable how well the grapevine worked and across all houses, too. Draco stared at me repeatedly, with Blaise talking to him insistently. He could have saved his breath, it wouldn't work, Draco looked positively berserk.

As all of us would have to attend the meeting at Snape's tonight, I wanted to clear the air between Draco and myself as soon as possible, so I adjusted the Galleon to tell him that I wanted to meet him at the Astronomy tower at one o'clock while everyone else would be having lunch.

As we had no lessons today, I stood atop the tower in a dark red winter dress, wrapped in my thick cloak. I had just spoken a warming charm when I heard him approaching.

"Mudblood," he barked darkly. Oh oh, he was in a very good temper.

"Draco!" I couldn't even turn fast enough before he pressed himself against my back and me roughly into the parapet. "Draco, you know precisely that nothing is going on with Harry! I swear!" I justified myself.

"But you don't deny that you were in his bed and slept with him!" he hissed aggressively into my ear, pressing himself even harder against me.

"Wrong wording. Not with him, next to him," I defended myself, stiffening under his rough treatment.

"Does it make it any better?" he asked venomously.

"Yes, I needed the comfort and he did too!"

"Then come to me!" his anger flared. When I wanted to turn around he prevented it again with pure force.

"It isn't always possible and you know that! Please let me turn around!" I purred at him softly.

"Never forget that Potter isn't allowed to touch you," he demanded sternly, caressing my shoulders.

"When will you believe me that Harry is like a brother to me? He called me his sister to Ron's face today!" I exclaimed forcefully. Upon that he buried his face in my neck and after a short time, he started to breath small kisses onto my skin, that was bared to him as I had put my hair up into a bun today.

[start of edited part]

I loved it when he touched my neck and right now he was noticeably impatient.

"You know, Hermione, I actually believe you in regards to Potter. Even if it irks me; I don't like to see you in any bed but mine!" he whispered hoarsely next to my ear, his hands running down my body, over my hips and thighs. When I reminded him that we didn't have much time after he had started teasing me with small, affectionate bites, stroking fingers, and his purring voice, he stated, fuming, "Always those stolen minutes," and hurried up.

Our coupling was fast and furious, but I didn't enjoy it any less than the slow, savouring love-play that we engaged in most of the time.

Afterwards, he took his time to make me presentable again.

[end of edited part]

"Thank you," I chuckled lightly. He pulled me away from the parapet and into a passionate, wonderful kiss.

"No, thank _you._ I thought I would go mad with desire if I couldn't have you soon; and when I heard the thing with Potter today…"

"Draco, I have been with no one but you since Christmas. What do you want?" I parried resolutely.

"Nothing. Just don't forget it!" He still held me in his arms.

"How could I? _That_ will always remind me of the fact," I slipped with my hand under the magnificent blonde hair and caressed my 'H' that adorned the skin of his neck.

He growled lowly and fixed me with a hungry stare. "Your talk with the reporter was very intriguing!" He didn't let me go.

"Did you enjoy it?" I gave him a vicious smile.

"Yes. Do the two of you always fight for dominance like that?" he asked, smirking.

"You call that a fight? She didn't have any chance!" I acted arrogantly.

"Who said that she was fit to hold a candle to you? She didn't like it. It was glorious to see you in action. Was Potter curious?" He was still caressing my back.

"Yes, but he is in line. He's joining my morning runs from now on!" I told him readily.

"Finally you have found a fool to go along with you!" he laughed freely.

"Oi! You are mean!" I pouted a bit.

"No, just thankful that Potter has such a soft heart and takes pity on you! Now I'll never have to listen to that again!" he grinned slyly and released me.

"Draco, that's not nice!" He grabbed my hand and kissed it once more.

"Regrettably, we have to go, or our friends will come searching for us. But I have to say, I'm looking forward to tonight with Severus. Are you excited?" Together we started the trek downstairs.

"Very much. The boys are thrilled as well! Until later!" I let go of his hand with regret. Those stolen sexual encounters were just too short to savour them fully; I missed the passionate, but also affectionate nights in the cottage.

"Until later, darling!" he said, no less regretfully, before vanishing down the secret passageway that would bring him closer to his destination.

* * *

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	72. Occlumency

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **Occlumency**

Harry and Ron knew I had detention for the foreseeable future as punishment and luckily didn't ask more. The Twins had hurried down the secret passageway with me as none of us wanted to arrive late to an appointment with Professor Snape. I had the good sense to wear my training gear under my school cloak as I doubted I would be allowed to use his bedroom as a changing room again. The Twins had already changed as well.

Before I could blink, Fred had raised his hand and knocked with determination. It filled me with a minimal amount of trepidation that I would be so near to him, Snape, once more in just a moment. Although he hadn't invited us in, we entered valiantly as we were awaited, finding an empty room behind the door. I noticed that the bookcase stood slightly open and decided to take it as an invitation and took the lead. The Twins soaked up every little detail with visible curiosity and followed me over the threshold into the private domain of the resident potioneer.

Confidently, I brushed the cloak from my shoulders, threw it over the back of the couch and walked towards the open door in the back. I beckoned the Twins who were staring with wide eyes to follow me further. They were astoundingly quiet and serious; apparently, Professor Snape instilled respect even in those two. We had closed every door we had passed with diligence. When we arrived in the final room, we found Draco and Blaise standing close to Snape, talking animatedly.

Fred's and George's expressions when they spotted Snape in his casual clothes were hilarious. He was wearing the same outfit as last time and presented his Dark Mark just as confidently, which caught the Twin's undivided attention. They were on the verge to openly stare at him agape. It was rare that they looked so dumbfounded. That way the blood relation to Ron became a lot more obvious. They were visibly intrigued by Snape's bound-back hair, giving him a much more daring, striking and totally unfamiliar appearance, if the way their eyes scanned him intensively but also anxiously was any indication, taking in every little detail.

Draco and Blaise were wearing training gear as well, displaying their toned muscles. Seeing them standing so close together one had to think of white and milk chocolate involuntarily. I believe the Twins liked what they saw, with Snape also giving an appealing sight. What else could I describe? It must have been a Slytherin thing, all things considered, we looked pretty similar. As if arranged beforehand, we were all wearing black. Very imaginative, I know.

Honestly curious, I was wondering what the evening would bring me. An impish wink from Draco's grey eyes made me smile lightly. Blaise also nodded in greeting when he saw us and then the professor spoke up.

End of Hermione's POV.

Snape's POV

Draco and Zabini were overly punctual, but I was used to that from Draco's side. He valued his time with me and when he was allowed he always arrived early, and today was no exception. I lead the two of them into the training room and let the doors open. I counted on Granger's allegedly existent intelligence to close the doors behind her after she had passed through them.

What could I say? Although I would never openly admit it, as anticipated she didn't disappoint me, she seldom did!

We watched her enter the room self-confidently followed by the red menaces from which there were much too many - how could people reproduce so much? - and striding towards us with determination. She did not seem to notice, or maybe want to notice, the vibrancy she had, but she looked fantastic in her short-sleeved, tight-fitting black shirt and tight-fitting tracksuit pants. She showed a steel-hard and well-trained body, which had everything a man could wish for.

We all looked interested at the arrivals, while she gave us a really nice smile. Sometimes I wondered if she was playing and not realizing or registering the desires she aroused, or if she was really so naive in that regard. Even the two redheads, who, as I'd long suspected, were evidentially gay, stared at her behind.

"Fred, George, how are you?" Draco and Zabini called at the same time and they waved at each other friendly. Such friendship among hostile houses aroused a feeling of aversion in me, the corners of my mouth twisting contemptuously.

"Well, gentlemen, you are here today to learn how to fight!" I snarled, looking around the room disdainfully, suggesting it would be a sheer impossible task to teach them.

"I know what Draco can do! What Miss Granger is capable of I could determine recently! Now the three of you will show your abilities!" I demanded matter-of-factly. Zabini appeared more confident in his stance, something I expected from him as one of my snakes. I was curious how his fighting skills had evolved. The normally boisterous Twins held back with surprising and unusual uncertainty. _Jimjams_ , I thought sardonically, almost wishing that they were more often insecure.

"How are you going to test them?" Granger asked me curiously and I stared at her with an eyebrow raised in consternation at this unwanted disturbance. Her silhouette seemed so thin and delicate, as she wore her hair in a taut braid, as she had last time. At least she was so smart and learned from mistakes.

"If you ask, you may test your housemates!" I offered immediately but got a shake of her head in return.

"I don't need to, Sir! Those two have a disturbed sense of pain, they cringe when they watch me cut myself with a knife and when they have to let blood ... unbelievable," she explained to me, widening her expressive eyes and rolling them theatrically, and then Draco jumped in.

"Where she's right, Severus, she's right. I had to leave the room because they were screaming so much, it was pathetic," he stated smugly. The two, whose honour was at stake here, stood there quite calmly and said nothing, which was probably already a statement, as I thought to myself. Well, that was going to be fun, I thought resigned to my suffering. Whiny men? What had I gotten involved in? And, most of all, to whom did I owe this? Right, her!

"Miss Granger, when I give a command, you do what I say. Understood?" I growled in a low voice, establishing authority, arms folded in disapproval in front of my chest.

"As you wish, sir, though you will wish in the end that you hadn't given the command," she warned me mildly, stepped into the middle of the mat and beckoned to both at the same time, which I had not intended. She should not compete against both at the same time. Alright, her decision.

They got into position in the middle of the black mat and the two boys looked a bit lost. I had my work cut out with them, groaning at the sight before me. I would have to start at zero, that much I realised at that moment and suppressed a tortured groan.

Miss Granger bent her knees slightly and, with a completely blank mask which would have done honour to a Malfoy, she gazed at her opponents, who stood around insecurely and cluelessly.

And then it started, or rather, the suffering began! My fears and worries were met twice and triple.

I could already tell by her lax attitude that she apparently wanted to use something completely different today than in the fight with me. In seconds, she formed a claw with her right hand, her fingers were spread and bent, and the palm of the hand was exposed and could be used as a weapon.

Apparently, Miss Granger wanted to show us her Taijutsu skills today. I had to smile mockingly, the poor Weasleys, should I be sorry? No, I would enjoy the show I was offered.

And then the claw flashed rapidly towards the face of one of the twins and she rammed the chin with her palm. Not only with pure muscle power, no, her body worked in a wonderful harmony and interplay, using her body's energy and poise, and her perfectly balanced breath control to create a low-pitched, strong punch.

The blow was devastating. As it met its target with force, the twin's head flew backwards, the air left his lungs in a loud huff and you could see how the lights went out in that very second and his body lost all tension. He collapsed less than gently and landed on the mat slightly twisted, where he remained lying, knocked out. In the fraction of a second, everything was over for him.

When she did not stop after her attack, but used the momentum she had from the claw strike to turn powerfully to the next red opponent in her back, who was so shocked by their speed that he didn't even try to defend himself, and she formed a finger ring while still turning, I thought sardonically, _ouch, Miss Granger, ouch_. Now her fingers were half-folded over each other and the knuckle of the middle finger would be used as a weapon. She took further advantage of the swing and again aimed for the face of her opponent. We could watch as she put her whole body into this blow, lifted her hand and sent her knuckles straight and mercilessly to their target.

The soft crunch that filled the room when her hard knuckle found its goal was also painful for us listeners. Zabini and Draco visibly twitched in sympathy, as it hurt just by watching, and if I had not stopped to do so such a long, long time ago, I would have pulled a face as well. So I watched outwardly indifferently as this redhead as well landed on the mat with little elegance. Amazing, the twins even fell identically. Granger remained calm in the starting position, without even panting. Wherever from?

A painful whimper echoed from the walls of the training room, as this redhead had not been knocked out like his brother. He pressed his hand against his bleeding and broken nose, letting out a wailing, miserable sound. Tears ran down his pale cheeks, the blood was smeared over his waxy face; he gave a very battered impression. Considering that only one blow had hit him that was impressive.

And yes, Granger had been right, I regretted having asked her to test the two, who now had the shock of their lives. The unconscious one now began to stir again and groaned painfully.

Already on her knees, Miss Granger skillfully started to heal the injuries of the two with a Ferula, magically resetting his nose, resulting in a loud, not to say deafening shriek. I twisted my mouth in disgust; I did not like it if you could not control your pain, but I'd knock it out of them eventually. An Episkey finally healed his nose completely, and so, thanks to heaven, peace returned. Zabini was already helping the other loser and healed his injury. They behaved like the biggest weaklings, pathetic!

"Hey, Fed, wake up," Zabini said. Oh… so he was the unconscious one, just as well. My snake patted his cheek and he opened his eyes and tried slowly, whimpering, to get upright.

"Whoa, my head is throbbing. What did she do? I didn't get anything. George? Why is George on the ground too?" he asked perplexed and I rolled my eyes desperately, noticing the dirty grin Draco gave me from his place next to the kneeling Granger.

"I see you have not exaggerated, Miss Granger, hard work is waiting for us! But now get back up already. That was a patting what Miss Granger gave you! Pathetic, but I expected nothing else! So, when I'm done with you, you will redefine pain, gentlemen, I promise you!" I threatened silkily, enjoying it when my threat hit home; the anxious panic in the two pairs of brown eyes made up for many pranks I'd endured.

Meanwhile, two people looked at me very indifferently, while Zabini seemed a bit uncomfortable but tried to conceal it. At last, I believed this could still be fun. Here my sadistic streak came to light.

"Draco, grab Zabini and test him," I ordered and turned away. "Both of you will perform the movements I am going to show you until you can instinctively and automatically execute them. Until then, I can tell you that now, you will have to train them every day for at least half an hour," I explained to the Weasleys and showed them the formations they were to learn. They tried hard to overcome themselves, struggling visibly and apparently, they really wanted to give their all to master the first basic formations.

"So, you start with slow movements and gradually increase the speed until you can use the technique lightning fast. You should be busy for a while!" I taught them unusually patiently. In the meantime, Granger watched Zabini and Draco intently. Zabini actually did not do half bad. And Draco, now that lifted my heart! Lucius and I had done a wonderful job with the boy. He was playing with Zabini, not wanting to end the fight immediately, though he dominated it impressively and confidently.

I stepped next to Granger, who was attentively watching the two boys as they moved in a dance, orbiting each other. The punches, kicks and throws of the different, individual styles were executed beautifully and precisely, and not nearly comparable to the dirty fight between me and her the other day, which she and I had relentlessly fought, and no one was bleeding yet. It was a civilized fight.

What should that tell me? That Granger was certainly not delicate and faint-hearted. I chuckled inwardly at my straying thoughts.

"Now, Miss Granger, what are you seeing?" I asked her then and put her to the test, while I got closer and stopped next to her while she crossed her arms.

"Wonderful fighters, perfect bodies, but sir, I wonder why you taught Draco like that? I mean, it has style, is nice to look at, but honestly, in a dark, dirty alley it will be of no use to him. Not that he could not fight back, but he thinks too much. Not that I could allow myself an opinion, was just a thought!" she admitted her doubts. She had seemingly got afraid of her own courage criticizing me and tried to deflect.

"No, no, Miss Granger, do think, even I do not bar you from that! You are right, so far, Lucius has always put a lot of emphasis on the aesthetics of martial arts. But that is what we are here for, for Draco to learn how to strike as nicely as you, right?" I showed myself bitingly ironic, looking down at her little figure to assess her.

"Did he learn to fight with weapons as well?"

"Yes, fencing," I spat contemptuously. I had always thought it ridiculous to fiddle with this thin steel, but Lucius was fascinated by the sport and did not want to know about anything else, though Lucius was well able to do the else.

I could hear and see Granger giving into a laughing fit, tears forming in her brown eyes.

"Haha… I see Lucius, jumping over the mat with Draco!" she giggled madly.

"I hope you don't see me as well in your mind's eye!" I snarled venomously, as I still vividly remembered the pictures she saw in her imagination, for I had to see it with my own eyes.

"No, sir, never. Honestly not. I think you would refuse and rather do something truly disgusting than wave a rapier through the air. But sir ... sorry! Now you've planted the picture of yourself in my head …" She was unable to control herself any longer and burst into laughter, ending the fighting and bringing us to the centre of attention.

I looked indignantly at Granger who was now sitting at my feet, holding her stinging side and laughing heartily. I grimaced as I knew what the reason for her inappropriate cheerfulness was, and it was my own fault, which annoyed me beyond measure.

"Most beautiful, what is it, why are you laughing like that? Are we that bad?" one of the reds asked in consternation, already out of breath and looking worn out with his sweaty, tangled hair.

"No, no, George. The Professor only was so kind as to tell me something very funny!" Apparently, she did not dare to divulge the true cause of her amusement and scrambled back to her feet.

"And, Severus, are you satisfied?" Draco wanted to know as Zabini gasped for breath, lying flat on the mat after a throw, rubbing his aching side.

"Relatively!" I informed him arrogantly.

"What, 'relatively'?" he shouted agitatedly.

"Draco, don't yell at me! As I was discussing with Miss Granger right now, you fight marvellously, and you, Mr Zabini, aren't bad yourself… expandable! However, you fight to pretty. In a show fight, it would fit perfectly. However, out there on a battlefield or in an ambush, you would not stand a chance with your clean, beautiful style, and we have to break you of that, both of you!

"Miss Granger, let's show the gentlemen here how we envision it," I proposed in a velvety voice and was allowed to witness how she visibly swallowed hard and I knew she remembered our last time - how that sounded - when I had caught her under me.

But then she stepped resolutely into the middle, her head held high. We both got into position, and our spectators moved back to the outer end of the room. Miss Granger gave me another nice smile and faced me again without fear. I had to give her that; she looked even more confident today, showing even less timidity or even fear. She was ready to go back into the fight, even though I had won the last time; I could respect that.

Thus we started circling each other like a pair of predators. No one wanted to get close to the other and give him the advantage when falling into his hands. I could see in her eyes that she was very focused and I would not make the mistake of underestimating this petite woman; because she was good, as I knew from experience.

Suddenly, she attacked with a rapid speed and manoeuvrability, trying to hit me on the shoulder with the taut edge of her hand. I quickly countered with a harsh defense and blocked her attack with the forearm, from the outside to the inside. Her chop went awry and impacted hard on my defense. There was power behind her blows. We both jumped away from each other, as we did not practice fine arts where they stayed in their positions, we always kept moving.

She continued on the offensive, running up to me, lifting her leg and giving me a firm kick to the thigh, but all of a sudden I let myself fall to the floor in a spin, bracing myself with my hands and pulling her supporting leg out from under her in a single, flowing rotary motion with a foot sweeper.

She landed roughly on her behind. In fact, now I could have flung myself at her without mercy and pin her to the floor with a grappling or the like and beat her bloody, but somehow I didn't want to do that in front of an audience. Not that I had any qualms about fighting and beating a woman, but somehow I did not want the others to see what she and I were capable of. I'm not sure what kept me from battering her just like the last time and preventing her from doing the same to me, as she did not hold back either.

So I decided against it and she jumped back up in a quick move.

"Whoa, wicked. How can you be that fast?" one of the red monsters blared enthusiastically into the middle of our fight.

"And you didn't even punch each other," the next one shouted jauntily, straining my nerves dangerously.

"Uncle Severus. Even though I know that the fight technically isn't over by far…" Draco interjected, glaring at the Twins in a chastening way because of their interruption, "I believe I have understood what you wanted to tell me! You fought in and over three different styles, never remaining in a position for long, always in motion. I think I got it. You have to be flexible, quick and ruthless!" I experienced a miracle as my godson admitted that I was right.

"As always a pleasure to teach a Malfoy. That was exactly what I wanted to achieve, Draco! Well then, Miss Granger. It looks like you will not get a beating today!" I whispered in a velvety voice at the end and she gave me a cynical look in return. Hence, I couldn't stop myself from adding: "Be glad!"

"Of course, sir!" She quipped sarcastically and I already regretted that I had not stuffed her mouth, grounding my jaw lightly. This woman managed again and again to irritate me.

"Gentlemen, resume your training. Draco, you look after those two as well, whether they're doing it right. Miss Granger and I are in the living room; we still have to work on something to make her happy!" I replied ambiguously sweetly. When I thought of Potter, the bile came up again.

"Um, sure, Uncle…" it sounded bemused by Draco, who was just running a hand through his hair. I watched as she approached him and whispered something into his ear. He put his hand on her back, pulled her closer to him, gave her a kiss, and hugged her, then he raised his head and winked cheekily at me. I frowned indignantly, Malfoys, always so arrogant in their autocratic state of being.

The Twins fooled about, teasing Granger and Draco mercilessly with silly comments and smacking noises; and then I could hear Granger say in a sugary voice:

"Oh, and Draco. I think you, too, should fight against the Twins and kick them firmly, so that they learn a thing or two." It resulted in immediate silence. She was truly vicious towards her friends.

"I think you are right, darling, I should engage with them quite intensively," Draco threatened, amused.

"Are you coming, Miss Granger, or are you afraid?" I snarled in an oily voice.

"What did you say the last time? Something along the line that I would be stupid if I wasn't afraid of you?" she instantly gave me contra. I just thought: _clever girl._ It was plainly recognisable that she felt more uncomfortable with the knowledge that I would be in her mind soon than when she had been in my arms on the mat.

Politely, I held the door open for her. When she had passed the threshold, I threw an appraising and also threatening look back into the room and was allowed to experience how everybody stared at me as if I wanted to devour Granger. With that, I turned away resolutely.

Granger had already made herself comfortable on the couch and beheld my approaching form calmly. With a fluent motion, I sat down next to her and deliberately came very close to her. I wanted to unsettle her even more and shake her mental defense and would resort to any method available. However, she was not easily intimidated and looked at me with a slight lift of the corners of her mouth. As I said, she was a smart girl and seemed to have expected it.

"Sir? What do you expect of me now?" she asked jovially. At the same time, I realized that she seemed to be a bit cold and I determined that from a distinct physical characteristic since she only wore a tight, short-sleeved shirt. Considering that we were in the draughty dungeons, no wonder. Thus I tried to unsettle her with an outrageous remark.

"First… Are you feeling cold, Miss Granger?" I asked suggestively in a velvety voice, which made her look at me perplexed. Then understanding flashed in her eyes and she looked down at herself and up again with a very serene expression and shrugged her shoulders indifferently. The shot had probably missed its mark, I thought moodily.

"Somewhat," she said neutrally and I raised my hand, snapped casually once in the direction of the fireplace and the fire lit up with a flicker.

"Thank you, sir!" came her dry reaction. I did not elicit more from her, which was frustrating, given that I had come very close to her and had ignited the fire without a wand, but it seemed that no feeling could penetrate her cold wall. Apparently, she wanted to make it exciting for me, because that was what it was for me: I was curious what she had to offer against me in the magic of the mind.

In the art of mastering and directing the mind, I did not know many who could keep up with me or resist me. I was an accomplished master in this field, and even Lucius had to admit defeat to me here, and Malfoys' souls coped very badly with that.

Even Dumbledore was not up to me here, which was good. The old man did not have to know everything. And the Dark Lord, well, you could not fool him. At least I could exclude him and show him just what I wanted him to see; but lead him by the nose like all the others, unfortunately, I could not, to my chagrin. The Dark Lord was truly powerful.

"Ready, Miss Granger, to meet our agreement and try out if you will be able to help Potter even remotely?" I challenged her, and if she was nervous, she did not show it. Her mask sat firmly in place, and she gave me a determined nod.

"Then turn to me, look deep into my eyes and try to muster the willpower to shut me out completely, to control it at will and show me only what you want, or even conjure up false images. I'm curious to see what you will offer me, Miss Granger," I pressed on, but she nodded again, though turning towards me as required.

"Ready, Professor!" she confirmed in a monotone voice. I briefly wondered if she was only pretending, and if it was simmering with nervousness inside her and she was just a gifted actress since she seemed so completely uninvolved, or if that was her defense, so as not to let anything get to her.

I raised my wand and looked deep into her fawn brown eyes. She returned my gaze firmly and with strength, so I spoke "Legilimens" and was immediately sucked with force into the whirlpool of her mind.

The first thing I realized was that I was facing a stable and defensive wall that reminded me a lot of the battlements of Hogwarts. It was more than I expected and more than most would ever accomplish in their lives. It was a massive defense she had built up here, testifying to the irrepressible will this young woman possessed, and made all the more amazing by the fact that she had taught herself independently.

"Miss Granger, a wall cannot stop me!" I breathed silkily into her face, as we had come closer and closer during the constant eye contact. Steadily, I increased my efforts to find a weak spot in her defensive line to break it, however, this wall really stood rock solid. Only a master of Legilimency, as I was one, knew where its weak spot lay. A wall could crumble or collapse.

That was why I preferred to imagine the smooth, flat surface of a lake and buried my biggest secrets on the ground, the smooth surface of the lake becoming my wall. If the Lord himself slipped into the water or dived to poach in it, I could let my thoughts float and push them further away, without him being able to get hold of them. This was the mastery in this field: To create and maintain an impregnable environment! Of course, this wall was an incredible achievement, but not yet the ultimo in this area.

And so I figured the Lord would not let it be with simple rummaging. If he felt that someone was resisting him, he would gladly use torture to mentally weaken the victim and then destroy their mind. I had to break her concentration and so I resorted to unfair methods to make her falter, I just never broke off the intense eye contact.

I raised my left hand - my wand was in my right - deliberately caressing the contours of her mouth, which made her flinch at first, then acknowledge it with a surprised exhalation. Her hot breath brushed my fingers and for the first time, a minimal smile snuck itself onto my lips as I saw the wall crumble slightly in her mind. It had started when I touched her like that. But I had to admit that I, too, had let myself get distracted for a moment by touching her soft and warm lips, which felt so tender and yielding under my fingertip. Slowly and unconsciously but surely, she kept backing down to the couch to avoid me, but I followed, pushing her physically and mentally, trying to make her submit.

I resolutely called myself to order and now stormed the wall with my mind, intent to break it with my strong will. However, it didn't seem to accomplish anything. She was no longer distracted, and just concentrated on her defense; she was strong and there came a nasty thought to my mind.

Again, I used my fingers to try and get her to make a mistake, moving my hand to her chest and caressing the still protruding buds that I had commented on earlier in a suggestive manner. I didn't know if they were still standing stiffly because of the cold or if something else had that effect on her body, but her reaction was worthwhile. I was allowed to witness her mauling her lip, biting it less than gently, and she immediately went rigid under my hand.

She glared at me as well but did not say anything. I knew it was wrong. I mean, she was my underage student and dating my godson, who was almost my own son, but I justified touching her breast with having to see if she could maintain her defense under all conditions. I had never been so close to her physically, not even recently in our fight. Of course, I had healed her and seen her almost completely naked during that, but I had never dared to touch her so intrusively.

Thus, I did not pull my hand away from her tight, well-rounded breast. Ah, now, finally, as I ran my thumb firmly over the stiff nipple covered by the thin cotton fabric, she gasped in shock and there was a small gap. I exploited this carelessness immediately and ruthlessly, and flung myself at it like a berserker.

She was good, but I was better!

A series of meaningless images and feelings soon passed in front of me, she as a toddler, in kindergarten, in school, at home, on vacation, then the Hogwarts Express, Hogwarts ... but suddenly the stream faded and I got really angry and furious that she succeeded in resisting me.

This girl opposed me with an unbelievable willpower which was more than unusual, and I did not like it that it was again Granger, who showed herself exceptionally gifted.

It shouldn't surprise me, she was a person that worked mainly with her brain and mind, similar to myself!

She accomplished to reinstate her once relinquished vigilance and tried to retreat back behind her mental walls. It was extremely difficult and only a few managed such a feat. She struggled hard; it was obvious from the beads of sweat on her forehead and her tense jaw. It was exhausting for her to push me back, banish me to the outside of her protective walls. It took her tremendous strength and even more will to focus enough again to be able to exclude me.

With a furious growl, I took note of their efforts. I could not allow that and so I continued my unfair exploration, putting my hand on her knee now and stroking her thigh demandingly, which made sweat pool on her upper lip. She wound herself like an eel under my body. I pushed my hand higher, besieging her more and more, which made her whimper very softly. I did not know myself how far I would push the immorality and whether I should advance even further when I felt how she outright offered me some memories and proverbially threw them at my feet.

She surprised me with this unexpected offer. Apparently, my attempts to subdue her were successful and this was her last desperate attempt to best me. I hadn't anticipated this move when I had pushed her farther and farther until it could not go any further. Apparently, she saw her salvation in distracting me, as she kept me trapped by the things she showed me, and to my displeasure, she actually managed to distract me.

Stop, that was not possible! She tried to steer me! How? I saw her having sex with Draco on the Astronomy Tower during sex, a quick sequence of events as he took her from behind. How she had sex with Draco in the shower. But wait, what was that? I did not believe my eyes, she laid naked in the arms of Cedric Diggory, in the Prefect bathroom! When had she had anything with him? I had never noticed. The little girl was always good for a surprise.

Oh and Krum, Viktor Krum. But where was that? On the ship, what had Miss Granger been doing on the ship? It had been forbidden. Oh yes, that's right, she did not adhere to any rules. It left a nasty taste in my mouth. If she had fallen into the hands of Igor ... Stupid girl!

To my displeasure, I saw Black next and relived what I had never wanted to see from Black again. I growled reluctantly, but then the scene changed and I spotted them in the dark kitchen of Grimmauld Place. Black lunged at her abruptly, beating her, over and over again. She fought back fiercely and then threatened him with her knife! Black ... I despised this man!

Then everything changed again quickly and I saw her again in a bed. It almost made me feel like I had been punched into the stomach, and I had to watch with big eyes as Potter dragged her along as he fell and she snuggled up to his side and they both laughed. The words still echoed in my ears. "I love you, Hermione." "I love you too, Harry." As I kept digging in spite of my rising disgust, I learnt that I could not get any further, that her walls were still intact here.

Which meant, I had not yet subdued her; at the moment she was directing what I could see.

I fought bitterly against seeing only what she wanted to show me. She shouldn't have been able to offer me a selection of her choice. This girl was good, damn it. Where did she get the power from to possess such a strong, unrestrained will? I got angry. This was not described in any book, I had only learned it after a long time of practice. She, as I realised now, pulled me from memory to memory. I paused in my effort to impose my will on her to observe the scenes of Lucius and her during the Christmas Ball of the Ministry.

It was no wonder that Lucius had noticed her the way she looked that night. The dress was a beautiful dream of nothing and her appearance was incredibly desirable. She aroused desires, she looked adorable. Also, she was surrounded by that certain exquisite aura, alluding that she had more to offer than just the gorgeous look.

I experienced how Lucius harassed her and I could feel and see him biting her with relish. Ouch, that must have hurt, the way his teeth ruthlessly pierced that soft, flawless skin and buried into her flesh. Fierce too, that she had the courage not to scream. But Draco too, when he put his father so close to Granger, played the indifferent one very convincingly. It reminded me once again that none of them, despite their youth, should be underestimated!

I pulled myself together and called myself to order. I would not be made a fool by this little miss-know-it-all. But I did not manage, to my shame, to extract the secrets from her mind, however hard I tried. We performed a truly impressive duel of the minds.

I knew that if I wanted to hurt her, then I could do it, for it was no finesse, skill, or knowledge that held me back here, but only irrepressible will, unbroken concentration, and deadly determination not to lose.

Our environment was no longer existent for both her and myself at the moment. Even that I had buried her completely under me by now, lying on top of her with the whole length of my body, our faces only a few inches apart, was not something we realised at the time. The eye contact fervently maintained ... it was as if we were interlocked. Meanwhile, my hand rested on her crotch and was trapped there, immobile, between our bodies. Well, she and I were beyond the point to even notice it. We were too caught in the unrelenting battle of minds and the question of who would win eventually.

What a stubborn, quarrelsome woman. She had to be in pain; what I was doing had to cause great pain and agony in her mind. Her face was a grimace. I growled indignantly and she answered with a deep rumble. None of us gave up.

"Severus!" I could hear a soft call from far away. "What are you doing?" The outraged scream penetrated my consciousness with increasing clarity. I shook my head numbly, and Granger below me also seemed to be aware of our surroundings again as the eye contact broke through my head movement.

"What is happening here?" I now recognised Draco's cutting voice.

I closed my eyes, exhausted, and ending the eye contact for good, breaking the curse. Astonishingly enough, when I opened my eyes again, I did not look into startled brown eyes, but ones who were staring at me with immense satisfaction because she had been steadfastly resisting me until the very end.

But suddenly she seemed to realize where my hand lay, how intimately and totally inappropriately I touched her. It also became very present to me now, as I could feel her warmth at this spot and realized how completely I covered her. The situation was very compromising and she had to laugh outright. This girl was incredible. I was still lying on top of her as she shook beneath me with laughter. I glared at the small group that looked at us in shock and astonishment, but who could see my anger at them for interrupting us because I would have cracked her eventually.

I, professor of all of them, buried a student under me. That was wrong, I was her teacher and she was my student. I did not even know what had made me forget my principles like that, except that I wanted to show Granger her limits by all means. That this had been unsuccessful did not help to lighten my mood.

Luckily, it was my left hand that I had placed on her crotch, so Draco and the others at least did not see it right away. I got up smoothly and then stood very upright in front of the four boys.

"Severus, I thought you wanted to test Hermione in Occlumency, and not assess her other qualities," mocked the boy that called himself my godson before dissolving into laughter. Miss Granger still lay draped over the couch. She had stopped laughing, but was now rubbing her forehead; all in all, she looked exhausted, pale and sweaty.

"Very amusing, Draco!" came my cold retort.

"Hermione, are you well?" the Twins asked, worried, while eyeing me with mistrust.

"Mh-hm, yes, oh yes, really good even, only a slight headache. You may congratulate me, I managed to keep the professor out! He did not manage to penetrate my defenses!" she happily told the group. I had to force my neutral mask not to slip. The very ambiguity of her words, that she was so indifferent to my physical attack and intrusiveness but also that I had not been able to break her will, gnawed at me, unsettled me and I wondered what secrets this woman possessed.

Why did she not care when I invaded her private sphere? This question would occupy my mind persistently.

"Instead he penetrated elsewhere!" Zabini replied quietly and drily. I threw him a murderous look from dark eyes, which he actually caught and answered with an apologetic shrug of his shoulders.

"What? I am so proud of you, darling. You can pride yourself on that, not everybody manages that. Though, Severus, why did you have to lie on Hermione for that? Not that I'm saying anything, but the meaning hasn't fully revealed itself to me yet." he praised her. Even not taking into account that Draco was not capable of the same, his snobistic behaviour when he looked at me calculatingly with a crooked head was out of place.

"Draco, leave the professor alone! We had a mental duel and there was a lot at stake …" she placated him quickly. It was amazing how she managed to steer Draco and that he allowed her to do so. "I think I have permission now to give Harry Occlumency lessons every Tuesday and coordinate that with your sessions, sir, haven't I?"

I watched my godson go to Granger's coat, which had slipped to the floor, and start looking for something. He withdrew a vial and brought it to her.

"Here, darling, drink it and your headache will be gone!" he showed himself caring. A Malfoy who was worried about others and cared for them? One should circle the date in the calendar. What had this woman done to my godson? That wasn't him, that wasn't the boy I knew, it was astounding. But it also made me seethe with rage. What act did she play for Draco when she was confessing her 'love' to Potter at the same time? This bitch should not even try to play a double and triple game. I would not allow her to play with Draco's heart.

"Of course, Miss Granger, you've done well. Do what you want with Potter. I hope you like it in his bed!" I hissed dangerously and wanted to irritate our lovebirds.

"Professor, everyone knows that I've stayed with Harry last night!" She laughed provocatively and Draco rolled his eyes.

"What did you see in Hermione's memories that you are so vitriolic?" Alas, Draco seemed to know me a bit as well.

"They confessed their love to each other!" I spat in disgust, sitting down somewhat drained in my chair and casually crossing my legs, wanting to enjoy the show that I expected to see unfold.

"Finally! Hooray! Hooray!" the Twins cheered to my astonishment and I straightened up to my full size sitting down and they quickly fell silent. Draco's jaw tightened. He was clearly not liking that information.

"Hermione, finally, that makes me happy ... that Harry finally says he loves someone and then admits it to your face," explained one of the reds. It was annoying that I never knew which one. The next time I would mark them magically, so I knew was speaking.

Granger did not look at Draco but smiled benignly, then spoke softly.

"I know, I was very happy that he finally told me that I'm family for him. He said, Sirius and I, we are the ones he loves. And yes, I also told him that I love him because he is a brother to me ... satisfied, Professor?" she hissed irritably at me, looking at me coldly until Draco moved, putting a hand on her shoulder, making her gaze at him instead.

"No, Hermione, I'm glad he told me because you would never have!" Draco confessed softly.

"I think we will leave then. Have a nice evening, Professor, until Sunday!" the twins raised their voices, pulling everyone else out. I hadn't expected it to go like that. Draco had been demonstratively calm, too bad!

I rubbed my face tiredly, feeling physically as well as mentally exhausted. Finally alone. Why had I mentioned Potter in Draco's presence? Because it had made me mad to experience it in her mind. She had deliberately shown me this scene, I was very sure, and she had done it with the knowledge that it would upset and annoy me. She was a minx, a mean bitch, and so I had retaliated.

I raised my glass to my lips and drank greedily. That had been something else. That her will and mind were so strong and unbending impressed me immensely. I would never admit that; I would sooner die an excruciatingly slow death than give her the satisfaction of showing her how overwhelmed I was to experience what she was capable of mastering and coping with, given her young age. What a witch!

This woman would still be our downfall. Potter, Draco, Lucius, even Black and I, yes, I, too, we were all somehow trapped in her spider web. Where would that end?

I had to seek comfort and found it in the glass in my hand. On Monday, she would be mine again for a few hours. Could I get more information out of her then?

End of Snape's POV

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	73. The Quibbler

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy with help from Sophie and NoX

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 **The Quibbler**

"Leave us!" I demanded from our companions, which they did immediately. Shortly after we had left Snape's rooms, I pulled Draco into an alcove. I knew the things Snape had divulged so disrespectfully had hurt him, even though he'd never admit it. But I couldn't be mad at Snape; it was still one of the most harmless things he could have stolen from my mind.

This time I placed him against the wall and he leaned back and braced himself against it. I stepped in front of him, grabbing his hips, and he put his arms around my shoulders and looked at me with an unreadable expression, not showing any emotions.

"Draco…" I wanted to begin justifying myself, but he put a finger on my lips, thus shutting me up gently and shook his head. I followed his wish and remained silent until he was ready and started to speak.

"Hermione, I knew that Potter was important to you, but so much? I mean, I think you don't say that often, do you?" The words came very quiet, thoughtful and maybe a bit melancholic from him, though I couldn't hear any hint of an accusation.

"No, you are right. I've never before said it to anyone, except now to Harry … And no, not even to my parents, I somehow always got around it…" I admitted openly, albeit somewhat shocked myself, and sighed.

"Could you say it to me as well?" he asked me suddenly, his tone of voice difficult to determine. He was not looking at my face, his gaze fixed on the dark distance of the corridor.

"I'm cautious in this regard, I do not want to rush things. If I knew where you stand... Harry did say it first too! But I want to be careful here…" I tried to explain to him gently.

"Where I stand? Well, I'm a Malfoy. I don't wear my heart on my sleeve like your hero Potter!" he said without any emotion, still not looking at me. This conversation wasn't easy, for both of us.

"Then this time I should be the one to muster the lion's courage, right?" I mused softly and he nodded curtly to me, so I pulled his head to me and he went with the motion, leaning over to me and I paused until I could look deep into his eyes.

"I need you very much, Draco! You are my stronghold, I belong to you!" I breathed so softly that I almost did not hear it, looking at him imploringly and he returned my gaze. It was difficult for me to vocalise these intimate and trusting words. I noticed a flash in those beautiful, grey eyes and I think I knew what it meant although he kept silent. Then I plucked up the courage and continued talking.

"And I truly don't see you as a brother and you are already family for me, aren't you?" I summed up further, now more determined, still holding his face cupped in my hands.

I could witness how he fought with himself.

"Hermione, it means so much to me that you are giving me the honor to hear those words out of your mouth. I thank you!" he replied starchily. Wasn't that beautiful? A Malfoy, right up to the white tips of his hair. Sweet, how difficult it was for him to share this intimacy with me. Here he was very different from Harry.

Abruptly, he straightened his posture and freed himself brusquely from my grasp. He now stood proudly in front of me, grabbing both hands of mine and pulling them to his chest, and looked at me insistently.

"I've never said this to anyone before! You understand? _Never...No one..._ " he urgently tried to make it clear to me, before he took a deep breath and confessed hoarsely:

" _I need you_ , Hermione! And an alcove is surely not the right place for this, but it was the perfect time to tell you," he declared firmly with a happy smile.

"Oh, Draco!" I jumped happily at him and he caught me as if I weighed nothing and lifted me on his hands. I was honored that he had found this strength for me; that was so - I do not know if it was romantic, but my heart beat faster because of it. Meanwhile, he pulled my hood over my head and carried me towards Slytherin. I would spend the night with Draco today.

"You won't hear it often, Hermione. I don't think I could do it!" He looked at me solemnly and I knew that I didn't need to. It had meant more to me than saying it every time, and after all, I did have a difficult time vocalising it as well.

"I know, Draco, but you don't have to!" I excused him, snuggling into his strong arms that brought me safely to our destination.

I was floating with happiness, partly because of the fact he didn't insist that I do it myself for he obviously understood how hard it was for me, and that he carried me in his arms. I knew I would never forget the expressions of those Slytherins who had seen Draco carrying me through their common room into his private chamber.

We made love with indescribable gentleness and passion; it was a wonderful night. If someone had told me until recently that I would quietly confess my feelings to Draco Malfoy and that said pure-blooded Draco Malfoy, would also confess his own to me, the Mudblood Granger, I would have committed myself of my own accord.

But so much had changed since this summer. We had to realise how similar we were, that we had made a killer pit out of our hearts a long time ago. And as unbelievable as it sounded, I felt so well and understood by Draco and so connected with him that it just felt right what we were doing right now.

When I left him at five o'clock in the morning, much to my chagrin, to sneak back into the tower and meet Harry in the common room just before six o'clock, melancholy came over me. I did not want to leave him, I did not want to pretend that I did not have contact with him, I hated more and more the necessity to hide, to ... deny ourselves. But fate left us no choice and so I went, hooded as always, and sneaked away.

Harry made me speechless, because when I entered the common room ready for the run, a chipper Harry already waited for me, grinning broadly in pleasant anticipation.

"You meant that seriously? I mean, I'm happy ... but I would have thought …" I was a bit confused and so I stammered, though I was really happy that he was true to his word.

"That I won't get my lazy ass out of bed? Well, you thought wrong," he grinned impishly, looking cuddly-cute in his cheekiness.

"Come on! That's so nice of you," I laughed freely and started into a great day. After the run, on the way back to the tower, I informed Harry about yesterday's success.

"Oh, that reminds me, I have good news: From now on I'll teach you in Occlumency every Tuesday. I passed Snape's test!" I smiled like a Cheshire Cat. I was really, really relieved because now I knew for sure that I would never again need to be frightened of Dumbledore again!

"Hermione, thank you, for everything you do for me. I can only guess that it hasn't been a cakewalk. Did he push you very hard? I cannot think of anything worse than how he ruthlessly dug in my mind! And the pain, it felt like my brain would first fry and then explode. And afterwards I felt way more vulnerable than I did before," he explained, stricken, and I had to smirk. Snape had been ruthless with me as well, considering where he had had his hands. What would Harry say when he'd do the same with him? The mental picture entertained me immensely.

"I think we have a more fundamental problem. It's not the ability to close your mind that hinders you, it's your hate for Professor Snape. And I don't know how to tell you, but I don't find him as distasteful as you do!" I said with determination. I would never be able to tell him that I had shared the joys of the flesh with Snape if the way he had just turned his face into a grimace in disgust was any indication. Thus, Snape came to my mind and the fact that I had not even thought about my experience with him yet.

Oh man, was I relieved that Snape hadn't managed to bring down my walls. He had fought with more than just unfair means. When his fingers had settled on my lips, I had been startled and was distracted momentarily but I had quickly regained my mental strength. Then, when he had grabbed my breast, I had been a little disgruntled, but I also acknowledged the tactic behind it. A Dark Lord wouldn't ask me nicely to get to my secrets, instead he would rather use the Cruciatus, and Snape, well, he had tried to draw me out with sexual advances.

He had surely thought, that this act, him touching me in such an intimate way despite me being together with Draco, would unsettle me enough that I would lower my walls out of pure shock. That he had already possessed all of me had been of great help to keep myself calm in this situation. I had known why he did it and I hate to admit, but I had no problems with being touched by Snape. I felt no shyness nor shame for this, so he hadn't really been able to get a reaction out of me.

But then, as he had started to attack my knee, I hadn't known how far he would go and that's where I had gotten a little unsettled, as I had clearly been able to see, that he was losing his self-control a bit right then. After all, he didn't know anything about me being Minna and here he had been, having a go with his student Hermione Granger. Therefore I had been getting restless and my walls had begun to crumble, a hole opening up in said wall, which I struggled to uphold under his constant mental assault. As it took a lot out of me to keep it up as proud and well-fortified as it was, I had started to tremble out of exertion. His attacks had become more painful and ruthless and in the meantime, my temples had started to throb and pound.

And then I had started to play a dangerous game out of pure desperation. This wasn't the only wall that I had erected, merely the first bastion. At first, he saw unimportant childhood memories. He didn't drive me further back only mentally and so I had suddenly noticed, to my utter disbelief, how his hand settled down on my crotch. I had felt him touch my private parts and it had changed our fight in a dangerous way.

Additionally to everything else, heat had started to rise up within me and in an unconscious reaction, I had steered my thoughts in a sexual direction and so he had witnessed how Draco and I enjoyed ourselves, then Cedric, then Viktor! At this point, I had managed to reign back in my feelings, despite the constant assault of his invading mind.

But the fear had gripped me tightly. I couldn't and was under no circumstances allowed to let him see Minna, and so I had shown him, driven by fear, intentionally and with calculation, Sirius and how he fucked me. And there I had had him, again able to guide him and so I had shown him the scene how Sirius had beaten me. He had recovered quickly, too quickly, and had continued to barbarically penetrate me with his mind. The throbbing and stabbing pain in my head had grown dangerously, it had felt as if burning needles had been thrust directly into my brain when he approached another barrier. I had witnessed the scene with Harry slipping out, which had been okay as it irritated him, he just liked Harry so much. However, he should never have seen the moment Harry confessed his love and my reciprocation. My resistance had been weakening. I had whimpered in pain and in my distress, I had pushed the scene with Lucius at him.

This one had seemed to really affect him greatly. I had thought that it was not that bad anymore as the scene passed my eyes as well, but Snape apparently saw it differently. But then I had been able to see in his eyes that he had realised that I was directing him and that he would now do everything he could to bring me down, and at that moment Draco, the goddess be thanked, had entered the room!

Before that moment, I hadn't realized that Snape had been lying completely on top of me. But alright, that's how it had been and I had gotten a fit of laughter because of the other's faces and the bliss that I'd made it. Of course, if the others had not come when they did, there could well have been a risk that he would have broken me and I reluctantly admit that he would have succeeded eventually. But now we were done and I was nothing but thankful. I had turned my mind into an impregnable fortress, I was actually amazed at my own willpower. I had kept him in check; this was my first real victory over Snape.

"Right, you are serious you don't find him that bad, aren't you?" Harry squinted at me suspiciously.

"Yes, Harry, I am. He is not a simple man and he is biased but he is not the huge monster you and Ron see in him!" I defended Snape.

"You have been saying this for years. If you think so," he closed the topic very skeptically. It was true, I had been preaching it for years.

When we all went to breakfast, questions bubbled up quickly, because the whole school was now convinced that Harry and I were a loving couple. After all, Harry had again been up early with me and had been found in intimate harmony with me in the common room early in the morning. Ginny snogged whenever possible with Corner, it was so embarrassing. Ron was terribly upset every time he found his little sister somewhere in an intimate embrace. And Cho, she kept poking her head together with Edgecombe, gossiping with her and throwing me beastly glances that reflected her jealousy, and she bathed in the feeling of correctly judging Harry, as it now seemed obvious that he had something going on with me.

I had alerted Harry to this and he had just shrugged indifferently. Apparently, Cho was no longer an issue.

"Hey, Harry! When will we continue our training?" Ron asked with visible interest while spooning his cereal.

"I wanted to set the coin to Friday," Harry mused as he pushed his scrambled eggs onto his fork.

"Cool, I'm looking forward to it!" the reply came eagerly from Ron, who obviously had less trouble seeing Harry and me as a couple than others.

"That will be without me, I have detention! That isn't bad though," I informed them again casually, raising my cup greedily to pour the coffee into me.

"Oh, poor you. The dungeon bat is really unbearable. Even Umbitch seems tame by contrast," Ron immediately ranted with passion and I rolled my eyes unseen.

"Don't jinx it!" Harry cried in horror and I agreed with him. "There's Orange," Harry pointed to my little owl, which was sailing towards me.

"Hello, sweetie," I greeted her by feeding her and took the letter.

"Good news, guys, the article will be published in the March issue! He is already in print. Mr. Lovegood has planned an extra large edition!" I beamed at them and they did not look any less curious about what the reactions would be like.

"That's great, I can't wait," Ron munched, shovelling his cereal. What a sight when the milk spilled back out on the sides. I dropped my cutlery with a clang and turned to my coffee. My appetite had passed.

The following week went by quickly. On Monday I just found a note from the professor in his office, telling me to rebrew a stolen potion. He would boldly assume that I would manage that without supervision. He was at a teacher conference and they had the annoying habit of taking an eternity. So much cynicism in these few lines, he was a true master. In the end, he did not come back until I was done.

Time continued to fly and soon it was Thursday and Harry's next dreaded lesson with Snape was upon him. While Harry was with Snape, I just came back from a visit to Hagrid's, who once again had a battered face, but didn't want to say anything about who or what was beating him up. He was also hard to catch outside of his lessons; he was always sort of gone and stayed in the Forbidden Forest for hours.

But well, if he did not want to talk, it couldn't be helped. Thus I arrived at the large, cobbled courtyard and faced a huge crowd of students, which had formed a circle. Curious, I went to Ron whose red hair pointed the way like a torch. He had already secured a place in the front rows and so I stood next to him and Lav and Pav, who could be found surprisingly often in Ron's company lately. I would say the poor man, but I do not believe that he would have appreciated my sympathy, as he looked quite content and didn't view these two girls as nearly as annoying as I did.

We could see Umbridge and Trelawney standing in the middle and making a big racket. It was a degrading spectacle. Trelawney, wrapped in her shawls and scarves, had tears of despair running down her scared, ruined face, and she kept sobbing loudly. She staggered drunkenly toward her big, packed suitcase. The smell of sherry, which had been her constant companion lately, blew over to us.

Umbridge, who, as always, emphasized her puny height with her pink costume, stood tall in front of her victim and grinned maliciously at the shocked teacher's face. She didn't seem to know pity.

"You have no business being here any longer, now leave the castle grounds. You are no longer the Divination professor, you are hereby released!" she warbled sweetly, causing Trelawney to utter a deafening wail and noisily biting into a handkerchief, it was pathetic.

I could now watch Harry fighting his way closer to us and spotted Snape as well, who was approaching McGonagall. Apparently, the loud shrieking had reached them even down in the dungeons.

Then we suddenly split apart, as now Dumbledore, straight-backed and impressive with his tall and slender figure, rushed into the courtyard. His floor-length, blue-grey sorcerer's robe and overcoat wafted around his legs. I always thought it was funny that he resorted to such pre-medieval clothing and appeared like Merlin. Yes, I was aware that one could shape people's opinion through one's outward appearance and his suggested here a copy of Merlin, which I always had to recognize with a shake of my head. But most of all it was astounding because Merlin was known to have been a member of the House of Slytherin, which was a piece of information that got evidently very much repressed. Dumbledore's hip-length silvery-white hair and the same-length beard were telling as well and, in addition, supported the impression.

But one had to admit that he had the power to go along with it. Now that he pressed his mouth into a thin line and his light blue eyes behind the small half-moon glasses, which otherwise twinkled so merrily, held an ominous and dangerous glimmer. The man looked more angry and indignant as we, the students, had never seen him before. You could feel his tremendous magical power and might sloshing away from him in waves, enveloping all of us. It was truly impressive that Dumbledore was capable of doing so.

Even the hitherto so self-contained and conceited Umbridge sank down a bit, interrupting her screeching litany of insult as he approached.

"What can I do for you, Dolores?" His otherwise warm and friendly voice sounded cold and icy for the first time. I suspected that he would like to act this way more often, but denied himself, always trying to be true to his role.

"Now, Professor Dumbledore, under Educational Decree # 23, I can dismiss your teachers if they prove unsuitable! Which I hereby do!" Umbridge snapped, trying frantically not to look intimidated, something she clearly failed to do.

I didn't know what expression to wear, because honestly, even though I hated the toad, I also thought Trelawney was sorely lacking as a teacher and a charlatan, but I resolved to wait and see how this developed.

"I understand, Dolores. If this is your wish, my dear, then I can not stop you," he replied with audible coolness, while he stretched up a few more inches to stare down on his prey like an eagle. "But according to this decree, you cannot decide who will continue to live in the castle and that is still for me to determine as the headmaster," he stated, his tone firm and icy. I ventured to wonder whether this generous act by Dumbledore was actually due to his sympathy with the Divination teacher or if it was something else that he wanted to achieve by continuing to give her shelter.

Interesting, right now this man was appearing terribly selfless and kind, but I didn't know if I could or should buy it from him. He had just stepped in confidently and Umbridge's words were stuck in her throat and she stared at him in astonishment. "Minerva, my dear, would you please help Sybill bring her luggage back to her tower? Thank you!" he ordered and was about to turn around but Umbridge stopped him by once again clearing her throat affectedly:

"Hem hem… Professor Dumbledore, don't you forget something? The position must be filled again," she dared to interject indignantly.

"I thought this would be the wrong environment to discuss personnel changes, but as you wish, Dolores! I already have a substitute teacher for Divination on hand, he will arrive tonight!" he said, sounding unusually harsh and with a tone of finality, while McGonagall helped the defunct professor, who had just been dismissed, back to her weak legs.

"Who?" Umbridge aired her surprise, staring at him with wide eyes from her round toad face.

"The centaur Firenze is so friendly and has agreed to help us out!" Dumbledore declared firmly.

"What… One of those creatures? But... but I have to…" the words slipped out of her mouth, croaking, and she quickly clapped her hand over it, because as a teacher she should have no opinion on that and certainly not such a derogatory one.

"Right, my dear, and very gifted in the field! And according to Decree No. 22, you have no say in new appointments for open positions," the headmaster explained with a velvety voice. Finally, he turned away with billowing robes, walking determinedly towards the portal. One felt his presence withdraw and it left us all as if electrified.

"Wicked, mate! Did you get it all?" Ron asked Harry, who looked incredulous and slightly overwhelmed.

"Yes, almost! Snape and I heard the noise and broke off, which was for the better. It was a catastrophe; I don't understand what I'm doing wrong! Oh, it doesn't matter ... But what was _that_?" He was still visibly speechless pointing at the place where the drama had taken place.

"I think Fudge seriously wants to replace Dumbledore with Umbridge!" I explained indifferently, but also very deliberately. If I started to get upset, I would not come down, because it was unfortunately no longer deniable that Fudge was clearly stupid.

"Really? I don't think that would be good! Did you feel his power? If he was gone, there would be nothing here to protect us from You-Know-Who!" Ron seemed slightly pasty around his nose at this realisation.

"Yes, Ron, I think we all felt his power. However, that will only force Fudge and Umbridge to act all the more. I hope that our article shakes up at least a part of the population and they understand and realise the ministry is on the wrong track!" I groaned with suffering when thinking about such a willful blindness.

"Do you think she is a, well, you know, does she have his mark?" Harry asked in a whisper.

"No, Harry, I don't think so. She's just a snobistic, racist witch. Don't forget, the Dark Lord has nothing against half-humans; think of the werewolves that are rallying around him, and the Dementors and Giants! No, I don't think he has anything against half-human beings. He sees their strengths and their benefits, something the Ministry seems to be too stupid to do," I said with no little annoyment while we left the scene listening to the whispering of the other students.

The first meeting with the DA had gone as well as he had hoped, Harry had told me later as my commitments didn't leave me the time to attend. I spent almost every night after Snape in the Room of Requirement to continue learning. I hadn't even managed to show Draco the room, and I often went to him for two or three stolen hours. I came to the realization that sleep was clearly overrated. Who needed that? Not me! The Slytherins were now so afraid of me, they fled when they saw me entering their domain. It was nice to see what a little Cruciatus was able to achieve, and thus I could be assured of their respect. Pansy did not even dare look up when she knew that I, the dark, unknown woman, was in the same room as her.

Snape and I had done several training sessions in amazing harmony. We both agreed and did not even address our mental duel and so the training proceeded to our satisfaction. I think he was astonished that, first of all, I was so secretive about his transgression, and secondly, that I never mentioned his interference in Draco's and my relationship when he had tried to drive a wedge between us. Though he would not be the spy he was, if he let on about it and I did not really care, so I stood above it.

I improved with every session even if he beat me to mush regularly. And he enjoyed it, I would bet on that. There his well-tamed Death Eater side came out to play. But well, I enjoyed it as well, letting him feel that I too was not weak. Every time, I thought I could see a well-hidden flash in his eyes, something akin to respect, but I could never be certain.

However, I improved, getting better and better, although we hadn't progressed to weapons yet. Uh, that worried me to death. Unlike my Sensei Snape would ram everything he could find into my body without batting an eyelid, there I had no delusions. That was going to be a terrible experience, promising inhuman levels of pain. However, as always, I knew it had to happen; I wanted it that way and maybe the experience would help me one day. Why fret already?

With that, the first week of March was upon us and hence it was time for the play I had staged to begin.

We were sitting in the Great Hall when the owls flew in like a huge pigeon flock. I waited anxiously for the new edition of the Quibbler that would arrive today and downright pounced on it once it was within my reach.

"And Hermione, how is it? Is it good? Let me read!" Ron blared curiously and since he had not been there at the time, I gave it to him first to read. Harry also smiled indulgently but his Adam's apple hopped nervously while swallowing.

"Woah, I never would have thought that Skeeter could write a good article, Harry! That's so extreme; the way she writes it, it's as if I'm able to see it all in my mind's eye. And sorry, mate, if I say so, but when you told me the story, I could see it nowhere near as vividly as I do now!" The words came bubbling out of Ron in a rapid pace, who forgot the food over his enthusiasm, which certainly did not happen every day. "But Harry, now I can understand you even better and I would like to apologize again that I was such a jerk last year. Sorry!" he confessed, getting quieter at the end.

Wow. What was up with Ron? Harry was big in the newspaper and he apologised?

Harry looked slightly overwhelmed as well and could do nothing more than nod in reply. Ron smiled at Harry in a friendly, sincere and trusting way and started eating after all, so Harry and I unanimously grabbed the magazine. We read it together with our heads stuck together, which would fuel the rumors even more.

"Now I know what Ron means, Harry! Rita is really wasting her talent with the Prophet. That's written amazingly; it's like I was there in the cemetery with you. I know, that's not something nice and pretty to imagine, but it's incredibly well told!" I was thrilled as well.

"Yes, Hermione, the article is great, but what's going on with Ron?" he whispered to me, disturbed.

"It is quite clear: only now he can properly visualize your terrible experiences - he sometimes needs a bit longer - after all, your friendship was almost ruined by his jealousy towards you! But here he sees it printed in black and white: what should he be jealous of? That's what I ask you. That you see people die, that others want your death?" I enquired harshly, hitting the paper with the palm of my hand.

"Well, if you phrase it like that, my life sounds really worth living!" Harry sneered, meanwhile stroking his hair behind his ears, embarrassed and sad.

"Oh, Harry, you know what I mean!" I groaned compassionately and pulled him into a hug, which caused a little commotion, not only thanks to the Quibbler that passed from hand to hand but also because many took this as confirmation of the rumor that we were a couple. Though what should I tell you? It didn't matter to me.

As we parted, I glanced quickly at Draco, who gave me a diabolical grin and held the Quibbler in his hands. I nodded covertly to him. The man always managed to surprise me. He understood that Harry needed encouragement after reading the article. I was so thankful that he finally realized that Harry was not an option and he unobtrusively reciprocated the affirmative and understanding nod.

The big hall was abuzz. More and more students got their hands on the magazine and the teachers had also become aware that an article captivated the attention of all students. Since Harry had hitherto strictly refused to report on the events during the Third Task, the ignorant absorbed the new information hungrily like bees did nectar.

For the next few hours, Harry and all of us around him got gawking and marvelling stares as if we were rare and exotic animals. It was uncomfortable and embarrassing, but we, the Trio, held our heads up high, pretending not to notice anything, and ignored our surroundings.

When we went to lunch, surprisingly owls started to arrive again, which was not normal, because such a mass of birds usually only came in the morning. All knew only one goal and headed for Harry. Help, you almost got scared when this multitude of owls dived for you. The Gryffindors helped us free the birds from their load though and we opened the post. We found that these were all resonances to the interview we read today, in which not only students from Hogwarts sought to tell Harry that he had convinced them and they now believed that he, the Dark Lord, had returned, but also many readers from outside Hogwarts.

Umbridge rushed into the Hall like a steaming cauldron and announced that according to the new, freshly introduced Educational Decree No. 27 everybody found reading or in possession of the article would be expelled.

By the evening, absolutely every child at Hogwarts knew the interview. Umbridge's stunt had accomplished the exact opposite and made everybody to the last person curious about the article.

"Did you notice, Hermione?" Harry asked me in the common room during the evening when I returned from my studies in the Room of Requirement.

"No. What are you talking about?" I looked up interested and smoothed back my hair.

"That the mood is changing. Everyone looks up to me again, the great conqueror and hero, it's so pathetic!" he spat angrily, his face a hateful grimace.

"Harry, what are you on about?" I asked in consternation.

"They are like the flags in the wind, not trustworthy at all. I don't know, the more they demonstrate their allegiance to me now and pat me on the back and say how sorry they are, the more I want to puke!" he sneered, gagging. Oh yes, he was pretty angry, his emeralds seemed to shine with fury behind the round metal-rimmed glasses.

"Oh, Harry, what do you expect? They are sheep, they follow the flock. Do not expect the masses to show their own mind or will. Always be aware, manipulation is best done from within the crowd if you want to push them in one specific direction!" I lectured him smartly with a raised finger.

"What? Do you want to instruct me in politics now?" he laughed harshly and I retracted my finger.

"No, Harry, but I want to show you that you should enjoy your popularity as long as it lasts, it will not last forever!" I smiled encouragingly.

"Yeah, will do! Oh, that reminds me: Cho, she whispered to me that she believed me ... with tears in her eyes." He rolled his eyes. I could sympathise with him full-heartedly. How could one girl be so weepy? "... and while you were away, Seamus apologised here in front of all and told me that he and his mother believe me now. Can you believe it? Such… fickle... argh!" He shook his head pejoratively.

"I'm sorry that annoys you so much, but you know it was necessary, don't you?" I asked if he regretted the move.

"I know ... but I'm still allowed to be annoyed. It might be exciting for them to read, but unfortunately, I had to live through it and there was nothing great about it!" he explained with melancholy and looked very sad. I rose resolutely from my chair and silently pulled him with me to his room, ignoring the astonished looks when Harry and I headed for the boys' dormitory again.

On the stairs, Harry also gave me a questioning look but I only pressed my lips together and motioned for him to say nothing.

I swished my wand and now stood there in a pajama. Harry had overcome his surprise quickly and did the same with himself. I was already crawling under his blanket. He followed me immediately and so we cuddled together and slipped quickly into a deep sleep, which unfortunately would be much too short again. I had thought that that was exactly what he needed now, my closeness, and why should I deny it to him?

* * *

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	74. Rescue

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **Rescue**

Harry's painful whimpering and kicking woke me and I jumped up. I glanced quickly at the sleeping boy, who appeared to have been trapped in a not so lovely dream vision and was kicking around more and more wildly, moaning and begging pitifully.

I noticed that it was nearly two o'clock in the morning and realised that Harry's restlessness and the ever-loudening noise started to rouse the other boys from their sleep, hence I made a decision. I had to act quickly so I reached for my wand, swung myself on top of Harry and settled astride his stomach, looking down at him with uncertainty. Then I resolutely spoke "Dispicio" and Harry's eyes were forced to open and they stared blankly back at me. Caught in a state of sleep they were a gruesome sight.

Now I pointed my wand at him and said a quick prayer for encouragement so that I would be able to go through with it and chanted "Legilimens." This time, I could feel what it was like to be the one to speak the spell and be sucked into the mind of another person, seeing and experiencing what was going in there. It was overwhelming to have that power, but also painful; a dull throb started right away and made my teeth clench.

I could determine that we were in a large room, or rather a small hall built in a style not unlike Hogwarts. It seemed to be an old house built of large, grey stones, or rather a castle, as large as the hall looked. The torches on the walls flickered unsteadily. I tried to soothe Harry so that he would lose his fear and calm down. He seemed to notice my presence in his mind, and when he recognised me, Harry actually seemed to calm down, as his panicked breaths relaxed somewhat.

I realised that Harry perceived everything he saw seemingly through someone else's eyes according to the field of vision I was presented with, and since he had been a serpent steered by the Dark Lord during his last fit, my power of deduction allowed only one disturbing and terrible conclusion! Harry had unintentionally landed in the mind of the Dark Lord and was experiencing what he saw, did and said. It was a frightening idea, but he did not seem to have caught onto our presence yet. I stayed calm with that realisation and curiously watched the scene, now that Harry, with my support, had also become calmer.

We heard Voldemort's unfathomable, no longer human-sounding voice echoing off the high walls of the hall as he addressed an elderly, ugly man whose face was stained with heavy pockmarks, named Augustus Rookwood, with clinking coldness. I recognised him as one of the Death Eaters who had escaped during the mass Azkaban outbreak and decided to look up his vita.

It was disgusting to watch the man throw himself at the Lord's feet without any pride and report faithfully to him. My mouth opened, I did not have to look it up anymore, now I learned firsthand who Rookwood was. He had once been an Unspeakable and was just answering the Dark Lord. He informed him that he had been misinformed so far; that his previous attempts to extract something from the Department of Mysteries, specifically a prophecy, could not work out, and that the murdered Bode had known the grave consequences of the wards and that was why he had fought so bitterly against the Imperius Malfoy had placed on him.

So that had been Lucius' work. What a surprise. Did he kill him too?

I could feel Harry getting more and more restless, and his moaning was getting louder again as well, so much that I could not calm him down any longer. Then I felt both of us being rudely shaken and reluctantly left his mind, closing my eyes and releasing the curse. I collapsed immediately on Harry's chest because of the unfamiliar strain of invading someone else's mind. Being on this side of the spell too was painful and exhausting as hell, as I had just learned the hard way.

"Harry, wake up!" I could hear Ron shouting with worry.

"Hermione, what are you doing on top of Harry? Get down!" someone said, I think it was Neville, shaking me, and I waved him away weakly.

"Uhhhh!" Harry groaned and frantically reached for his scar. "Hermione!" I did not let myself be distracted or pulled away by the hands of Ron and Neville - as I recognised him now for sure. I pulled myself together and robbed higher again to look into Harry's now alert eyes.

"Harry, are you okay?" I asked, with concern in my voice.

"Hermione, you were there, I felt you ... very intensely!" he whispered hoarsely. Because of his choice of words, I saw out of the corner of my eye, how one or two of the boys in the now completely awake room flinched. Man, they could only think about one thing. Adolescent boys! Though Harry did not make it any better with his next words.

"You were as deep as he has never gotten. You felt it too, right?" he asked, alluding to his Occlumency lessons with Snape. I did not pay attention to the gasps of surprise of the others but continued to look at him intently, brushing over his scar myself. The sight we made had to be glorious, with me sitting on Harry's stomach, almost lying on his chest.

"Harry, you have to get stronger. Everything you saw was not that bad! No murder, no torture. Well, maybe it was less intense this time, but you have to do it, damn it" I implored him downright angrily, grabbing his head roughly with my hands; I had thrown my wand down onto the pillow.

"Yes. Yes, I know, Hermione, I know, it's just so hard. I am not as strong as you! My head hurts so badly!" he wailed wearily. Did he think mine did not hurt as well? It certainly was not easy to always have what Harry had, the constant connection.

"Oh, nonsense, Harry. You are stronger than you think. And if I have to practice with you every day now, I don't care, but one day you will be able to do it! You have to learn to control it, not let it control you," I ranted and vowed to myself: Even if I did not sleep at all, we would do it.

"But the other … teacher said that I cannot see anything! That I have to occlude it completely!" he introduced Snape into the conversation, biting his lower lip in a sign of anxiety.

"Did you ever listen to something this... teacher told you? If you could finally master this art, I think you would be stupid not to use it for yourself, but you can't!" I shouted, very upset now as I knew it would be dangerous should the Dark Lord ever notice how close Harry could get to him.

"Do you have any idea what we saw there? Or what they were talking about?" He straightened up and I slipped off of him and sat down cross-legged beside him. He pulled himself up and leaned exhausted and sweaty against the headboard. Ron carefully handed him a glass of water.

"Thanks, Ron," I said in place of Harry who was drinking greedily. "Yes. Now we have the confirmation that they murdered Bode because he had learned to speak again!" I answered Harry's question, brushing tangled strands of my hair out of my heated face.

"You were right about the curse that makes it impossible to steal things from... there and that he had no idea about it. You even know things he doesn't know... You are incredible!" Harry slowly began to understand the connections and he shook his head numbly. His headache had to be terrific; it was probably something else to share his mind with someone, rather than just invade it with magic.

"Yes, great, but now he knows it too, our advantage is gone!" I was getting very annoyed right now. I called a headache potion out of my dormitory and handed it to Harry with resignation.

"You mean… You had... another vision?" Ron stuttered reverently, running a hand through his messy, red hair and displaying a scared face at the memory of what had happened before Christmas when a vision of Harry had saved his father.

"Yes, Ron, I did. But I woke up when that guy Rookwood started talking about the different rooms ... and then nothing!" he explained readily. _Hmm_ , I thought to myself, _if they were aware that I knew at least three rooms from experience..._ After all, that had been a very successful burglary of mine. 'Hey, guys, I broke into the Ministry at Christmas and swiped few documents. I am a thief.' Yes, exactly, I should do that, they would faint dead!

"Um, sorry. What are you talking about?" Dean spoke up.

"Yeah, I would also like to know what you did with your wand in Harry's face?" Seamus also asked, looking at me suspiciously.

"Er, well…" The linguistically very imaginative reply came from Harry and Ron.

"Nothing, guys, you don't have to worry, Harry's alright! This has to do with his 'extraordinariness'. Thank you for your concern, but go back to sleep, tomorrow is a school day. We are terribly sorry that we woke you up!" I spoke resolutely and did not even respond to the questions. Then I was allowed to experience how their incredulous eyes lay on me and they stared at my pajamas. I was about to roll my eyes in desperation. Adolescent boys! They didn't even see anything, but the knowledge that it was my nightgown seemed to be stimulating to the boys.

"Yes. But Hermione, won't you tell us what exactly is wrong with Harry?" Dean continued to question. "Besides, you shouldn't even be in here. If McGonagall found out about this…" What did the little boy want? Threaten me? I was threatened by people like Lucius or Snape; should I be afraid of a child, like Dean? _Ridiculous, my dear. I could make you tremble with fear._

"I don't think I need your permission to sleep in Harry's bed! Jealous that no girl wants to crawl into bed with you? Or is it the envy that Harry is already gaining experience where you still have wet dreams? Do not threaten me, Dean, because that - and I can promise you that - would backfire badly!" I threatened, ice cold. Oh, I could aim so well below the belt. Not for nothing did I manage to convincingly mime the hooker. "And tell you what is wrong with Harry? I can ... We cannot do that, because Professor Dumbledore doesn't want us to tell anybody!" I thought of the perfect excuse for his actual question.

"Hermione!" Ron shrieked after my frivolous speech and Harry just stared at me with his mouth wide open. Neville looked like he was about to implode, his face was so deeply red. Seamus scratched his head in embarrassment, jumping from one leg to the other, and Dean had such big eyes that the whites of his eyes positively stuck out of his dark-skinned face.

"Oh, I understand. If you're truly feeling well, Harry, then good night!" a frightened Neville abruptly said and went embarrassed back to bed in his broom pajamas. Yes, brooms! They flew wildly back and forth on the pajamas. Who bought him something like that? He was no longer a child! Poor Neville…

My reputation in Gryffindor was evidently getting better day by day. I didn't want to know what Dean would tell our Housemates tomorrow.

"It's nice that you are so worried, but I'm really fine and unfortunately you cannot help me with that, sorry! And thank you for letting Hermione sleep in my bed with me, that means a lot to me, thank you!" Harry finally joined in, who seemed to have recovered from his shock and probably tried to save the situation, so that Dean was not too angry. Ron flopped onto the mattress on the other side of Harry, so that we were all three of us sitting on Harry's bed, and the others went all back to their bunk beds.

Now that I had time, I created the wards and made sure that we did not bother the others anymore and could talk in peace without being overheard.

"So, Hermione, what was that with Harry earlier? What did you do as you sat on him? What happened there? And what about Dean? Was not that a little ... unsavoury? I mean, you don't want anything from Harry, do you?" Ron wanted to know decidedly. I nibbled on my lower lip. That I could never hold my tongue! Sometimes, but only sometimes, I could understand that Snape wanted to shut me up. In moments like these, I would love to help him.

"First of all, no, I don't want anything from Harry, but Dean's insinuation or threat of myself not being allowed in here with Harry upset me and only that stupid comment came to mind! I hope you don't mind that they think now we have something going on?" Abashedly, I glanced up at Harry.

"Well, but that was way below your usual level of niveau!" Ron said, and Harry nodded, too, still looking at me while I worked through the shock that Ron knew the word 'niveau'.

"No, Hermione, I don't care what they think. I have long since given up trying to live up to their expectations. Otherwise, I would never be happy in my life. However, you were really a bit vulgar; that's not how I know you. I never thought that you could speak words like that!" Harry and Ron nodded in unison. I played with my long hair and rubbed it between my fingers. Well, time once again to let them glimpse behind my masks.

"Just because I do not talk like that normally, why should that mean that I'm not able to say something like that? It was really not that bad. And boys, only one advice, I can do a lot! Do not make the mistake of underestimating me! This is not a threat like Dean's, that's just a piece of well-intentioned advice!" I replied calmly. That would have to be enough at the present time, they already looked quite overwhelmed. Hence, I picked up Ron's question again and said:

"You know that I support Harry in learning Occlumency?" I looked at Ron and he nodded. "Well, when I realised that he was trapped in the vision, I thought it would be a good idea to better understand this connection by looking at it and cast 'Legilimens'!" I admitted and Ron just looked gobsmacked.

"Eheheh," was his brilliant contribution.

"That's the incantation, mate, Snape always uses to invade my mind!" Harry explained helpfully.

"Oh shit! But Harry, it always hurts you so much! Hermione, you hurt Harry!" He now looked at me with an upset expression and the hidden blame came through.

"Stop, stop, Ron. No, unlike Snape, it did not hurt me that much, she rather calmed me down. Why did it not hurt, Hermione?" Harry cocked his head and looked at me with curiosity. The other topic seemed to have been forgotten, goddess be thanked.

"I think because I didn't want to rip any memories or the like from your mind. I only accompanied you to what you saw at that moment. I didn't build up any pressure, just drifted with you and didn't force you to do anything, I think that makes the difference!" I tried to explain the processes.

"Hmm, I think you are right. That sounds logical to me. But what should we do now?" Ron asked, slightly overwhelmed. It seemed to trouble him that Harry had this constant connection to the Dark Lord.

"Nothing, Ron. What should we do? Harry has to work harder on himself!"

"Yes, that's fine. But what does Voldemort want? What?!" Harry shouted very agitatedly and frantically tore at his hair.

"A prophecy that seems to be about you, otherwise the whole drama would not exist and at least one human died because of it and Ron's dad was badly hurt! And the so-called adults leave us completely in the dark!" I said contemptuously.

"Bloody hell, all of it! I hate it!" Harry shouted angrily and Ron stared at him shocked at his outburst, but as quickly as Harry got worked up, as quickly did his mood change and he collapsed, full of doubts. "At least now someone else knows what it's like to see and experience the world from Voldemort's perspective!"

Ron and I exchanged worried looks at Harry's sudden resignation.

"Yes, Harry and all will be fine; we'll always be by your side. Come on, we have to get out early tomorrow morning, try to get some sleep," I asked softly and stroked his arm reassuringly, trying to lift up his spirits.

"Yes, mate, try it, you have something there to cuddle!" Ron smirked mischievously and wiggled his eyebrows. He suddenly had an incredible likeness to the Twins.

"Will you stay, Hermione?" Harry enquired shyly.

"Of course, what did you think?" I said with stressed cheerfulness and slipped back under the covers and Ron said:

"Good night you two! Don't do anything I wouldn't do myself and take care of him!" and went back to his bed. My outburst didn't seem to be a big deal for him.

"How did you come up with the idea to join me ... inside my mind?" Harry whispered after a long time of silence.

"I didn't think about it. It was the only thing that occurred to me and I was curious!"

"I think I don't know anyone else who voluntarily wants to see what I see. You are crazy!"

"Aren't we all? Remember, we live in crazy times! I think that's why I attacked Dean that way, because I'm glad that I was here and had the opportunity to join you," I tried to justify my behaviour.

"Mh-mh, you are right. I won't let Dean dictate if you can be with me or not! So thank you. Sleep well! ... I'm looking forward to our run, I really do!" He pulled me close and snuggled up to me seeking comfort. Poor Harry! For at least a few hours we found some - now restful - sleep.

The morning run did us both good because, I reluctantly admitted it, Legilimency was not easy and no child's play. I had had a hard time maintaining the spell. This whole mind-invading thing seemed to come with some pain, so it was a relief to breathe in the cool and fresh morning air and forget the night's horror.

We got spring now and we witnessed nature's awakening to new life. The trees showed their first buds and the colours all around took on richer tones again. Also, the animals that came out of their caves and the high chirping of the little birds in the morning showed that we finally left the winter behind us.

I was grateful that we apparently could trust Dean, Seamus, and Neville, or that my threat was so well received that they considered what they were telling, because it was rumoured that I had slept with Harry again, which was not surprising since everyone had seen me dragging him to the dorm with me, but there was no rumour about the nocturnal scene that had taken place in front of the boys. And thus we were glad that we could apparently rely on the three in this regard and they understood the seriousness of the situation and would rather be silent.

We received a lot of letters today as well and the content was consistently positive. I was curious when and how the Dark Lord would react to the interview. On account of this very good development, I could imagine that Lucius was very busy with calming down Fudge. Yes, it had been a successful coup and at the right time, because even though I should not leave the castle, I would have to because I still had important things to do, which did not tolerate any delay. The last thing I needed was a bored Malfoy who confused me with a prey that he absolutely had to hunt.

Of course, the rumours caught Draco's attention and he used the coin to tell me that he wanted to talk to me briefly before staying with Snape. Well, I could fulfill that wish.

It was nice to feel Draco's body pressed urgently against mine and how he attempted to push me into that very wall. He tried to devour me with his mouth and we kissed as if there would be no tomorrow. His tongue drove me crazy, teasing and caressing mine. Suddenly he eased away from me with visible reluctance, breathing heavily and gently stroking my hair out of my face. When he put his hand on my cheek and softly stroked my skin with his thumb, I wanted to stay with him forever.

"And how is Potter in bed?" he whispered hoarsely, hinting at the rumors.

"Restless!" I replied cheekily and grinned diabolically at Draco.

"Mhmh, so it shouldn't be so desirable to land in it, or am I seeing this wrong?" He grinned no less lewdly and leaned forward.

"Maybe not as desirable as getting into yours, from a fun factor point of view, but a lot more informative!" I teased him a bit. It was true though.

"How do you mean?" He looked at me curiously now.

"Harry had another vision and I joined in by Legilimency," I explained shortly.

"Hermione, do you know how dangerous that is if you've never done that before? Oh, what do I say, I can save my breath ... of course you've read everything!" he shook his head in resignation, his pale blond hair swinging around his face.

"Exactly, Draco, and everything went well and as I said, it was very informative," I stated and continued to be convinced of myself.

"Why did you crawl into bed with Potter again?" he enquired snobbily. It seemed to keep bothering him.

"Why do you think I did? The article and the reactions of the people and our schoolmates have really hurt him. He said that they are all turncoats, false to the last person; he sounded very bitter," I elaborated quickly, shaking my head sadly.

"Potter's growing up. I did not think it possible that he would ever develop such a realistic worldview!" he praised reluctantly, which astonished me very much.

"Yes. But what some do is really too banal, it is pathetic!" I agreed with Draco.

"Not everyone can be like you, darling!" he flattered me in a rough voice. He now braced himself against the wall and rubbed his hard body wantonly against mine, while he blew gentle kisses on my neck and began to bite me lightly. I moaned lustfully and would have liked to give in because the goosebumps spread over my entire body.

"Will you come to me after you finish with Severus? I have so many visions of you that I would like to put into action!" he tried to seduce me with his hoarse voice.

"Yeah, of course, I'll come as soon as he lets me go! Do you already know how Lucius reacted to yesterday's article?" I remembered to ask suddenly.

"No, which means that he is in stress because I immediately wrote to him and informed him about it. Usually, he answers me promptly, so your intrigue has worked out!" He kissed me impetuously and I returned it with pleasure, pleased with his praise, when he broke away regardless and continued talking. "You have to go, otherwise he'll never let you go and I want a lot from you tonight!" Decidedly, he pulled my head towards himself and kissed my forehead goodbye, turned away and was swallowed by the darkness of the dungeons.

I took a deep breath. It is a pity that we only had so little time for ourselves, but fine. A short time later I arrived at the professor's office and found it empty again, only this time there were no instructions for me. I frowned in confusion.

What to do? If I left without doing anything, I wouldn't want to have the next practice session with him, because he would most likely crush me with his anger. Besides, I liked brewing for myself and so I got down to work. I did not mind having extra work, I had never felt myself to be too good for that.

Hence, I went to his storeroom and generously helped myself with the ingredients, then I started the Sleeping Draught and skilfully brewed away. The minutes passed, half an hour, an hour ... it was almost ten and he still hadn't turned up. I ruled out that there was another teacher conference going on. The only thing that occurred to me then was not really a better alternative and so I hoped that it was not going badly at the Dark Lord's since he had been gone for so long. The call must have happened on short notice and unexpectedly, otherwise he would have made arrangements for me and I do not like to say it, but I started to worry.

Where was Snape?

By now, I had long since taken off my school cloak and was now wearing only the blouse with the sweater and my school skirt, while I conscientiously pottered around. Suddenly, I heard a loud clatter and only seconds later the door opened loudly. I looked up startled and started. A figure staggered in and seemed barely able to stand on their feet, as they supported themselves on the wall, anxious to focus their gaze on the floor and I could watch now as dark red blood spread over the same.

I could not really know if this was Professor Snape in front of me, as the dark figure was wrapped in a night-black long cloak, which was now hanging in shreds from his body. The hood covered his whole head and the face was hidden behind a silver mask.

At his ruined sight, my heart took a dive. This proud, strong and powerful man looked so torn; had that been done by a Blasting Curse?

"Professor!" I whispered softly, shocked and immediately ran to the door and slammed it shut. Not that anyone else saw him running through the school, he, a Death Eater! Luckily he knew my secret passageway. Imagine that he had marched in through the castle portal! No, I better did not imagine that, because I would only get a stomach ulcer!

"Mi...ss… wh… ?" he stuttered, gasping for breath. Okay, there was not much to learn from him at the moment, so I quickly and resolutely grabbed his arm, heaved it over my shoulder and supported him hard. It did not matter to me that he was bleeding all over me. So, with his subtle help, I opened the hidden door to his chambers and pulled him more than I carried him to the bedroom. Was it normal for a student to be so well versed in her teacher's private rooms? No, certainly not, but what was normal with me?

"Lie down, sir," I ordered and hoped that he would or could help a bit, but in that second he finally seemed to give in to his pain and lost his consciousness and thus he landed very roughly and unchecked on the mattress and yanked me ruthlessly with him.

"Phew… Sir, you are very heavy!" I grouched my way out from under his body, and then pulled him into the middle of the bed with difficulty, sweating profusely; that was exhausting. But now he was laying down so I could examine in peace, trying to figure out what had knocked him into this state. The more I saw, the surer I was that it was necessary to hurry. Such a battle-hardened and experienced man as Snape, who was used to pain and injury, did not lose consciousness for a triviality. I brushed aside all misgivings and quickly spelled him out of the ruined, dirty clothes and left them lying on the floor.

I did not think long. I had never before had the honour to see him completely naked and what can I say, it interested me secondarily that I now had my professor lying in front of me completely exposed, because the deep, torn, bleeding flesh wounds on his upper body had me much more worried.

Shit, how had he managed to apparate and drag himself here? I only saw blood and it just kept flowing out of his body. He would bleed out if I did not act fast.

Stop, he had an iron will, I realised with a grin, despite the life-threatening situation. And what was I a witch for? First, I called all the potions with an Accio to me and while these were flying towards me and came to rest on the bed, I already spoke a strong Tergeo to cleanse the wounds and sent an Episkey on its heels and one or the other healing spell as well.

I resorted to everything that occurred to me. As soon as I realised that I had already achieved success with some of the smaller wounds and stopped the bleeding, I climbed determinedly onto the big bed and uncorked the vials, crawled to his head and put it on my legs to raise his head, ready to gently pour the various fluids gradually into him in his unconscious state.

But first, this damn mask had to go! I tried to take it off him, in vain, as I desperately realised slowly but surely! It didn't move from the spot and I now understood the purpose of these masks. It was obvious that they should help to keep their identities hidden, but apparently, only they could take off the masks. How should I ply him with the potions when a narrow mesh denied me the access to his mouth? Not an easy task. I got a slight panic attack and terribly nervous. Then I called myself sternly to order and calmed down my thoughts. I would not save him if I lost my nerve, I had to keep my head together. _Stay calm, Hermione!_

In that moment I had a brilliant idea and I stroked his open, shredded and bloodstained chest, picked up the still warm blood that was still bubbling up so quickly from some of the wounds, generously spread it on my hand and mumbled a little Black spell, _Velare_ , which should conceal my identity for a brief period of time.

I hoped I could fool the magic on the mask and pretend that I was Snape, putting my blood-wetted hand on the side of the mask and lo and behold, it was so easy if you had just the right idea. As a first reaction, it changed directly in front of my incredulous eyes. Were not all the mask silver in colour? They had been at the Quidditch World Cup. But no, he still wore an iron mask, only this was now matted black and circling ornaments in a bright green ran around the forehead, the eyes and the chin. Through the eye-slits his eyes, which had just been opened briefly, could be seen, gazing at me feverishly with dark intensity, before they fell shut again.

But secondly, and that was the more important thing, the mask finally loosened and revealed the professor's extremely pale, almost bloodless face, which glistered with unhealthy sweat. With a flowing motion, I threw the mask through the room and the metal landed on the floor with a loud clatter.

He had closed his eyes but his eyelids twitched restlessly and he was breathing slowly and heavily. Hence, I hurriedly lifted the first vial to his mouth and slowly and carefully poured the liquid into his mouth so that none of the healing potions would be lost. I withheld only the pain and sleep potion because I still knew how the professor had always pointed out during my treatment that they would only hinder a quick healing and I was sure, like me, he would rather endure the pain, but get faster back on his feet for it.

When I finally finished I jumped up quickly and again cast a strong healing spell. Unfortunately, still not all wounds mended. Two gaping, disgustingly deep tears on the front didn't want to close for good. It looked as if something had blown up the skin and torn the flesh deeply; the tissue was hanging in shreds. Fortunately, no organs seemed affected, but unfortunately, he was losing blood steadily and due to the high loss of this vital bodily fluid, he was unconscious, which was probably better, because I would not want to be awake during what I would have to do.

Without much thought, I conjured needle and thread. I had to be quick, had to hurry because the blood-replenisher I administered earlier was not a miracle worker and would not keep him alive forever.

Well, in my past, when I was still a schoolgirl and handcraft was mandatory, I would not have wanted to be the fabric I had been working on. It was a tragedy without equal, only my practical arts in Herbology could compare. I was able to do a lot, almost everything, but here I had failed spectacularly. Due to that knowledge, my hands trembled a bit because this was the skin of a human being and not a piece of fabric that could be thrown away after a messy job.

Shit, that was Professor Snape! He would kill me if I didn't do a good job on him and so, despite the necessity to hurry, I closed my eyes briefly and tried to collect myself, taking a deep breath.

But I would not be me if I did not successfully banish that little bout of nervousness and get down to stitching. I took aim and stabbed through, again and again. The feeling of stabbing through elastic skin was unfamiliar. It was surprisingly easy, and so I held the torn, uneven flaps of skin together and did stitch by stitch, hoping the suture would not look too cruel. How good it was that I did not get sick easily. Meanwhile, he was not moving, not even a groan or a whimper escaping his unconscious form, something that I found admirable.

The wounds were huge and I felt like I would never get to the end of it, although I worked as fast as I could. The sweat was flowing freely, I was just focused on wielding the needle as fast and accurate as humanly possible. When I had done the last stitch and knotted the thread, I spoke another healing spell and could witness that my efforts had paid off and the wounds now mended and did not open again. He had not twitched once during the rough treatment. Should I be happy or worry even more?

Now I allowed myself to breathe easier and after a Scourgify I was able to see that his chest was almost restored and also recognisable as such. I stroked my sweaty forehead with my bloody sleeve, groaned and dared to turn to his back. With a little magical help, I managed to turn the professor around in all his nude splendour. I felt like crying if I ever did something like that - but a Hermione Granger never did - when I realised what his back looked like. It was like a single, open, and festering wound, a cruel sight that I put up with here. Good thing I had already seen so much, otherwise I would puke now, but after all, it just couldn't keep up with Bole's open throat.

I went the same way as on the front. Cleanse, heal, cleanse and see what did not close on its own. It must have been two curses that hit him. The one on the chest had clearly been a nasty cutting curse, and the one on the back was more reminiscent of an exploding, blasting, or fire curse he had intercepted with his back, but I could not say that for sure. Clearly, here I would need Diptam and Murtlap essence and called the desired containers with another Accio. I would also require the essences for the suture on his front.

When I wanted to dip my hands into the ointments, I noticed that they were smeared with the professor's blood all over and cleaned them thoroughly.

A short while later, I was kneeling over the injured body of the professor and generously rubbing both ointments all over his back, once again observing the effect of magic in its purest form, watching the single, fleshy, bleeding wound that had been his back slowly beginning to heal in front of my eyes. Of course, the potions were also supporting from the inside out. I closed my eyes for a moment, exhausted. I was acting like a robot would do.

As I rubbed over his back over and over again, I felt how drained I was. That was really exhausting. Healing magic itself was a hell of a difficult task and I was not as good at is as in many other areas. I could do it, it was necessary, important, as I saw right now vitally important, but I was not a genius here. However, the elaborate healing itself consumed a lot of energy. First, the sewing had required concentration and now the rubbing-in of the ointments cost strength. Also, my adrenaline level lessened now, which had shot up when I had caught sight of Snape's injured person, and I was so focused on treating him that I did not notice the calling voice. Only when someone stood in the doorframe to the bedroom and I obstructed the light, I growled unwillingly, because I couldn't see enough anymore.

"What's happening here, Hermione?" I heard a suspicious, deliberately questioning voice.

"Hermione, I'm talking to you," came the demanding reminder when I did not respond.

"Don't have time," I yelled back to Draco, exasperated, and skipped back slightly to turn the unconscious Snape back around through hard work to treat the suture on the chest with the essence as well.

"What's wrong with him?" he sounded worried now and hurried towards me and helped me without being asked to turn the unconscious man back over.

"Later. Please cast another strong Episkey on him…" I asked wearily, rubbing the ointment meticulously into his chest and stomach. Draco did not ask any more questions at the sight, and did as ordered, healing the professor.

Later, we both sat next to the naked, still unconscious man, who, if he knew this, would go ballistic. I just uncorked the next ration of Blood-Replenishing Potion and instilled it, and then I got up with a sore back and stretched.

"Well, I can't think of anything more to do!" I said exhausted and looked down at Snape.

"What happened? I found traces of blood in the dungeon!" Draco said excitedly though he was careful to whisper.

"What?! You have to make the traces disappear, no one is allowed to know about the secret passage! ... Why are you even here?" I asked, confused. Draco looked up at me.

"It's nearly one o'clock, I wanted to see where you stay!" He only answered my second question.

"What? Already so late? Then it took longer than anticipated!" I rubbed my face tiredly. So I tried for almost three hours to save the professor's life. What were those curses that had made my life so difficult and almost ruined his? Who had cast them against him? Who had done that?

"Will you tell me what happened?" Draco requested and suddenly stepped close to me and handed me a glass, which made me look up in surprise. Was he in the living room for a moment? Did he remove the tracks? Apparently. I had to be a bit beside myself. _Concentration_ , I called myself to order.

"Thanks!" and took a long sip of the burning alcohol, which revived my spirits in a rush and I gasped. "I arrived and he was not here and since I know him, I just started to brew a Sleeping Draught ... He didn't come back for a long while... I'd already started to worry because I had a bad feeling in my gut ... And then he came in ... more stumbling, I helped him then, supported him and then he passed out! The blood loss ... must have been too high, he did almost bleed to death …" I said haltingly as I abruptly stopped, watching Draco carefully cover the naked body with a blanket and gently stroke Snape's hair out of his face in a worried gesture.

"Thank you, Hermione, you seem to have saved his life! What would we do without you?" he said honestly moved in a husky voice, smiling gently, before he again looked anxiously down into the deathly pale face of his uncle.

"Don't tell him that! I have just given him the same kindness he always had the goodness to give me. I also owe my life to him; we should not make anything big out of a matter of course!" I said quickly, and then I heard Draco laugh softly and quietly.

"Hermione, you both can be so similar in some ways, it's incredible. I don't want to imagine what would have happened if you had not been there. Anyone else who had seen that he was not there would have run away and you just stand there and choose to brew a potion! I bet you would have stayed the whole night and brewed a whole book. I want to thank you again for being so worried about my family!" he replied gravely, still staring at Snape in his comatose sleep. I now stepped up to Draco and put my hand on his arm.

"I thought I belong to your family now and family sticks together?" I whispered quietly.

"Oh, you do! But I was not sure how you regard the whole thing and whether you already see yourself as part of this family!" he said judiciously and deliberately.

"Of course, I see myself as part of it, I have come to terms with the facts. But I would've helped Snape regardless!" I said hotly.

"I know you would! You have a good heart. What do you believe happened? I don't think it was the Dark Lord. Something does not fit," he asked worriedly, sounding tired.

"Why?" I asked, surprised that Draco was so sure of that.

"The Dark Lord is not stupid, he never was and never will be! He doesn't torture his best men and almost kill them, he might punish them sometimes... but never Father and Severus. Never before, do you understand? Even to the rest of the Inner Circle, he doesn't do that often. I think there was something wrong with a mission…"

"Yes, you are right, the Dark Lord would be stupid to injure his own people like that. We will have to wait until he tells us!" I tried to console Draco.

"Yes. Does he need supervision?"

"Yes."

"Good, then I will take over the first two hours. You are completely exhausted from healing; lie down on the couch and sleep. Do I have to pay attention to something?" he asked. I didn't even get to explain anything to him before he eyed me again from top to bottom and instructed me, "and before you lie down, go to the bathroom and wash, you're covered in blood. You even wiped it across your face. Take a shirt out of his closet, his size will almost be a nightgown for you!"

Am I that dirty? I hurried to the cupboard, giving instructions to Draco in the meantime.

"I think you should give him those four vials again in an hour, then he should recover quite well," I said tiredly and shuffled hastily into the big bathroom, which was tiled in black. A window showed a view of the lake and gave everything a slight greenish shimmer. Wow, I had never seen such a gloomy bath. It was accented by green and silver snakes and twines; the fittings also shone in silver. Even the tub was made of shimmering, glossy black material and the flickering torches on the walls gave the surroundings a mystical atmosphere.

The beauty of the whole arrangement didn't really register in my foggy brain. I dropped my things to the floor and gazed into my dirty face, which looked pale and bleary-eyed under the dried rusty-red blood.

I stepped into the shower and washed quickly, afterwards just cleaning my knickers and then putting on Snape's herbal scented white shirt, which fell down to my thighs and covered my hands. I looked like a little girl, but I just didn't care. I climbed over my filthy clothes and magically dried my hair as I left the room and walked like a sleepwalker under the attentive gaze of Draco, who had made himself comfortable next to Snape on his bed, into the living room without consciously seeing anything.

* * *

 _I'm debating with myself whether I should proofread the first thirty or so chapters again._

 _There might be much potential to improve and new readers might stop reading because of quality issues with the earliest chapters._

 _Your input would be welcome._

 _Review feedback_

 _ **Sinner:** Yes, character development is an important part of WHF :) Thank you for your positive review. It is much appreciated._


	75. In The Snake's Shadow

Chapter beta: the darling Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **In the Snake's Shadow**

I couldn't remember lying down on the couch when I felt myself getting rudely shaken awake, an overly tired and pale-faced Draco looking down at me.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. It's five o'clock now; I cannot keep my eyes open any longer." He rubbed his reddened eyes.

"What? You should have woken me up at four!" I jerked upright and got up, still clad in the far too wide shirt, and began vigorously to roll up my sleeves.

"I couldn't! You looked so peaceful in your sleep!" he apologised sweetly. We exchanged places and I tucked him in conscientiously.

"Oh, Draco, that's so sweet of you!" I kissed his forehead like he always did with me, and stroked his white hair. He gave me a faint smile and closed his eyes tiredly. Apparently, his night had been filled with work before he went looking for me.

I re-entered the dark bedroom, spotting Snape under the black sheets, which emphasized his unnatural paleness from being injured all the more. I stepped up to him and put a hand on his forehead, inhaling worriedly. He seemed to have a slightly raised temperature and hence I called the next load of potions and climbed back into the bed to administer the vials.

After my work was done, I brushed his long, black hair out of his hot forehead and looked down at him with concern.

"Professor, that has been nothing for you… Don't cause sorrow for Draco and me, otherwise you'll have to deal with me, sir!" I whispered encouragingly to him and meant it as well, while I got up and put the empty vials on the bedside table. I pulled the blanket from his chest down to his waist to see how the sutured wounds were healing and crawled back onto the top of the large bed. Why did a single person need such a bed? I felt lost in its vastness! Apparently, he liked to sleep generously.

I fished the jar of essence from the other bedside table - yes, he had two - and now knelt down next to the sleeping Snape and ran my finger along the jagged, uneven suture. Actually, he had a smooth chest, like Draco, I noticed in passing when I examined him closely, only his chest showed that he had already experienced a war. Here and there ran fine, white lines, small scars that documented his active participation! And his new wounds would also leave their marks. Just like with my knife, scars would remain, even with magic.

But the sutures looked good. There were some secretion and a little bit of blood which had leaked, but the healing progressed rather quickly. I generously distributed ointment on them, touching him as intensively and gently as never before. He was really very pale and thanks to his dark hair that was even more apparent than with Draco, but both couldn't be called hairy. I was so engrossed in my work that I did not register the dark eyes focussed on me, even as I completed my treatment of his chest and stomach.

When I tilted my head back, shaking my hair slightly and arching my back to shake the stooping posture out of my limbs, I first felt the distinct sensation that I was being watched. I quickly turned my gaze to him and stared into his expressive eyes, which had the gift to say all or nothing!

I was really startled. I had not expected him to wake up right at that moment when he was naked to his hips and with me kneeling before him with nothing on but a rolled-up shirt of him, and Draco deep asleep on the couch in the other room.

Wasn't I just so lucky again? Why the hell couldn't he open those glittering obsidians when his beloved godson was there? Why did it have to be while I worked on him, applying the ointment to his wounds far too gently, tenderly and sensitively? I was sure that he had closely followed and registered everything, every reaction, every action of mine.

"Pro… Professor?" I asked a bit insecurely while still looking at him firmly.

"Mi… ah, Granger… What are you doing here?" he asked, slightly dazed, struggling because he wanted to straighten up. Immediately, I raised my hands, putting them on his uncovered shoulders, and pushed him back onto the bed with gentle force. I was allowed to witness how fury immediately sparked in his eyes. He snarled:

"Miss Granger, what do you think you are doing?" and then he squeezed his bloodless lips together in pain.

"If you don't stay put, sir, I'll sit or lie down on you, but you'll stay in bed. Don't get your hopes up, I would do it without hesitation, so please don't take a chance!" I said to him pleadingly, still holding him down. I was afraid everything could burst open again and stitching him back together a second time was not something I really needed. Our faces were very close; my hair hung down in wild tangles and the tips caressed his face and the skin of his upper body.

"How dare you, Miss Granger?" he hissed dangerously softly and yet showed a slight astonishment in his otherwise unreadable gaze. I just had to confuse him dramatically that actually let me see that emotion. "What are you doing in my bedroom?"

"Like it's the first time I'm here!" I said sarcastically and remembered when I had to change in here and he growled reluctantly. "Think back to last night. What do you remember?" I reminded him, and I saw his cogs start to turn. He gave up his resistance, which until now had been present in his taut shoulders, and slumped into the mattress.

I just did not trust this man, or in other words, just as far as I could throw him, and let's be honest, that would not be far! And so I did not budge and kept him stubbornly pressed to the bed. Because he did not speak, I just began to voice my assumptions.

"I don't know, sir, but I think you got called, on short notice as you didn't leave any instructions for me…" I started to think aloud, as the silence became oppressive.

"Let go of me…" He made his indignation clear. I looked into his demanding eyes and could see the stubbornness in it. The idiot would just get up. But not with me, dear. I hadn't bothered so much with the bloody sutures to have him manage to rip them open, so I stared at him, lips tightly pressed together, shaking my head determinedly.

"Miss Granger, you are forgetting yourself," he started in typical Snape manner. I felt him getting restless and trying to get up again despite my constant pressure. He probably thought I would not make good on my threat, but not with me! My hands were still holding onto his shoulders and so I spread my legs in a fluid motion and settled down on his bare stomach. I caught him between my also bare thighs and experienced how he became rigid from one second to the next and I could have beaten myself for my hasty action, too.

How stupid could you be? I could have swung myself directly onto his best part for all the difference it made. The only thing that separated us was the blanket that was still bunched around his hips and the thin fabric of my knickers. I had acted rashly, but that didn't matter to me now. He was lying under me stiffly and motionlessly, so the mission had been accomplished. What more could I want? It occurred to me that I had been sitting like that on top of Harry just recently, and I didn't know why, but it felt very differently when I had Snape between my legs!

"Professor, I did tell you what would happen if you didn't hold still," I showed myself cold and confident as if the situation we were in wasn't highly precarious.

"Miss Granger, are you still in your right mind?" he asked very softly while sounding authoritarian. He had clearly recovered well.

"Yes, sir. I would be grateful if you could tell me now what you can remember!" I asked him urgently. Not that more had happened to him and we just didn't know it yet.

"I don't know how that would concern you!" he spat out brusquely but apparently he was too weak to lift his arms, making his eyes even darker with anger.

"Very well, then I'll begin… as I'm a good student…" He interrupted me by making a disparaging sound, which should express his opinion to the contrary. Too kind, Professor. "Just laugh, sir! Ask McGonagall. She will confirm that there is no student more well-behaved than I!"

"If you are so well-behaved, Miss Granger, why are you sitting on top of me in such an uncouth manner?" he replied in a velvety voice. The potions seemed to have taken their effect. Why had I been so stupid and had given him the first painkiller earlier? It fooled him into thinking that he was better than he truly was. That's why I didn't want to let him get up. I had given him the potion on the condition that he slept a relaxed, painless sleep, not to get on my nerves because of a false assumption.

"Because you force me to, sir," I whispered unyieldingly. He raised an eyebrow indignantly, glaring at me. "Where was I…? As I'm such a good student, I started to brew even without your instructions and time flew by. When ten o'clock rolled around, you were still not back, sir. But then the door opened and you stumbled in. You didn't look good.. It has been… a near thing… I… It was close. I think it was a cutting or tearing curse that got you in the front. I even had to sew, as the wounds themselves didn't close even with black healing magic. Your back must have been hit with a fire curse or an explosion. It didn't look good either... Sir! You have to be careful. Just before you woke up, I gave you the very first pain potion! You have to take care of the sutures, they could easily break up again... I had to sew zigzag ... very abstract!" I gnawed nervously on my lips.

"Sir, you lost a lot of blood. Until now you got four Blood-replenishing Potions from me… Sir, what happened?" I explained quickly, knowing his lack of patience. Meanwhile, I had been able to follow how the mask of indifference once again sat perfectly on the professor's face after I had described the events from my point of view. That he had fallen unconscious, I didn't mention. I think I did not have to point out this fact to him; he was smart enough to know it himself and he would not like it either way.

He remained silent. I was still sitting on top of him, more than aware of his bare skin and warmth, and also that Draco slept the sleep of the exhausted in the living room next door. I still held Snape captured under me. His skin began to glow more and more where it touched mine and I thought, _please, dear Goddess, don't let me get wet now_. A thought that could make people panic and some would probably blush. It occurred to me that I didn't even wear a bra as it was lying on the floor of the bath and considering the posture in which I leaned in front of him, he was able to catch a perfect view of my exposed breasts, as two or three of the front buttons of the shirt were open; I had not buttoned it up to my neck. That I always had to bring myself into such unpleasant situations... I had to be careful, he was not allowed to see Draco's mark. Then he interrupted my forbidden train of thought and started to speak:

"Miss Granger, how did you manage to remove my mask? I remember having made it to the bedroom with your help, then…" he fell silent with a grim expression. Wow, that had to be hard for him. I looked into his face and licked my dry lips.

"Sir, I took the liberty to smear your blood on my hands and then spoke the _Velare_ and it worked!" I tried to put as much innocence as possible into my gaze.

"It's amazing that you were so circumspect. How do you know this spell? Forget it …" he broke off brusquely and reminded me of what Draco had said to me recently, about the _Legilimens_.

"Would you tell me what happened, sir?" I dared to ask and could see how he slowly lowered his eyes, frowning when he got the insights I had previously mentioned. But, as always, his self-control and discipline were astounding, and he showed neither surprise nor astonishment. Just amazing, I always get a little jealous. Even further down nothing stirred, he had full control over himself.

"I will tell you when you get off of me!" he offered grimly, looking straight into my eyes.

"Okay, sir, but only under the condition that you stay in bed, at first!" I asked threateningly because I did not give up and he nodded thoughtfully and very lightly. After his confirmation, I took my clenched hands from his muscular shoulders and slowly sat up, pulling my bare leg over his body. All that happened under his eagle eyes; he did not miss a single twitch of my muscles.

Now I crawled from his stomach and slid down beside him on his left side. I watched him examine himself, taking a close look at his injuries. His gaze darted quickly across his chest to his stomach, inspecting the sutured wounds and tracing them with his hand. Then, after realising that he was really completely naked under the covers, he pulled them up to cover his chest. I wouldn't have believed Snape capable of so much prudery.

"So close…" he whispered more to himself before clearing his throat. "You did a good job!" he said awkwardly. It was one of his rare, praising statements even if he didn't sound really grateful.

"Thank you, sir, it was a matter of course," I played it down quickly, knowing it was uncomfortable for him. Although I was as well, knowing what it was like to endure something like that.

"If you say so!" he replied, lost in thought.

"You wanted to tell me how it happened…?" I did not give in.

"Well, the Dark Lord called, as you correctly deduced, Miss Granger! Thanks to your schemes, Lucius almost sleeps in the Ministry to calm Fudge down. The mass of howlers must be incredible. Enjoy your success!" He nodded gleefully in my direction. "Consequently, as second in the hierarchy, I had to take on the upcoming mission. The Dark Lord wanted to distract the public from his return and make it appear as if there are only isolated, stupid idiots who want to revive the Death Eaters. A poorly staged attack on Diagon Alley had to be executed. Something in the way of graffiti on the walls, 'He's finally back again,' and childish vandalism to blame Potter for nutcases like that crawling out of their holes." He wheezed heavily. I swallowed hard and was annoyed with the cunning of the Dark Lord. He was to put the blame back on us, insinuating that we were giving nutjobs the idea to gather now. Such an open and provocative appearance of Death Eaters hadn't happened for nearly fifteen years, only the article had brought them back! I already saw the headline, wonderful!

Then I remembered the Quidditch World Cup, but also that it had been closely tied to Harry and would not throw a better light on us.

In the meantime, I conjured water for Snape, handed it to him and helped him to drink, something he commented with a sour look, but that didn't touch me. I said nothing because I thought he would continue to speak on his own, and if I pushed him, he would stop and tell me nothing more.

"... I led the idiots into the Alley and it went well, as expected. But then the Order appeared. I have no idea who tipped them off. It was not me, that's for sure, and I only know that if I find the rat, it was the last thing they did!" His voice was dangerously quiet with venom and left no doubt about his serious intentions to make good on the threat should he find the spy. I pitied the person. In his place, I would bail out as soon as possible. Snape managed, despite his weakened condition, to gather a wave of magic around himself that reflected all his anger. What was this unreasonable man doing? He was supposed to focus all his energies on healing his injuries, not his anger, so I put my hand to his pale cheek and forced him to look at me.

"Shshsh… Sir, calm yourself… You need all your strength!" I requested quietly, bringing him back to the here and now.

His restless look landed and focused on me and he growled reluctantly, but one could recognise and feel his magical presence withdraw.

"So the Order appeared. What happened next?" I said reassuringly. However, I was surprised, very surprised, that it seemed to work.

"The idiots immediately opened fire. I had trouble summoning my people to an orderly retreat; they are not yet as trained as they were fifteen years ago when missions went smoothly and quickly. Though when the Lestranges are finally done with the recruits, I think the word retreat might be known to all of them!" he hissed indignantly but remained put.

"I was one of the last to retreat and that drunken Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt were advancing on me from two sides. Alone, they would be no opponents for me, if my people were not such impertinent, slow bunglers. They simply did not get into gear. Then Black's stupid clod of a cousin came along, and at the same, time an idiotic jerk from my own ranks caught me with a curse, which caused my shields to collapse. That distracted me so much that I could not avoid Moody's malicious cutting and tearing curse! Not a totally legal spell, that one. Then Shacklebolt followed with another explosion and the little clod actually caught me with her fire spell, really great! I have never before experienced anything like that, but even idiots have to be lucky at some point; think of your friend Potter! I flattened two of the three bunglers and finally managed to bring the stupid rest of my team to apparate and also got myself to safety," he breathed in horror at so much incompetence as he put his misfortune into words.

"Wow, sir, that means the Order almost had you on their conscience? That's... hard!" I was really surprised. That the Order members acted so ruthless surprised me! If I had not helped Snape, he would have died.

"Yes, it warms my soul that they have fought me so vehemently!" he bared his teeth and aggressively pulled back his upper lip, his grimace awe-inspiring.

"Just one question, sir: Why didn't you inform the Order yourself ...?" I cocked my head and brushed my hair back.

"I cannot reveal everything, or would soon no longer have a head on my shoulders. In addition, the mission was a trivial matter that did not justify such an action in my opinion! I think someone wanted to throw their weight around!" He tried to straighten up a bit and I helped him.

"And the Order members had no idea with whom they had the honour to cross wands?" I enquired.

"No. Wherefrom would they know? Nobody knows my mask and those who could recognise it could not describe it. Nobody can, it is a spell of the Dark Lord himself that he devised a long time ago!" he once again explained to me how things went at the Lord's.

"Mh-mh. How are you, sir?" I was curious.

"Very well, considering the amount of damage I took! I think you had a lot of work with me, Miss Granger!" His words were slightly sardonic.

"I think you should sleep the two, two-and-a-half hours until seven, sir," I decided and pulled him back into a position where he lay flat.

"And what are you planning to do?" He raised his eyebrow calculatingly while not putting up any resistance.

"Watching over you, sir!"

"What do you allow yourself? I am not a toddler!" He got angry again. Clearly, the man was on the mend.

"Yes, you aren't. However, you are an invalid!" I enjoyed being spiteful and I could see him furiously pressing his lips into a line. I bet every bet that if he had a glass now, it would fly at me and I gave him a sugary smile.

"Shshsh… and now it's time to sleep, sir!" I had closed his mouth with my finger and prevented the snappy comment. He had to be very exhausted because he obediently closed his eyes after a long, intense look from deep black gemstones, and his breathing became even almost instantaneously.

I also laid back and pulled the second pillow comfortably into position and then jerked up again shortly after.

Harry!

With my school wand, I swiftly summoned my otter, which Harry knew, and sent it with the instruction that, unfortunately, I had to skip the run today. An explanation would follow later, he should trust me, please. With that done, I sank back exhausted. Phew ... if that had not occurred to me, Harry would have questioned the map and if he could not find me since there was no magical twin in my bed, but knowing that I had had detention, I worried that he would have found me in the dungeons. He would have woken the whole castle in his quest to free me from Snape's claws - which he might still do. I got up and went to Draco.

"Draco, sorry, you have to wake up!" I shook his shoulder, well over two hours after he had gone to sleep.

"Mh-hm. Just a little bit longer, please!" he asked, his hair ruffled, but he raised his head.

"Draco, you have to go. Either you lie down in your bed, or you use the Geminio and come back, but Harry will look at the map soon!" I urged vigorously.

"What map?" He blinked sleepily and his otherwise attentive, bright eyes reminded me of grey mud.

"Later. Hurry!" I cajoled, pulling him upright and pushing him to the door.

"How is Severus?" he asked worriedly.

"He's well. He was awake and told me a little about what happened to him, but he is doing very well. Go now!" I said my final goodbye to him and went on tiptoe to kiss him quickly. Then, I went back to Snape, laying down next to him as I was so K. O. that I actually fell asleep right away in a sleep so deep that it could be almost called a coma.

Abruptly, I was awake again. Although I kept my eyes closed and breathed on evenly, my mind was awake. I perceived my surroundings, feeling a finger slowly tracing the contours of my face. He almost didn't touch me at all, it was a feather-light touch. My heart stopped short, then resumed beating a little faster, and I unexpectedly remembered the incident in the training room when he thought I had lost consciousness and smelled my hair.

Only this time, I lay on my side, facing him, a hand under my face, and my knees pulled up to my chest. He seemed to have turned to me and was also lying on his side. I felt the mattress give way more and more as he slowly approached me. I could hear him inhaling deeply, then sighing softly but heavily.

Then I was almost struck dumb, but I remained in the role of the Sleeping Beauty, amazed by myself, at what a good actress I was, when I felt him put his lips on mine. I could have believed I was dreaming the whole thing if I weren't so very much awake. It gave me an incredible tingling sensation all over my body and I did not know what to do, except to keep breathing in and out. Really, sometimes I was impressed with myself and the stoic calm I could take things with.

Professor Snape kissed me gently, tenderly, almost chastely for the first time. Well, he thought I was asleep but he did it anyway. Just bad luck that I was always awake during all his slip-ups. However, he wouldn't allow himself to do that if he thought I would notice. The incident during the Occlumency lesson had been more of an accident and had happened in the heat of the moment. Up until now, he had only kissed me to punish. Sometimes rough, sometimes brutal, sometimes barbaric as during combat training back then, but never like what was happening now, with feeling. Maybe it was his way to thank me?

Then, I could feel him pulling his head back and he was probably looking at me. What did he saw in me, I asked myself. Why did he always do things like that? I knew that I appealed to him in more ways than one, physically and mentally, and I had long since accepted that fact

But what did he want? Did he want to shag me like he did Minna, or did he want to fuck me like Lucius? Did he want to take me away from Draco? Or did he not know what he wanted from me himself? Since I was his student and Draco's lover and he was struggling hard in that respect, it seemed.

If he knew I'd been marked by Draco in the meantime and Draco was also wearing my mark... No, no thinking of what would happen then. That would happen soon enough, and with my luck, sooner rather than later. It was early enough to deal with the reactions then.

And now, I opened my eyes with exaggerated slowness, fluttering my eyelashes like the wings of a butterfly. Gee, I should throw the wizarding world and go to Hollywood. With my talent, I would be able to earn millions.

I now saw him lying directly in front of me, not letting me out of the sight of his very black eyes, and thus I blinked at him in confusion and noticed that he was emulating my embryonic posture.

"Professor?" I whispered quietly.

"Miss Granger!" he said, with a stronger voice than before. I straightened up and ran my hands through my tangled hair. He too was a truly impressive actor, pretending that nothing had happened.

"How are you now?"

"It works. The effect of the Pain-Killing Potion is waning! What did you do with my things?" he asked coolly. I pointed to the corner of the bedchamber now bathed in shimmering green by the morning light of the brightening lake.

"Unfortunately, your clothes are nothing but scraps, sir!"

I got up and stretched, standing with my back to him and could hear him suddenly growling softly. I remembered abruptly that I was still wearing his big shirt and maybe I had done it purposely to irritate him because the shirt almost slid up over my buttocks.

Was I evil? Was I mean? Did I ever say I was not a bitch? I walked to one corner of the bedroom and bent down provocatively to pick up his mask, which was very dirty and blood-stained thanks to my bloody hands. With the mask in hand, I stepped closer to the bed without hesitation.

"And here is your mask, sir. It's unblemished. I thought they are all silver?" I asked. When he took it from me, I noticed that he was surprised that I touched this sign of evil so easily.

"No. The Inner Circle can wear custom and personalized masks so the lower Death Eaters know who to turn to. This is mine. I do not really want to hide my face behind silver or gold!" he said dismissively and put the black mask on the bedside table.

"I agree with you that this fits like a fist on the eye. I think we should get ready, I ... should I help you into the bathroom?" I enquired, looking at him questioningly.

"Granger, if you do not immediately move your... butt out of the bedroom, you'll see how well you healed me…!" He threatened me somehow ambiguously, as I found, and I watched that I moved into the living room, where I sat down on the couch and waited for my turn in the bathroom. Then I remembered that he would see my dirty clothes, above all, he would be able to inspect my beautiful pink bra, as it was on top. Maybe it would bring him inspiration in the shower, I thought, smiling nastily.

Suddenly, the door swung open and a professor as impressively dressed as always stood on the threshold and glared at me darkly. I got up and motioned for him to sit down, after all, he should be back in bed.

"Sir, how are you feeling? Don't you think you should stay in bed?" I asked with concern, as he looked very pale and was sitting down very carefully.

"You unbearable know-it-all! You also took the train to Hogwarts the next day, even though the night before, a knife stuck out of your side. I think you should withhold advice. And would you be so good as to finally get dressed?" he groaned in exasperation, even confessing in a way that I was obviously tempting him.

"Yes, if I can use your bathroom, sir?" I requested provocatively.

"Go!" he exclaimed impatiently.

"Thank you! Here's the next load, decide yourself which potions you want to take!" I set the five vials in front of him and turned around, feeling his eyes on me as they burned holes into my back.

Inside the bathroom, I found my things lying clean on a stool. Mh-hm, I would trust him to have had his nose in my bra. But no, I didn't mean to be so despiteful. I quickly freshened up, then went back to the living room, where I found him and Draco having a heated discussion.

"Ah, Miss Granger, back already? You didn't tell me that Draco was involved. And saw me like this," he growled with bitter fury. I didn't even get a chance to react to the violently hissed words before Draco interjected:

"I was not 'involved', I arrived at the conclusion, at one o'clock when everything was already done and she was almost collapsing from fatigue and overstrain! You stubborn, grouchy man can do nothing but complain! I can imagine how you are going to thank her for taking care of you!" Draco yelled angrily and I experienced him as emotional as never before and I dared to wonder what Draco would say if I told him that Snape had thanked me with a very gentle kiss. I didn't want to imagine it, so I decided to intervene:

"Draco, let it be. The Professor has been very friendly so be quiet! Who likes to be injured? Don't get so worked up, Professor, you should rest!" I explained forcefully, bringing an end to the bickering. I mean, Snape had kissed me tenderly, I think that was thanks enough. You could not expect a grateful word from this man and I did not need it either.

"But Hermione, he's acting all…" Draco stuttered indignantly.

"Which is his right. It's bad enough that I or you saw him like this. But I promise you, sir, that no one else will know. And now we should all go to the Hall; we all need food, after yesterday," I decided resolutely and I could witness that both termagants calmed down and obeyed me. Okay, where is the calendar? Where!? Only the venomous glances, which both exchanged, I couldn't forbid them.

"Oh, Draco. Would you be so kind and pack my things that I left in the office?" I asked sweetly, holding Snape back by his arm, which earned me calculating, icy look from him.

"Sir, you should know that he was very worried about you. He ... he feels a lot for you. This outbreak just shows how much he needs you, sir," it came urgently from me.

"And you think, Miss Granger, that I need you to understand the emotions of my godson?" he snarled at me maliciously as usual. Did I feel snubbed by his repellent nature, after everything I had done for him? No, I hadn't expected anything else.

"No, I don't, sir. However, I don't think you know how he looked at you as you were lying deep asleep at the time and your injuries looked a little less beautiful back then. Don't take your bad mood out on Draco, understood?" I hissed viciously at him and he stared at me indignantly and wrinkled his nose.

"Here, Hermione, darling, your things. I think we should go. It is already after eight. We are quite late by our standards. I heard from Blaise that Potter is pacing at the entrance to the dungeons like a lion!" He handed me my robe and my school bag.

With that our mismatched trio rushed towards the Great Hall.

* * *

 _Review feedback_

 _ **uwishuwerecool:** Thank you very much for your input. You can't be too bad at writing to leave a review. We appreciate every single one, well written or not. The original author read my thoughts on rewriting as well and got me help for the first chapters. In the next weeks, I'll slowly change out the parts she has proofread for me :) This way, I can continue to translate the current chapters and still improve the beginning, so a win-win for all of us._

 _ **Sinner:** It seems I have got a new regular reviewer Thank you for your input. I'm happy we left you speechless - in a good way. Queenie is very good at writing dark, so expect a lot more between the few fluff, some smut and lots of regular plot._


	76. Seeing Reason and Realisations

Chapter beta: my darling Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

 _Next week my co-translator will be back! Woohoo!_

* * *

 **Seeing Reason and Realisations**

I entered the Hall after Snape, who apparently had shooed Harry away. You had to give him credit, he didn't show the slightest bit of pain in his posture as he swept down the aisle dramatically in his billowy robes. What a proud man. He reminded me of my own stubbornness. I caught Harry's worried look, who followed Snape suspiciously, then looked at me excitedly, but before he could say anything I was faster:

"Not here, Harry. Later, in the Room!" I whispered, sitting down wearily on the bench.

"What does she mean, Harry?" Ron asked, chomping.

"Nothing, Ron. She just wants to show me a spell!" Harry made me speechless as I assumed he had seen my name next to Snape's in his room. Nonetheless, I gratefully accepted the reprieve.

I noticed Dean, Seamus, Lav, Pav, and Neville eying me carefully and I got venomous looks from Ginny across the table. But that did not bother me at all, the events with Snape went around in my head.

Oh goddess, that had been a near thing; he had lost too much blood! Why didn't that stubborn bastard just apparate after getting injured? Why did he have to collect his troops and continue to fight with these injuries until he had eliminated two of the three Order members? Whatever that meant, I had not asked, because if they were dead, I would find out soon enough. Now I searched my conscience meticulously: Would it affect me?

I shrugged as I tasted the hot, strong coffee on my tongue and drank it greedily, and there came the realisation! No, I didn't care what could have happened to Tonks, Moody and Shacklebolt. It was different when the possibility of Snape or Draco getting hurt came to my mind. And yes, I admitted in the privacy of my mind, I didn't want to lose Snape! Why deny it to myself? I enjoyed the company of this difficult, complex man more and more. He had become a mentor to me in many ways, whom I admired and to whom I owed so much.

I would never say, ask or admit it openly, but I would like to know if he himself knew whom he was loyal to? Who he served? Who owned his loyalty? Though from what I knew about the members of my new family, it was probably more along the line of: 'I stand on my own side or on my family's side and the rest can be handled as necessary.' Flexibility in all circumstances seemed to be the motto. And if I was one thing, that thing was flexible.

I would submit to this dictate, I didn't really have a choice. There were not many alternative ways open to me. Some wouldn't understand that, but let's be realistic, shockingly open and honest: As soon as Lucius and Snape found out that I was a member of the Malfoy family, both wouldn't give me many means and opportunities to decide freely about my own life. I had the protection of a powerful family and distinguished, important men, but I would become a plaything to them. They had all already claimed me in one way or another. My fear that Snape would lose his inhibitions following these new insights didn't make it any easier for me or make me feel any better.

Draco should not be forgotten either. He was an impressive personality if he wanted to be, and that was the problem: he didn't always want to, but more often than not. This young man had power in abundance, you could feel that and sometimes, when he paraded his superiority in his common room, he could scare me more than Snape or Lucius when he bit me, but that wasn't something that I would ever admit. These two men had done everything they could to make Draco a worthy successor and he had done everything to absorb only the best of both men, and combined it!

He would surprise us all in the future and most likely teach us to fear him. I only succeeded in putting him in second place at school because Draco's true interests lay in grey and black magic, fields in which he was years ahead of me. No wonder, as that particular branch of magic had opened up to me just approximately three years ago. He also had had the best teachers available. I was glad that in spite of all that I could still stand up to him in so many subjects.

And thanks to the fact that I'd been part of the Malfoy family since the Christmas holidays, even though nobody knew it, I would do anything to protect and assist them, just as I had helped Snape last night. I knew he couldn't leap over his shadow and express his gratitude to me; he would regard it as a weakness and he wouldn't and couldn't show any, but I was able to live with that. This gentle kiss was the only testimony that he acknowledged what I had done for him and he would never show me more. And no, I knew, he hadn't been indifferent to me for a long time. Even though he thought I wasn't aware of the kiss, I sure wasn't expecting anything from him and I think he was glad I didn't ask for it.

I sighed heavily into my cup of steaming coffee and shook my head over my depressing thoughts. Where would all this end?

After the afternoon classes, Harry and I broke away from the others, sneaking into the Room of Requirement. We wouldn't have too much time since he had called a DA training for today and thus I hoped I could satisfy him with my slimmed down version of events.

We entered a very small, very cosy room with a fireplace. He had requested two chairs in which we took a seat.

"Harry!"

"Hermione?" Harry tilted his head and looked at me seriously, adjusting the glasses on his nose with his index finger. "What do you have to tell me?"

"I assume you are referring to last night?" I clarified and crossed my legs.

"Thanks for sending me your Patronus; it delivered your message… So, what kept you away?" he demanded relentlessly, watching my face observantly.

"I think you already know that. Surely you would have consulted the map where I was?" I raised my eyebrows playfully.

"Naturally! I'm all the more curious..." he admitted with an unreadable gaze but broke out into a cheeky grin when he noticed how we were circling each other and I laughed back. "... how you are going to explain that to me."

Today, I would have the opportunity to get Harry's honest opinion of the Order and I was curious. During class, I had pondered on what to tell him, and I would have to break my promise to Snape that I wouldn't tell anyone. Of course, I would not give away all the details, but Snape would probably freak out as soon as he became aware of it anyway. I would have to weather it when it happened because I had finally decided, after long deliberation, to test Harry's reaction.

"Well, I spent the night with Snape!" I confessed and saw him pull out his wand and hold it tightly. He looked at it, taking a deep breath, and then quickly raised his eyes and fixed me with a hard stare.

"As you know, I knew that already and as you can see, I find it difficult to accept that and about to fly into a rage, but I won't have to point that out to you, right?" he said with forced calmness and a flat voice. Harry's eyes glowed like green, blazing flames; his magic agglomerating in a visible aura that not everyone was able to manifest. Who had said that you should underestimate Harry Potter? It took him effort to control his voice and he groaned.

"No, Harry. I'm even more thankful that you are so grown-up to hear my explanation first before screaming around!" I was happy, looking at him calmly.

"I would do everything to make you proud of me. But please, do not torture me anymore whether I have to kill him now because he molested you or not?" he demanded briskly, impatiently, playing with his wand, rolling it back and forth in his fingers. He seemed very threatening with that dark power that surrounded him, but I remained the epitome of calmness.

"You know, I had detention. He wasn't there and so I started to brew ... At ten o'clock the door opened and he came in... Harry, you have to swear to tell this to nobody! Really _nobody_. He would never forgive me for that. Although I promised not to tell anyone, I know I have to tell you. But please, promise me that it will stay between the two of us!" I pleaded with Harry and worried about his lessons with Snape and whether he would be able to keep our secret to himself. He blinked at me in surprise, though he also recognised how important his assurance was to me and that it wasn't easy for me. He took his time, and yet he nodded slowly, deliberately, not taking his eyes off me.

"I promise you I won't tell anyone what you are about to tell me. However, if he did something to you, I cannot promise you not to confront him!" he offered me with restrictions. It was probably the best thing I could expect from Harry and so I nodded in agreement.

"... So, where was I? He came in, looking terrible! He got involved in a fight, and Harry, I can't go into the details right now, since he wouldn't approve, but believe me, he was still not healed this morning, showing nothing only through sheer stubbornness! Let me only say this much: I fought all night to save him, he almost bled to death! Otherwise, nothing happened!" I said insistently seriously and watched as Harry looked at me with big, disbelieving eyes and displayed a very astonished expression.

"Why didn't you call a teacher or the mediwitch?" he said suspiciously, but quickly.

"There was no time, Harry. In the beginning, it was all a matter of minutes ... and then it didn't matter and I was so busy that I found no time for it and in my defense ... I wasn't thinking, I just acted!" I defended myself while crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"It's hard for me to believe that. I mean, he was behaving like always at breakfast... Hm, when I think about it, maybe he was a little pale ... paler than usual and he has deducted fewer points from the poor soul who crossed his path, that's it! Wait a moment?! How come you can heal serious injuries? I mean, did not you feel sick at the sight of the wounds?" He came quickly to the point while I tried to avoid his searching eyes.

"Well, what should I say? I'm just the best!" I grinned coyly. "I grew up with doctors who have been putting me in first aid classes for years, and I'm also familiar with disgusting medical books ... How could I cure him so well? Well, I was sitting at the source, so I stuffed him with potions; I could draw on abundant resources. Harry, he would have died yesterday without me, believe me!" I confessed solemnly, looking at him insistently, and I saw how understanding and acceptance slowly entered Harry's eyes.

"I don't think you're lying to me, but how did he take it? I imagine he was delighted to have been rescued by a Gryffindor, wasn't he?"

 _Yeah, sometimes you're really not stupid, Harry, but that I was allowed to feel his lips gently touching mine, you wouldn't believe me, or wouldn't want to._

"Why do you think I had to promise him not to tell anyone? It didn't change anything, but I did not expect or hope for that; I was just acting. And Harry, even if you may not like it, but I would do it again without hesitation!" I confessed confidently and stubbornly raised my chin.

"Why would I judge you when you decide to help someone? I would never do such a thing. However, what were you doing resting right next to him? I think you like him!" he enquired suspiciously and curiously.

"Believe it or not, Harry, I fell asleep. Do you know how strenuous healing spells are? And I had to heal very, very much! How do you get the idea that I like him? He's my professor!" I exclaimed indignantly in the end.

"Ok, but he is not grateful or thanked you in any way? Even tho you still defend him and show yourself worried about him. You don't do that with people you don't like!" it came smartly from Harry and he looked at me wisely. "And I'm shocked that you were sleeping in a professor's bed, Hermione!" He was all puffed up and I bit my tongue in annoyance. I just hated this accursed Marauders' Map right now.

"No, he was actually very silent and moody! He did not thank me and I don't like him ... really! I'm only impressed by his knowledge and skills, that's all!" I said, miffed, and straightened up angrily. "And what do you want to accuse me of? That I've a crush on Snape? That I what ...? Harry, I just fell asleep and he was delirious, you cannot interpret anything from it. But alright, we live in weird times, though please don't impute anything to me! And on him, too! The man slept deeply and firmly!" I was pretty upset after all.

"Mh-mh, I agree with you on the difficult times and I hope I can trust your words. Yes, silent and ill-tempered, that's how I know that evil, malicious man. He is so disgusting and ungrateful!" Harry spat. "He does not deserve your sympathy and compassion! And are you sure? I wonder how anyone can admire someone like that. Maybe you're under a spell?" He looked at me with concern.

"Harry, everyone who has been hurt so severely deserves my sympathy. Don't be so hard, please, it doesn't suit you! And what spell? Bullshit!" I dismissed his suspicion as I thought he had misjudged Snape. After all, he had always helped me immediately, whether I was an annoying Gryffindor or not.

"How did he actually get the injuries?" he asked suddenly. Now we would see what he thought of the Order.

"He was on a mission for the Death Eaters in Diagon Alley and Moody, Tonks, and Shacklebolt did that to him. I am and was horrified that they could do that to him!" I summarized, still shaking my head that they were always acting so nice, but apparently they weren't what they pretended to be.

"What?! Order members almost killed Snape? That's sick! Even if I cannot stand him, I would never kill my own spy, right?" he rasped quickly, running a hand through his messy hair in agitation.

"No, Harry, you wouldn't! But they didn't know that it was him ... He didn't get a chance to inform them!" I then presented the facts correctly.

"Heavy, I didn't think they were already resorting to such means," Harry looked very thoughtful. "Well, I'm horrified too. Above all, I'm wondering how Snape can continue to be a real, true spy for the Order. I cannot imagine that his feelings are very positive towards the people who almost killed him." Harry also very aptly expressed my thoughts, as I too wondered how one could ever forget that.

"What do you think about the Order?" I asked the most important question for me.

""Not much! I'm not told anything! I haven't formed much of an opinion so far. The worst part is that they seem to attack their own people. Like I said, I don't trust Snape and I don't know why Dumbledore thinks he could, but with such actions, I find it increasingly difficult to believe that Snape is loyal!" he ranted with unusual expressiveness.

"Good question, Harry. I have asked myself the same. On the other hand, this is not our problem but theirs and please, I have to remind you of your promise: You must not tell them, not even Sirius, that the Order attacked Snape!" I insisted urgently.

"Ron can never know!" Harry interjected, nodding at the same time.

"How did you arrive at that conclusion?" I was perplexed and frowned.

"I don't think he could grasp all of that; even I'm having a hard time to do that. I don't like Snape and - at the risk of repeating myself - I also don't understand how Dumbledore can trust him. Although I don't really understand Dumbledore at all since the summer, so it's all very confusing and gives me a headache! Hermione, say, why does everything have to be so complicated?" Harry asked sadly, sliding off his seat and crawling over to me on his knees.

"Hermione…" He now knelt in front of me and embraced my knees. "Please don't lie to me! I could not handle that, just don't lie to me. If you don't want to tell me something... okay, but do not lie to me, that would destroy me! If the person I trust most, who is my family, would lie to me…" He sounded downright desperate, clinging to me, and I was wavering as never before, wanting to make a complete confession, but I couldn't.

Not after I had looked into his eyes. I saw his doubts about the whole world and himself, I saw his scruples, I could see his morality. No, Harry was not ready yet ... not ready for the truth. He would need evidence to believe it and I couldn't give it to him yet. His intact worldview was still too strong to be shaken by only If's and But's. He did mistrust Dumbledore in principle, however, it wasn't enough to believe me completely, considering that even I was struggling to believe everything!

"Harry, I promise you that I won't lie to you. Even though I broke Snape's promise - and I do feel very bad about that - I hope you believe me that I will try to never lie to you. Maybe I have not told you everything yet, but I have never lied, when you asked me something directly! And thank you for giving me the opportunity of silence, which I'm going to use because I haven't really told you everything that's going on up there. But I can tell you that I will someday, I promise! But regarding Snape, I wasn't lying. Nothing more happened, although I find what happened more than enough!" I affirmed fervently, stroking his dark brown hair soothingly, and sighed.

"Thank you," Harry whispered, resting his head on top of my thighs.

"I have to thank you for not freaking out and for covering for me in front of Ron. I don't want to know what scenarios you were imagining." I tapped him on his forehead.

"They were not the prettiest, but I know that you can take care of yourself and so I wanted to show you that I trust you. Just as you always trust me when I'm causing mischief!" he offered truthfully. He gave me a sweet smile and I was about to answer because we were not finished yet; Harry obviously had some questions and I wanted to answer him partly, when the door suddenly opened and the first members of the DA entered, so we had to postpone our conversation, unfortunately. They paused for a moment at the entrance, when they saw Harry kneeling at my feet and it was just the right lot who'd arrived there: Cho and her friend, Ginny, and Corner, who gawked in astonishment and perplexity.

Harry looked up morosely from my lap where he had buried his face up until now, his face displaying a tormented smile.

"Harry, you are already here?" Ginny's voice was more on the squeaky side. She had caught herself first and rushed towards us. "Did we disturb you?" She sounded slightly spiteful.

"Yes, and you are too early!" The charming retort came from my scrubby head, which rolled his eyes slightly.

"Hello, Ginny!" I said and got a dirty sideways glance. Harry reluctantly got up and pulled me with him, grabbing my hips and leaning forward to whisper into my ear:

"You know, I won't let you escape forever? At some point, you will tell me what you think you cannot tell me now, Hermione!" he threatened me playfully. Then he left me standing there and went to Corner to greet him. I was so astonished, my mask almost slipped, but I could prevent it in the last second. However, I still had to lean on the back of the chair with one hand, as I didn't really know Harry like that. That could have been Draco in his purest form!

I had to smile. Wasn't it wonderful how we all kept so many secrets from each other? Because Harry hadn't said anything about what had changed him that much and that was making it exciting! I straightened up and was also surprised by his dominant behaviour, but fine, we had to train now.

When we were all gathered, everyone showed that they had now mastered the disarming and shielding spells perfectly. Then we demonstrated our skill with the Patronus Charm. That Harry had managed to get so many members to create a corporeal Patronus was amazing.

Thus, Cho showed her stately swan, Ginny a proud horse, Ernie Macmillan his huge boar, Seamus a crafty fox, Luna's dreamy bunny hopped around, my busy otter floated around the room, and even Ron had managed to summon an animal partner; much to the chagrin of the Twins, he had a playful terrier. Only Fred and George were holding back and sticking their heads together conspiringly. I think none of the DA knew their animals. The two were really pig-headed, but they stubbornly refused to show their Patroni to anyone.

It was beautiful, unique and exotic to see so many of these silvery-grey animals flip across the room. It was an incredibly uplifting feeling to watch these animals and to contemplate the radiant and happy faces of the proud wizards and witches. Those who didn't create a corporeal Patronus at least already got a very substantial mist, which gave everyone hope.

I noticed how proud Harry was. He beamed happily at his success as a teacher and he had every right to do so. To teach such a difficult spell and to get it conveyed to so many, he could definitely be smug about that. He was a good teacher. It was not clear if these silvery creatures would prove helpful in a Dementor attack, as it would be much harder to maintain the happiness then, but only the future would show that.

The time was over and many were still caught in a state of happiness and celebration, which the Twins used to pitch and sell their joke articles to them. Immediately, Harry's mood changed and he waved at me to say goodbye. He left the Room with the face of someone walking to the gallows to take on Snape and his next Occlumency lesson.

Suddenly, a shaken and pale, sweaty and trembling Harry stormed the common room, showing a completely horrified, panicked, and stunned countenance. His confused eyes wandered desperately through the common room.

I suddenly had a very bad feeling in my stomach, which reminded me a little bit of Harry's first Occlumency lesson, when I had flipped out and stormed to Snape to hold him accountable. Only that I could not beat him now if he had done something again since he still was not fully restored after last night. _So what has the old bat done now_ , I thought desperately.

So I got ready again to face the uncertainties of life. Could there never be a quiet evening? Did I have something about me that screamed: 'Are you in trouble, then come to me'? Did I behave maternally?

I could make out Harry's distressed eyes focussing on me with a hopeful expression. He seemed to be in shock when he turned to me in dismay.

"Hermione, come quickly. You have to help me… quick, quick!" he shouted hoarsely and begged so tremulously for me to hurry that a shiver ran down my spine. Rarely had I experienced him so unsettled. He was already running towards me and I jumped up when he grabbed my hand hard. He pulled me frantically and relentlessly with him so that I could only stumble after him. The surprised and confused looks of our housemates, we both overlooked generously.

"What happened ... what happened again?" I shouted in shock as his clammy hand clenched around mine convulsively. It hurt.

"Harry! You don't look good, mate. What is it? Take it easy!" Ron joined us as well, but Harry waved his other hand gruffly and once again we were the centre of interest of our housemates who had stopped all their activities to watch us.

"Sorry, Ron, but only Hermione can help me. I hate to say it, but we should hurry if I'm not to land in Azkaban!" he hissed so softly that only I could hear it, and in reaction, I pulled my hand over my mouth and stifled a frightened, angry scream. That these two stubborn, obstinate idiots couldn't be left alone! What happened? Did Harry really attack him? How? Were the suture torn open? I didn't wait any longer; I flew off, ran as if the devil was after me and even overtook Harry, so that I actually pulled Harry behind me and not the other way 'round, and finally broke free. I could still hear Harry yelling at Ron not to worry.

The Gryffindors had just looked completely taken aback and some had rolled their eyes, annoyed with us as we pulled off one dramatic performance in a Draco-like fashion after the next.

That did not bother me at all. Snape had to be in a bad state if Harry talked about Azkaban, so I rushed to the secret passage, leaving Harry far behind. He had been delayed thanks to Ron and so I had taken advantage and had run ahead. Only a few minutes after Harry had informed me, I reached Snape's office and stormed through the door that stood ajar. As expected, I found the unconscious professor on the stony floor of his office. A pool of blood had spread around him, his breathing choppy, and his black, long hair clung to his face in tangles. Shit, that did not look good, the sutures had to be torn open. It looked like the wounds had burst again under the clothes. Ouch, that had to have hurt!

I didn't hesitate, immediately opening the door to his private quarters with the password, and with a Mobili Corpus, I levitated the lifeless body into the bedroom. I acted routinely and quickly and put him carefully down on his bed. Then I hexed only the upper body free this time because I knew that his lower regions were unhurt.

Abruptly I paused, my breath caught and I had to suppress a small sob as I registered the extent that my beautiful work had actually burst open. Wide-gaping, the flaps of skin were separated again, the flesh ripped badly. Almost wistfully, I examined how the beautiful, dark red blood ran over his bare, marked upper body and left behind red rivulets on his pale skin.

Resolutely I conjured needle and thread again, once more summoned the potions and the ointment to me and cleaned me and his two wounds with a Tergeo. Just then, I heard a wheezing Harry reach the threshold of the bedroom door and I looked up reproachfully. However, he said nothing, so I only eyed the pale young man, who seemed very upset and seemed to stand beside himself.

"Did you close the door?" I asked harshly, stripping off my shoes with my feet and climbing onto the bed, determined to once again begin my favourite activity of sewing the professor back together. Thanks to the uneven margin of the wound, the whole thing didn't hold and heal nearly as well as the smooth cut of my stab injury.

Harry had stepped next to me and was watching Snape silently, staring in horror at my fingers that were relentlessly gripping the flaps of skin, ruthlessly pulling them together and sewing quickly and accurately, without hesitation. I hurried, ignoring the way I touched flesh, skin and blood.

"Hermione, that's disgusting. I'm getting sick!" Harry groaned and gagged, looking deathly pale when I looked up for a moment.

"Not now, Harry. Get a grip on yourself. Do you see the vials on the bed? Good. The red potion is the Blood-Replenishing Potion, give him that one first, that's important. Do it!" I ordered mercilessly without looking up again. My bloodied hands worked quickly, stitch by stitch. Somehow, my talent to sew skin was greater than working with cloth, should that worry me? No, I just took it more seriously. I rather hoped was the reason for my occurring sewing skills. I made rapid progress, even though I had to stitch together even more skin or it had to overlap even more since the torn areas of the skin where the threads had previously been inside, were frayed; I could not think of another word.

When I successfully knotted the first wound again, I chanced a quick glance and saw that Harry was busy with the blue potion, carefully pouring it down Snape's throat and helping him swallow it. He had climbed onto the bed like me, just from the other side, and held the professor's head in his arms with astonishing concern and compassion, looking at the unconscious face with a troubled expression. My observation took perhaps two seconds, then I returned to the still open wound and pierced his skin there as well. I would worry later about Harry's unusual behaviour, now I had no time for it.

When, after a sheer endless time, I finally reached for the ointment pot, it was handed to me with the top already screwed off and once again I spread it generously over the sutured wounds with my hands. Then I straightened up groaning and was a little exhausted. I hated to do that, I realised clearly, crystal clearly.

"I cannot give him another Blood-Replenishing Potion in the next two hours," I regretted softly, absentmindedly brushing my forehead with a hand and Harry blinked at me in shock.

"Um, Hermione, you… you have - there!" He pointed frantically to his forehead. I got up and went purposefully into the bathroom and washed my bloody face.

When I came back, I saw how Harry - just like Draco yesterday - was trying to cover up the professor. He was just taking off his shoes by hand and then covered him up to the neck, and I thought I was dreaming. What happened there? I stepped right next to Harry, who was standing by the bed now and watching Snape with an awkward expression. United we looked down at the unconscious man.

"Hermione, I nearly murdered him, didn't I?" he whispered timidly.

"Yes!" I replied callously, but I was ruthlessly honest.

"I… I…," he stuttered completely distraught.

"Not here, he needs rest. Come with me!"

I turned away decidedly and lead him into the living room. There I headed purposefully to the hidden bar, which, as I now knew, was behind the right bookshelf and filled each of us a glass of nice, old, and strong fire-whiskey. Patching up the professor twice in two nights! That didn't happen very often; I needed something to calm me down.

"I want to know why you seem to know your way around here so well," Harry asked me suddenly, when I put the drink into his hand and settled in Snape's favourite armchair, or rather flopped down very inelegantly.

"No!" Somehow it was really hard for me to be nice right now.

"Mh-hm, I thought so. I believe I actually don't want to know!" he suddenly confessed softly and shyly. That made me look surprised and I frowned thoughtfully.

"Alright!" I said quite sparingly. Oh, I was in a bad mood! I downed the first mouthful. Ah, it burned today, but it was good. That was just what I needed now to calm my nerves. Harry smelled the contents of his glass cautiously and wrinkled his nose. Though then he shrugged, took a courageous sip, and coughed pitifully.

"Chhrr… Hermione, how can you gulp that down? … That… Ugh, that tastes like rubbing alcohol!" he stuttered in a croaking voice, disgusted and grimacing.

"Harry, I doubt you ever drank rubbing alcohol, otherwise you wouldn't be under the living still!" I said - oh, I could be so very venomous verbally - and got an eye roll from him.

"Mh-hm… You are angry?" he grumbled after a razor-sharp realisation. Wasn't that an enlightenment?! Yes, I was. Great, Snape would have been fully restored in a day or two and now that ... Great, really great. And so I just looked at him sideways and shrugged my shoulders.

"Yes, Harry! I told you he was hurt, severely hurt! What part of that didn't you understand? What actually happened? You behave strangely towards Snape!" I wanted to know the details and gazed at him encouragingly. Harry rewarded me with a pitiful, deep moan.

"Hermione, it was terrible! He treated me as condescendingly as always, and I forgot what you said. He didn't show in the slightest that he was not healthy. I mean, that can make you forget it! He was as mocking, vicious and cynical as ever, and when he saw one of the last visions ... It's as if something wants to pull me to the door in the Department of Mysteries and I get overwhelmed with curiosity. To go through that door - behind it lies a round, dark room - and to get out what's inside, that's what I want, that's what I felt at that moment. He totally freaked out. He forced me to break off and snarled at me badly! Why wouldn't I run straight to the Dark Lord, to quote him directly…" He gnawed on his lips now, hard enough to make it bleed lightly, but he didn't seem to be bothered by that right now. "...then he just continued on with brute force. He was an ass, as always, just barged in and rummaged around in my mind... Oh, then ... then I defended myself. I was so angry, so mad, how he chewed me up again...That I'm so cocky and arrogant... and so on... Then, then, I cast a shield charm and... I was totally surprised as it pulled me into Snape's mind. That was crass. I was horrified, I mean, that was not the first shield charm I'd cast, it has never happened before!" he shook his head in disbelief and was slightly lost in thought.

"Harry, he's not up to par, that's why you've managed to penetrate his defense!" I told him insistently and he caught himself, focussing his sharp gaze on me.

"Sadly, that wasn't the only effect of the spell. He hit the wall with full force, that was quite hard, and stayed down. Blood spread pretty quickly, though I didn't notice that at first," he admitted shamefully.

"And why not?" I enquired.

"Well, I was still in his mind, the connection didn't break even when he fell unconscious, and then I saw a memory. And Hermione… it was terrible!" Harry's lower lip began to tremble; he was about to burst into tears. What had he witnessed that affected him so much?

"That's not so bad. We know that Snape's past couldn't have been beautiful! No one is the person they are today for no reason... Harry?" I calmly spoke to the distressed boy in front of me, trying to soothe him.

"Yes, but Hermione, that's not… not just…" he cried out with indignation. "He was right! Don't you understand? With everything, he always told me the truth! Always! Everyone else always lies to me, but not he! I'm shocked, but he is the only one… Although if I don't want to hear it, or realise it, he always said the truth!" he exclaimed with so much desperation and such deep pain in his voice that my heart ached instantly. What had Harry seen or heard in Snape's memory that made him so upset? He seemed shaken, he seemed confused and desperate, and now tears ran down Harry's pale face and he sniffed, distraught.

"Harry, talk to me! What did you see? Take another sip, it warms you from the inside!" I requested and he did it; he drank and inhaled sharply, but the burning pain seemed to bring him back to his senses.

"I… I could watch, out on the grounds of Hogwarts! It was summer, the Marauders had just sat their O.W.L. exams and went to the lake. James, Sirius, Remus, and… and Peter were together and then… then Snape was there. You've never seen him like that, so young, so inconspicuous… more like Neville… Not the gloomy, fear-inspiring, powerful and dark figure. He sat under a tree at the lake and was reading a book… Well, they, James and Sirius, they started a fight with Snape, and well, alone he didn't have a chance, especially as they ambushed him, and…" Harry buried his head in his hands with no regard for his glasses and groaned in embarrassment. "... I'm soooo ashamed… I can't even say what I think about it! It's the worst… what they did, not even Malfoy ever did something comparable to me. No, not even Malfoy did something so… so… I don't know what word to use for that, but not even he ever humiliated a classmate that way," Harry told me completely unsettled, seeming more than rattled, and I listened in dismay.

"What, Harry, what did they do to Snape?" I asked worriedly.

"They hexed him with that one spell - Do you remember it? You used it on me during our duel - the Levicorpus, and what's worse is that he was dressed in wizard fashion and so his pants were exposed… It was so embarrassing and not the least bit funny or amusing, but the Marauders were losing it. Their words were so hurtful and they just wanted to rob him of his ability to talk back when she arrived, my mother. She defended him… though I thought she only made it worse and more humiliating for Snape. With a grimace made of hate, embarrassment, and helplessness, he screamed at her and called her a mudblood. I still can't wrap my head around it… I mean, yes, it's an insult and bad and all that… However… She looked at him icily and turned her back on him while he still hung in the air so humiliatingly, half-naked, and all the students gathered around in a crowd… She simply left! I would never do something like that. Who does that? I mean, Malfoy keeps saying that to you and you couldn't care less. I believe, the way you are helping Snape who's also never been nice to you, but always nasty, Malfoy could insult you as much as he wanted and you would stand by him in a situation like that, wouldn't you? I mean, that were special circumstances! Snape was out of his mind; I would have been, too!" He finished his rant breathlessly, sinking down on the couch in exhaustion and looking around in shock. I was horrified. So Snape had to suffer under the Marauders, oh dear. I was sorry for him but also for Harry, that he had been so harshly confronted with reality. I was terribly disappointed in Sirius, too, but I forbid myself to waste a thought on him.

"And… and the worst of it… Okay, I'm disappointed with my mother, I only ever hear of the great Gryffindor. I could feel Snape's feelings through the connection and there was so much desperation... But, but what upsets me so much ... My father was really like Snape has been claiming for years ... A nasty, conceited, arrogant and extremely boastful boy, who thought he was the king of Hogwarts, and he took it out on those weaker than him. I defended my fa… James for years in front of Snape, said that he is lying and my dad was a really great guy. I open my mouth self-righteously and don't even have the slightest idea what I'm talking about! I mean, I don't know anything about my parents! And he is right and must rightly ask, what an idiot I am," Harry sputtered in dismay. However, I fully understood him, because I too was a little or even very much disconcerted.

This realisation was terrible. How must this proud, withdrawn and gifted man have felt when Potter and Sirius showed him up like that? That was no joke, that was not funny, that was just abysmally evil and mean. Doing so in front of other students was despicable, and he was right, even Draco would still leave an opponent their dignity. Even if he hurt them or killed them, he would do it with style. Style was part of being a Slytherin!

"I mean, why are Sirius and Remus lying to me and telling me how great my parents were? That's what I ask you. Hagrid too. Everyone tells me what a funny, great and impressive bunch they had been. At Grimmauld Place, Sirius always attacks Snape verbally and Remus is also quite cold and dismissive. But I mean, why are they saying Snape is lying when I tell them he's been insulting James again? Why? Shouldn't they tell me that some of Snape's statements are true?!" he answered with rage, now ripping violently on his hair because of his accumulated feelings, I also couldn't understand that. It was bad and terrible and completely incomprehensible to me.

"Calm down. You are helping no one this way. What happened next?" I said softly, wanting to distract him from pulling out his hair.

"I… I was so horrified that I probably broke the spell myself? No idea and then I saw the professor lying unconsciously on the floor and registered the blood that had spread so rapidly, and then I remembered what you said about his injuries and, thanks to your education, I threw an Episkey at him quickly and in panic. I really don't know how I remembered that... And then I rushed to get you... And I still haven't got my head around it, too much happened too fast!" he stuttered, slightly panicky. That too much had happened too fast, I fully agreed with him there.

"That was good, you did well. It was the right decision to come and get me!" I complimented him and patted his shoulder.

"That… Were those the wounds he got from Moody, Tonks and the other Order member? They really wanted to kill him, didn't they? That is not good…" Harry said in a funny, undefinable tone. One thing I could say now, if this continued, it would be easy for me to tell Harry my truths. If it hadn't been so inappropriate, I would have smiled contentedly. He immediately shot his next question at me. "Why did you have to sew it? That looked so nasty, I'm still feeling queasy. How can you do that? You stood there like a warrior and sewed so confidently."

"So many questions? Snape told me that the spells that hit him were grey and dark curses, so they are hard to heal. That's why you have to sew, it's not nice but there are worse things. Skin is sometimes harder to repair than flesh and tissue. And, well, I always do what needs to be done. Luckily, I have a strong stomach!" I downplayed my achievements and saw how Harry was gulping down his glass when the pictures came back to his mind.

"I'm so whacked!" he murmured, exhausted, and slumped down.

"I'm sure you are. Lie down on the couch," I offered, got up, and pulled the blanket over him, which had laid folded at the end of the seat. "Sleep! I'm going over to Snape, he needs the next batch of potions and I don't want him moving too much!" I explained. Harry grabbed my hand, holding me back.

"Hermione, thanks… What would I do without you? I guess you were right about Snape! He really isn't the monster Ron thinks he is. My f… James isn't innocent of making him the man he is today. I'll have to rethink so much! Although, I don't think I can keep seeing him the way I used to ... When I saw him lying there, in his bed, I felt so sorry!" Harry empathetically acknowledged and looked at me uncomfortably with big, shocked eyes.

"For the love of the goddess, Harry, never say that out loud. Don't even think it! He would never thank you, never! Do you understand? He does not want your sympathy or understanding! He will go mad soon enough, because of what happened," I tried to take all illusions from Harry. He was not allowed to indulge in the dream or the wishful thinking that Snape was a nice, good or, heaven forbid, a friendly person.

"But I'll never again be able to see him the way I saw him before this happened. No matter how he behaves, that's my opinion!" Harry replied stubbornly. He could be so obstinate if he wanted to.

"It's good, Harry, sleep on it! I just meant that you should not expect him to treat you differently now. Most likely he is even meaner than before since you have seen behind the facade!" I pressed on, determined to present the situation as it was and prevent new complications.

"Mh-hm, yes, you're probably right! I think he can not help it anymore. However, I think that doesn't matter for it doesn't change anything. He never lied!" he whispered more and more softly, then he closed his tired eyes. Harry didn't seem to be able to endure much. But that he was mentally exhausted was not surprising. I mean, the realization that the reality of his parents, who, since he knew of them, had been put on a glorious, holy pedestal by all and everyone, was so very different, had to be a world-shattering revelation to Harry.

It must have affected him badly that his father, whom he evidently refused to continue to call by this title, as often as he had said 'James,' had been a man whom Harry would have despised and ignored or even opposed in his schooldays. It had to hurt him to face the fact that he wouldn't have liked James Potter, that they would never have become friends. All this knowledge had to sink in first because it didn't fit with his existing image of his perfect parents.

Poor Harry, he was spared nothing.

Snape seemed to have risen in his esteem. How would that develop? We would see. With that thought, I went back into the bedroom and to my patient.

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Next _week on When Hermione Fights:_  
 _Chapter 77, The Morning After and Past Events_

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 _Thank you all for your love and consideration!_

 _ **sjrodgers23:** I missed you last week. Welcome back!  
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 _ **gentledove2:** It is certainly a labour of love. I don't really want to count the hours of free time each week that I invest in this baby. But I love to give something back and share this great fic with the wider world, so I do it gladly. As to Snape, some very short answers: In the next ten chapters. He does. Badly.  
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	77. The Morning After and Past Events

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **The Morning After and Past Events**

Once again, I fell into my teacher's bed which I had left only yesterday, exhausted and tired, and looked at the sleeping, striking face of the otherwise so strict man. Once you had been struck, it was probably a vicious circle. Draco had confronted me in the restroom during the train ride, and thus set the beginning of our intimacy.

It was unfortunate that Harry unconsciously attacked Snape. I hoped he had no concussion. I hoped it would have been only a small blow to the head when he hit the wall and that the tearing and bursting sutures had led to the loss of his consciousness. We had to be lucky once in a while, right?

I adjusted my pillow again - yes, I already considered it mine - and laid my head on it. When it got too cold, I slipped underneath the cover. I glanced sideways and watched the constant rise and fall of Snape's chest. He would be fine soon. It was so annoying; on the other hand, I couldn't be too upset about it. Maybe that was the crucial path for Harry?

Harry, Harry; that had been really shocking and I thought it was good that he had learned this unvarnished and honest truth. It was never good to glorify other people. We were all human, made mistakes and were far from perfect.

It was good that Harry now knew that even his parents had been flawed people! Even his mother, about whom he had also complained that she had not acted properly in this exceptional situation. But as I said, whether he would accept my argument that we were all human and made mistakes? I didn't think so. Harry could be very stubborn in his opinions.

His right or wrong, he had very clear ideas about those. And as I said, this scene, which he had described to me, fell under wrong in Harry's opinion! Maybe Harry thought it was so bad because, until he came to Hogwarts, he had had a similar fate at the Muggle School? He had entrusted that to me in our first and second year because his cousin had made his life hell there and he said he knew that Neville and he were faring well with Malfoy's verbal attacks if he did reminiscent of this very brutal and defenseless time of his life. Harry was a child marked by violence, abuse and neglect through and through.

He had tried to tell me in a roundabout way that he was no stranger to physical violence and I knew from experience myself how vicious little children could be to their comrades, that shaped the rest of one's life.

An outsider like Snape, or even Harry and myself - yes, even at Hogwarts, we were not members of the crowd and stuck out of it like rare diamonds - to snub, humiliate, and embarrass such an outsider who'd never had it easy and hard enough every day anyway, to do such a thing to someone our age, that was a no-go for Harry, something he deeply despised, which was understandable.

Since this school year, not only Draco did hold back with hostility. He had begun to do so in our fourth year, after the shameful attack of the wrong Moody when the Defense professor had turned him into a ferret. But Harry, too, had outgrown the childishness and hadn't said a single nasty or venomous word to Draco since the start of the school year. The only one who made an occasional dumb comment was Ron but never Harry.

I… We just would have to wait and see how Harry would decide to deal with this new information. I was curious. The fact that Harry had taken care of the professor so touchingly had surprised me a little since I didn't know this side of him. But I had noticed that he was horrified to find out how severely Snape had been hurt. At least now he knew that I really hadn't lied to him about what had happened yesterday.

I could see that Harry was absolutely shocked and disgusted by the sight of the open chest and I also believe that he hadn't expected that I would have to sew. Where should he have guessed that from? He had never dealt with healing magic before. I dozed off over these thoughts.

When Snape began to toss and turn restlessly, I immediately awakened and examined everything conscientiously. I renewed all the healing processes, got up and went to the bathroom, where I freshened myself up. On my return to the bedroom, Harry stood over Snape, who was now sleeping soundly again thanks to the potion.

"Hello, Harry. Do you want to use the bathroom?" I asked good-humoured, pleased that the wounds seemed to heal really well.

"Mh-hm. Hi, Hermione. Yes… I mean, do you think I may?" he said very insecurely and gave me a worried look.

"No, probably not. But what he doesn't know won't hurt him, so be quick!" I showed myself unconcernedly cheekily and shrugged casually.

"I don't know. I mean, he will be angry enough about what happened!" he objected anxiously, looking worriedly down at the sleeper again.

"Don't make a fuss and hurry up. Here!" I demanded briskly, holding open the door for him, beckoning him through, and he stepped into the really extraordinary-looking bath with eyes wide open in astonishment. I hoped Draco wouldn't come back to see Snape today, I didn't want that meeting to occur just yet. It was enough when Snape and Harry clashed, I didn't need Harry and Draco to fight as well.

Knowing the professor was going to sleep for the next two hours, which would be good for him, I went into the living room and sat down on the couch.

"What wouldn't I give for a cup of coffee?" I mumbled to myself as it suddenly plopped next to me and I really had to suppress a violent twitch.

"Dobby!" I exclaimed, perplexed, and the little house-elf flapped excitedly with the big bat-like ears. Those horrible socks that he wore, and that absolutely didn't match, hurt my eyes.

"Miss! What is you doing in Professor Snape's rooms?" piped the high, piercing voice of the house elf and I was really surprised to have him pop in right next to me so suddenly.

"I, well, I… Harry, nice that you are already here!" I exclaimed and thought only: Phew, my rescue! If Harry was there, the house-elf would forget me.

"Dobby!" Harry shouted in delight, a gleam of joy settling over his tired features.

"Harry Potter, sir! What is you doing here if Dobby may ask, sir?" Dobby showed his pleasure and hurried to Harry's side.

"Dobby, don't call me 'sir' all the time. It's just 'Harry'!" Harry shook his hand dramatically.

"Thank you, Mister Harry Potter!" He squeaked in a shrill tone and I rolled my eyes.

"What are we doing here? We had to help the professor. Nothing bad. Why are you here?" Harry softly asked the small, overexcited creature, who couldn't hold still for a second.

"Someone here must has asked for something to eat or drink. Then always a house-elf will come!" the little guy explained business-like, wringing the clean tea towel that covered him.

"Oh, I wanted a coffee!" I spoke up and shrugged. I hadn't known that before. You never seemed to stop learning here in Hogwarts.

"If so, I'll take one too, please. And er, Dobby, please don't tell on us, that wouldn't be good!" Harry implored when he sat down on the sofa again next to me.

"Mister Harry Potter does not need to worry. Dobby will not tell anyone that the Miss and Mister Harry Potter, sir, has been in the rooms of Professor Snape!" the house-elf responded eagerly, nodding wildly with his head, and then he disappeared in haste.

"Phew, Harry, that was smart of you," I said with relief. He smiled mischievously. "But tell me, since when do you drink coffee? I thought you only like tea and chocolate?"

"I don't know. Today I have a thirst for coffee! I wanted to try it!" His reply came a little bashfully. He gave me a sidelong glance.

"Say, Harry… Is it possible that we are beating around the bush?" I asked provocatively. Now he looked at me directly and a small smile seemed to tug at his lips.

"That's possible, Hermione! I think I'm just not over it yet! All this ... having slept on Snape's couch and now sitting here and…" As if by magic, a tray appeared in front of us at that moment. Dobby also seemed to think we should eat something because he had added toast and various side dishes. "Wow, he is fast!"

"You are right. How do you like the coffee?" I wanted to know curiously. He had grabbed the cup and I knew people didn't like the first sip, it was too bitter for them, but after that, we were all caffeine junkies, weren't we? He smelled the beverage cautiously, then drank boldly and immediately grimaced with disgust.

"Uh, what's in it for you? That's bloody bitter."

"Here, take a splash of milk. You too will most likely become addicted now!" I prophesied to him. He just shouldn't listen to it, you all know about my nonexistent divination talent.

"How… how is he? … And did you actually sleep with him, next to him?" he wanted to know now, appearing uncomfortable. He swallowed visibly heavy.

"One thing after the other! It's alright. When he wakes up later and gets up it will be alright. He will be able to teach. Only this time I'm going to suggest that he goes easy for a day, then it should be forgotten quickly. What do we have magic for? Oh, your shield magic must have been really powerful, the way the sutures had burst, so be happy! You are strong…" It came off emotionlessly and Harry's mouth was open as I spoke for the first time to him as I did with Snape and the cottage connection, as I called Draco, Blaise and the Twins in my head. "...and for your next question… Well, should I have slept on the floor? It was good that I was there because he woke me up before I went to the bathroom. He was very restless and I noticed that it was time for the next potions, spells and salves. I really have no desire to see it ripped open again!" I justified myself angrily, glaring at Harry; I hated to justify myself.

"Wow, Hermione, you can honestly scare me if you behave so vigorously! I hope you know that. Do you?" he said quite flatly.

"Yes, all right. What are you thinking about the whole thing now and what are we going to do about Ron and the Gryffindors?" I wanted to know and sipped on my hot drink.

"What… What do I know…? I don't want to tell Ron, as I think the Professor would prefer if only the two of us knew and I want to respect his wishes. I owe that to him alone for calling him a liar for years and almost killing him! I don't care about the Gryffindors, we'll just stay silent!" he decided, while he showed a very unconventional profile. He stubbornly raised his chin, but determination was evident as well.

"Good, Harry, as you wish. Though what will we say to Ron?" I requested further and so far I liked what I heard.

"We say we spent the night in the Room of Requirement… If that's alright with you?" he wanted to know, questioning carefully, because that it would be accompanied by rumours that we had done more than sleep was somehow logical. I nodded gently.

"That's okay. What about Snape?" I shrugged indifferently and proceeded to the next problem. "What about the memory, what do you think?"

"I don't know yet, but you'll be the first to hear about it. What do you think? I still don't know what to think… As soon as I know I'll go to you. Is that okay? It's confusing me very much that everything is so different than what I expected. I don't know what to think of it. Give me time…" he asked overwhelmed, looking at me insecurely, cracking his fingers uneasily.

"I'll give you the freedom you need and hope that you understand me a bit better now?" Harry looked at me very seriously and just nodded to me. He didn't get to respond as we heard noises from the open bedroom door and immediately tensed and got up.

"Professor Snape, you woke up just at the right time!" I entered the room with pretended cheerfulness and was faced with a surly, ill-humoured look from deep black eyes.

"You unbearable woman! Do you not have your own bed here at Hogwarts? Do you have to terrorize me?" he snarled coldly. At least he was feeling well enough that he could start with insults right away.

"I don't know what you can remember. However, I think you should… love me!" I replied provocatively. I didn't want to see Harry's expression upon this nice and oh so friendly conversation. He stood in my back and was still hidden, and probably horrified to the bone about how we talked with each other.

"Professor, you should know that Harry is waiting behind the threshold!" I informed him quickly then, before he said something that would reveal too much, asking for Draco for example.

"What?! What is Potter doing in my chambers? Have you lost your mind? Oh, I forgot, you never owned one in the first place!" he swore like a trooper. Too much sleep seemed to give the good professor too much strength; maybe I should poke into his chest if he continued to annoy me, I thought nastily! I looked at him calmly, which seemed to infuriate him additionally because my legs did not shake in front of his ire.

"Professor, keep your blood from boiling. You lost too much of it yesterday and I think you hate it as well to be an invalid for even one additional day!" I told him and I loved that word. I was so mean and, goddess, did that do me good. _I can be vicious too, my dear._ He seemed briefly speechless, as he now cried out firmly and harshly:

"Potter, come in!" He was struggling to sit more upright and I climbed onto that much too big bed to help him. "Stop it! I'm not a toddler, Miss Granger!" he hissed, glaring at me. I gave him a reassuring smile but also an icy look.

"You aren't, sir, you are much too tall for that, but you behave like one!" I said silky, while I stuffed a pillow behind his back, conjured bandages and put everything in order when he briefly seemed struck dumb before he found his voice again.

"Miss Granger, I think you take too many liberties!" he thundered. I had gone deaf and now Harry stepped carefully to the bed and looked like a little schoolboy, hanging shoulders, hanging head; he looked as if he had taken a beating.

"And you, Potter, what did you get up to yesterday? I know you have seen memories that are none of your business! You impertinent brat!" Snape hissed in a low, threatening tone and seemed to want to kill Harry with his eyes. I wasn't impressed by his rant and continued to treat him, pulling on his shoulders until he sat more upright so that I could tie the bandage around his chest. He let me do as I liked while he took Harry to task, who weathered Snape's exquisite mood with a lowered head. I found Harry's tactic just right. _Keep it up, Harry, it'll drive him insane!_ I bit my cheek in an attempt not to laugh for Harry showed no reaction at all.

"Stand upright when I talk to you and not like a wet rag! Where is your respect? Don't they teach you anything in the lions' den? Or are you just learning how to roar nonsense?" he yelled now and noticed how Harry's body unconsciously tensed, he raised his shoulders, but his head stayed down. "What did you do when I lost consciousness after your attack?" Snape wanted to know now, miffed. Gosh, that was so good and impressive. He was sitting here in the bed, his upper body naked, only the bandage was wrapped around him and yet he dominated the situation totally and made us feel guilty about our shortcomings.

"I… I, sir, I got… help. I fetched Hermione, nothing more, sir!" stammered Harry, briefly overwhelmed, but then dared to say it after all. I could sense under my hands how the tension, which he had not shown on the outside, left Snape's muscles when he heard this good news for him.

"Apparently, once in your life, you used the brain cells that you still possess, though it may be a miserable few…" he snarled spitefully. Hooray, he was approaching top form. He seemed to be doing really well; I was glad. "Miss Granger," I now moved into the crushing focus. Oh no. I just finished work and was satisfied.

"Yes, sir?" Always polite, not that a vein burst and he got an aneurysm.

"How does it look like?" he asked briskly, to my astonishment.

"The truth? … Well, I would recommend staying in bed. Shh ... save your breath. I know that you won't do it, so I advise you to take it slow, not jerky movements. Actually, it has healed very well. Tomorrow morning, the wound should have closed completely, but Harry's shield magic was very strong. It really tore everything open again, that's why you lost a lot of blood. I would suggest that you take two Blood-replenishing Potions throughout the day, then you should have everything replenished! So nice and slow, sir!" I advised him seriously and finished my rapport. I now looked at Harry, who still refused to raise his head.

"Miss Granger, I do not know why you think you can talk to me like that. If I get up here, you should see that you make yourself scarce, do you understand? Otherwise, you will regret having challenged me!" he breathed coldly and although he was injured, I wouldn't put anything past him.

"Of course, sir!"

"And you, Mr Potter, can assume that I will not forget your insolence. I think Filch would still be too gentle and kind considering your offense! However, I think once a week should be appropriate, for the next month, so that you learn to master your temperament and how to be humble!"

"Yes, sir! As you wish, sir!" Harry spoke seriously and with a respect in his tone that amazed me. Snape too opened his eyes very wide, even if he otherwise maintained his cold mask.

"You two were here all night, Mr Potter?" Snape asked coolly.

"Yes, sir. But only Hermione was here with you, I was on the couch, sir!" Harry confessed quickly. _Oh oh, Harry, you'll give good old Snape a serious shock if you continue to show yourself so submissive._

"I hope I do not need to point out to you that if you even tell your conscience about the happenings of last night, you will then wish you had never been born!" Snape hissed very, very viciously and intently his sincere threat.

"I wish that often, sir. But I would also promise you with a vow that I will not tell anyone!" he offered, looking up after his first words and staring at Snape, and, upright, made his offer of keeping silent.

Snape didn't hesitate and cast the Credere Tacientiae, linking my name and his name with the secrecy spell that I had created. I didn't say anything which was probably for the better, otherwise, I would risk him wringing my neck. Harry blinked behind his round metal-rimmed glasses like an owl and looked taken by surprise. I, too, hadn't noticed Snape conjuring his wand.

"What, Potter? You have voluntarily agreed to remain silent! Or was it just casually said without thinking? With you Gryffindors, this is believed to happen often, that you speak first and think later!" the professor declared, indifferent to Harry's surprised appearance.

"Of course, sir, if you feel safer that way! And no, my offer was meant seriously and deliberately. I was just perplexed where your wand appeared from so quickly, I …" Harry had swiftly caught himself and was now explaining himself excessively, which tested Snape's patience and he interrupted Harry rudely.

"I wish you to leave now, we'll talk another time," Snape waved us away with his hand as if he were chasing away annoying flies.

"As you wish, sir!" Harry replied respectfully, turning away. However, when he was almost out, he turned around once more. "I wanted to apologise again, Professor." He waited for no reaction and, fortunately, he just went on briskly and so did not experience the total freezing of Snape.

"Well, sir, even if you don't like it, you seem to have made an impression on Harry... And do not look like that! No matter what punishments you impose on him now, he will not change his mind about you anytime soon. He can truly compete with your stubbornness." I advised him, and I could tell exactly how much I bugged him. "... Should I keep quiet to Draco as well?" I whispered softly now that Harry was waiting for me in the living room.

"Yes. My godson doesn't have to know everything," he determined, taking a firm look at me.

"As you wish, sir. Please take care of yourself!" I whispered, got up myself and left.

"Harry, come on, we should finish breakfast in the Great Hall before Ron and the others get even more suspicious!"

"Yes, sure, Hermione, you are right!"

I closed the door behind us and left Snape to his thoughts, which certainly included our death.

End of Hermione's POV

Snape's POV

Finally, the two plagues had left me to my own devices. I thanked the gods! Damn, I felt like I had been run over. That had not been a simple shield spell Potter had unconsciously used. Whenever that idiotic, dumb boy did such a thing, at least I was reminded why he should be able to stand up to the Dark Lord. One thing I had to concede to him, as much as I would have liked to deny it, his spells were strong and powerful, unfortunately!

Now I growled again. At least he had fetched Granger and not the old fool, or any of the other annoying teachers, or even worse, that impertinent nurse!

With the Accio, I called the Prohibitio Sorbitio, the forbidden potion, to me and took a deep breath. This was a brilliant invention of mine that I developed sixteen years ago, after much research. I would take it today after a very, very long time, exactly two drops. The last time I had taken this potion had been around fifteen years ago.

I used the potion very carefully and sparingly because its effect was resounding. The cure of the worst and most stubborn injuries began immediately and instantaneously, irrespective of their origin. The problem with such ingenious inventions was, firstly, the potion was highly addictive, and secondly, the more often one took it, the more the strength of its healing power lessened.

Well, after nearly fifteen years the effect should be satisfactory, so I measured the drops accurately and swallowed them and ahhhrrrg... I had forgotten that it felt like icy water shooting through the veins as if sharp, ice-cold needles stung me. I closed my eyes in agony and breathed flatly as I fell back onto the bed.

The healing process began instantly. I felt the rips sewn by Granger fully merge and grow together. Hence, I took off my bandages, unwrapped them and watched as my skin closed and regenerated. This had been one of my more ingenious inventions. I had to heal completely; my recovery was already taking much too long from my point of view. It was humiliating enough that Potter, thanks to these unfortunate circumstances, had been able to surprise me. I hated such frailty; I had not developed this potion for nothing. How had I made such a mistake? I was still annoyed about the clash with the Order.

Potter, the little cur. His father had been a nail in my coffin and his son was taking the same line. I groaned with suffering and closed my eyes in agony, sinking back into the pillows as I considered this. Potter, what should I think of this child with a hero syndrome? Whatever he thought, I had never understood what was going on in that frighteningly empty mind.

What was going on with Potter? Did he want to mock me with his perpetual 'sir'? He should try that! But something in those green eyes did not express the same mockery as usual. What had changed?

Potter seemed to take the memory seriously. It was one of my worst, for it was one of the most humiliating and the one with the most fatal consequences. The following weekend, in Hogsmeade, I had met with Lucius and finally sealed my fate. This young peacock was already twenty-one when I was fifteen, so he was in the thick of life. He had been 'happily' married to Narcissa for two years and had worked with his father Abraxas in the family empire, purposefully pursuing his own interests in the ministry on the side.

Thanks to the families Prince and Malfoy, we knew each other well and were closely related, but we had also been close friends for years, despite the age gap, as we two had realised very early that we shared the same interests. Magically, of course, but we also had the same sense of humour and Lucius saw in me something like a toy that he had to build up to give it more confidence. Also, I was mentally very precocious and could keep up. It has always been one of my gifts that I was more mature mind-wise.

My mother, Eileen, had married Tobias Snape, a Muggle, in an inexplicable lapse of taste. She had more than tainted the family honour of the Princes, she had terminated it and that was ... fatal. She was the last of the family and with her decision, she had been obliterated from the family tree. Her father had not immediately forced my mother to marry a pureblood after graduation. Something Grandmother Honoria had never forgiven him, for Eileen had gotten stupid ideas. She had practised her potions talent and married late and a Muggle for good measure.

A man that made me want to cast the Avada even now when I thought of him.

Despite the banishment of my mother, my grandmother showed great interest in me because I was the last in line, the only one left. Whatever mother had done, I was the heir and so my grandmother taught me the values and knowledge of the Purebloods, even though I was just a despicable Halfblood. Although Honoria did not see her daughter Eileen again in all her life, I spent the majority of the first seven and a half years of my life with Honoria Prince. After the first unintentional burst of my magic at the age of a few months, my mother had repeatedly and with increasing frequency packed me off to my grandmother. My dad had not liked me, the screaming toddler, and he could not be bothered with magic, so Mother had finally taken me away for my own protection.

It was not until Honoria died when I was eight years old that I had to persevere in my parents' household at Spinner's End for almost two years. What a punishment! Previously, I had only spent three or four months a year here, which had already given me a hard time. These memories of my early childhood were anything but nice, because here I experienced abuse, neglect and physical violence. I had barely been able to wait for Hogwarts! When I had finally attended Hogwarts, the situation at home had become increasingly unbearable. Fortunately, I only had had to go home during the holidays and even then I had only returned during the summer holidays. Father had become more and more brutal, vicious and drunken. I despised him for what he did to my mother, who put up with everything he did.

When she had suddenly and surprisingly passed away in my fourth year, I had been positively glad for her to leave this martyrdom behind as she would finally find peace and quiet. The holidays that summer had been a disaster of unimaginable proportions. We had hated each other fervently. Without the division provided by my mother, this had become dramatically visible and I had been exposed to his anger and brutality unprotected. Only then I had realised how much my mother had protected me! My father and I had clashed in such a way that no one went out of the fight unscathed. I had hurled myself to Lucius hurt like I had been, spending the rest of the holidays with him. No ten horses would have brought me back to this tyrant of a father.

Honoria had been a born Malfoy, Abraxas being her ten years younger brother and they had had - incredible but true - a close relationship, even though they had been Malfoys. When the mother of both had died in childbirth, Honoria had taken on the role of mother for Abraxas and with that, they had gotten very close, so I had been welcome in Malfoy Manor during the time I had spent with Honoria and had visited often.

Lucius had seen in me, the boy five years younger, the brother that his mother had never given him and so we had become close friends. He had clearly shown this to me when, at only thirteen, he had given me the honour of becoming his best man. Because, as he had said, unfortunately only I could keep up with his intelligence and brilliance and I just could not outperform him, since I was younger. Luckily, Narcissa and he had gotten married at Christmas, so it had been no problem for me to go to the Manor with him and tell my parents I would stay at school. My vicious father would never have agreed with that, and mother, no matter how much she had loved me, had never been able to stand up to Tobias Snape.

Well, that explained our intimate relationship. As fate would have it, I had met Lucius in Hogsmeade the weekend after the humiliation by Potter. When he had seen my anger and resentment, he had said, even though I was still young, almost too young, I would be ready to take the next step. Therefore, he had told me about the Dark Lord, his goals but also about his followers and he had revealed his Dark Mark to me.

I had been surprised. But when he had told me that Abraxas, who had attended school with the Lord, was a marked follower himself, my interest had been more than awakened. Lucius had suggested that in the next few weeks, until the holidays when I would come to the Manor, I should decide if I wanted an audience with the Dark Lord. He would make it possible for me. When I had discreetly pointed out that I did not know if I could come since I had to go back to my despised father and would only be able to escape after I had been beaten black again to seek protection with the Malfoys. Then Lucius had just laughed coldly and had said that I should not worry, he would take care of his 'little brother'. I do not like to say it, but I had been glad to hear that there were people who liked me and wanted to take care of me.

On the last day of school before the holidays, I had received an owl that brought a white parchment with a mourning ribbon along the edges to the breakfast table of Slytherin. I have never felt such deep inner joy and satisfaction in my life as on this day when I received the news that my father had died. I had been so happy, it was like a load accumulated over decades fell off my shoulders. Finally, I had been free and would no longer need to suffer under this man, who had already soured the too short life of my mother. How he had died had not interested me at all. In the years to come Lucius had told me casually that he had taken care of it. I had only nodded then. When I had gotten my inheritance I had learned all about it, but that had not happened until years later.

The second owl that had sailed for me on that day had been from the Ministry, informing me that Abraxas would be my guardian and administer my Muggle inheritance as he had been managing the Princes' inheritance since the death of Honoria, and I would be able to claim the inheritance upon my majority. Well, all this had not really affected me.

Thus I had boarded the train in high spirits and relaxed for the first time since I had started attending Hogwarts, having escaped the subjugation to my father, and went on vacation as a free person. I had enjoyed this short time of freedom. When I had returned via the Hogwarts Express at the end of the vacation, I had already traded this freedom for another bond of servitude. The hasty and erroneous decisions of the youth!

For on Malfoy Manor I had received my audience and had been able to enthral the Dark Lord with my knowledge and ability. Oh yes, I was a very gifted wizard and potions brewer. So he had sent me through hard physical and mental training sessions, and although I had been the youngest participant, I had beaten everyone, which had earned me the undivided attention of the Lord. I had chosen to do more for myself and my body since the humiliation by Potter and Black, and since that incident, I had been working hard to conquer my body with my will. At the end of the holidays, you had been able to see the first, impressive successes.

Though that had changed nothing and everything at the same time. The Lord had made an exception for me and on the last day I had spent at the Manor, he had deigned to mark me. He had burned the Dark Mark into my flesh and had made me the youngest existing Death Eater at the tender age of fifteen since I had not been sixteen until the ninth of January.

Oh, and I had felt great! I had arrived at Hogwarts as a completely new person. I had changed not just physically. Thanks to the Malfoys I had been clad in smart, noble and expensive clothes, which my father had never granted me, although we had not been poor. But he had been an old scrooge. I had not wanted anything conspicuous; I had already found then, according to my style, noble fabrics in simple black appropriate for me because I had always preferred to linger in dark corners. Also, I had radiated a new, until then unrecognized self-confidence. I had become even more aware of myself during the training of my magical power and strength and so I behaved then, always in the background but still confidently.

My previous uncertainty had completely fallen away from me. I also had devoted myself completely and thoroughly to the darkness, the black magic and its lure. This had been my declared goal from then on and I had also communicated that unconsciously. Where some had avoided me before for being the crazy swot, they avoided me afterwards because they feared the darkness, which I brought with me, which had been alright with me. I had not been a philanthropist, never had been, never would be.

In my sixth year, I learned a lot. Finally, after Black's last idiotic act, when he had told me how to get past the Whomping Willow, so that I could follow Lupin, and I had actually taken up the chase, while that jerk of Potter was thinking he needed to protect and save me from the mad creature, I had only hated this twit all the more. After all, I could have killed the werewolf.

I had committed my first murder at Christmas in my last school year. For the first time, I had cast the unforgivable Killing Curse and had felt good. So, slowly, but steadily, I had become the dangerous man I was today. Even Potter and his cohorts had withdrawn more and more and had no longer tried to annoy me or humiliate me after I had not been intimidated by them having a werewolf in their ranks. Rather, they had feared that I could betray them to the press and the Ministry. They had treated me with disregard in our last year. It had been alright with me, and it had seemed that at that time Potter had only one thing in mind anyway: to indulge his love for Lily Evans.

Lily Evans, Lily Potter!

Here I interrupted my mental trip down memory lane brusquely and stood up with determination. You should not rake up the past too much. I walked resolutely to the door. I would take care of Potter one way or another, I decided.

End of Snape's POV

* * *

 _Next week on When Hermione Fights:_

 _Chapter 78, The Sneak_

 _Review feedback:_

 ** _Sinner:_** _Will anybody_ _ever know truly everything about Hermione? We will see!_


	78. The Sneak

_I apologise that there was no new chapter last week. There were many reasons, but let's just call it a heat break._

Chapter beta: Dani. What would I do without you?

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **The Sneak**

When Harry and I entered the Great Hall, it suddenly became quieter as the entire Gryffindor table fell silent, which usually contributed greatly to the overall volume in the Hall. If a table, especially our table, went completely silent, well, then it became quite quiet in the Great Hall.

We attracted everyone's attention. More and more heads went up in the air because of this unusualness. Above all, Harry and I were aware of the lion's dissecting gazes. Suddenly, to my surprise, which I knew how to hide through a blank mask, Harry put an arm around my waist, hugged me tightly and pulled me close. I looked at his so close face and he whispered:

"Play along!"

And suddenly he bridged the short distance between our lips, put his mouth to my lips and kissed me. This action silenced the Hall completely. Only the clank of falling cutlery, the startled breaths and a few shocked shouts were still ringing as Harry kissed me like this at the entrance to the Great Hall in front of the whole school.

Okay, I didn't do anything. I didn't really return that kiss that made me feel nothing, but neither was I pushing him away as he intensified his efforts. I tilted my head slightly to make it easier for him since I already knew what he wanted to achieve: that everyone thought we were having our fun yesterday when we didn't return to our common room. And for Snape's sake and for Harry's sake, I would do anything to make the story believable and to avoid probing questions. Let the students think what they wanted to think. Draco was something different. His fury would be terrible to behold.

Now Harry broke away and put his forehead against mine, whispering apologetically with a visibly bad conscience: "Thanks for playing along. It was a spontaneous idea. Sorry, that came to me when they all stared like that!"

"I thought so," I admitted and was not feeling any anger towards him. Then, with a laugh, I broke away from him, resolutely taking his hand in mine, and pulled him to the table where Fred and George made space for us while Ron stared as if he had seen a ghost.

"Hey man, mate. Congrats! You caught a real hottie there!" he was praised, while Fred clapped his back proudly. George looked at me with a raised, questioning eyebrow and I shook my head slightly and he exhaled with relief, then grinned openly and cheekily to Draco and shook his head. I had watched this communication and made out Draco's cold and rigid mask and now looked at him slightly apologetically, which made his elegantly curved eyebrow rise in reproach. However, he had understood George's message and mine, and had noticed the strange behaviour of the Gryffindors and was now calmer, sitting back a bit more relaxed.

"Uhm, thanks, Fred!" the answer came timidly from Harry and he ruffled through his dishevelled hair.

"Since when?!" Ron voice was unnaturally high and cracking. "Since when, Harry?!" The question got more insistent and Ron's head increasingly red. Ginny had jumped up from her place further down the table, looking frantic, and was hurrying towards us with a deep blush on her cheeks.

"Hermione, what are you thinking throwing yourself at Harry? You know Ron's got a crush on you!" she exclaimed indignantly and loudly in the still very quiet Hall. "And Harry, I ... I thought you didn't see anything special in Hermione!" Her shrieking, agitated voice echoed from the high walls of the Great Hall. It was always nice when we were able to contribute to the excitement and entertainment at Hogwarts. Our relationship drama took place before the eyes of the whole student body, wonderful.

"Ginny, please stop screaming!" Harry requested resignedly and looked up, annoyed.

"No, Harry, I'm interested as well. Constantly you talk about Hermione being like a sister to you and now that… I even let her into your bed, supported you with that and everything!" Ron declared loudly and with outrage. Many sucked in air at the last part and started to whisper again. It left me cold and I looked around with my head raised high. If they thought I was a slut - well, I wouldn't tell them how right they were with that assessment.

"Would you stop it, Ronald? This is nobody's business but our own!" I fixed my hard gaze on Ron with an angry spark in my eyes.

"Tut! Afraid to tarnish your reputation as a goody two shoes, Hermione?" Ginny asked sarcastically. She glared at me fiercely, her red, long hair wafting around her upset head. I ventured a look at the Slytherin table and noticed that everyone was watching us with great excitement. Draco, too, but now he had a more amused expression on his face. George's open negation seemed to have reassured him completely.

At Ginny's maliciousness, Harry slammed his flat hand on the table and made all the low whispering and chattering stop abruptly.

"Ginny, stop insulting Hermione right now! What's the issue? I don't understand your problem. Are you upset about Ron? I think I can sort that out with him! Are you upset that I kissed Hermione? I'm sorry to draw your attention to it, but that's none of your business! It's my private life and besides ... you have a boyfriend!" he pointed out very sharply, looking pretty pissed.

"No more…! Harry, Michael and I broke up, you must have heard that!" Ginny yelled agitatedly, visibly upset that Harry seemingly hadn't noticed, wringing her hands. Everyone watched the drama very closely so as not to miss anything, even the two teachers who were still there because all the others had already finished their breakfast.

"Why?" Simply this one irritated word, spoken so curtly, so disinterested, could destroy a girl. I heard a dry, heartless laugh and knew without looking that it had been Draco and when I looked, I saw his amusement. He liked how Harry had just revealed his disinterest to Ginny. I think if it were not Harry, he would have even lowered himself and applauded him.

"Because I've seen your looks, Harry!" she said very confidently and I grabbed the drink served to me by Fred and wished for something stronger even at this early hour. The drama was unbearable. I was ashamed of Ginny. It was a wonder that she wasn't even slightly embarrassed, to say the least.

"Ginny, I don't know what looks you saw, but there was nothing… no looks, no nothing!" Harry stated seriously, shaking his head apologetically.

"Maybe that comes from your glasses, Harry, the sealing," Fred was laughing tears. They, the Twins, could be so mean to their siblings and reaped uncomprehending glances by some lions over Fred's vicious amusement about the tragic fate of his sister being publicly brushed off.

"Very funny, you jokester! Ginny, if I've given you false hopes by 'looks', I apologise!" That was Harry! Always so honourable.

"Yes, but what about Ron?" Ginny stammered in a flat voice. She made a completely stunned face but wasn't ready to give up. "... everyone knows that he and Hermione belong together!" I thought I had misheard and here my control over my facial features actually slipped. I looked up, shocked. The Twins nearly succumbed to a heart condition, they laughed so hard, and that laughter echoed all the louder, dirtier, and more devilishly from the ceiling for being the only sound in the room. Even the snakes struggled to maintain the expressionless masks.

Ron and I? Could there be something more distasteful?

"Please, come on! Which planet do you come from? The idiot who's almost a squib and a blood traitor too? I have almost more respect for the Mudblood! The two are as much a mismatch as you and Potter!" Draco had now raised his sardonic voice, which sounded even more viciously in the quiet environment, as he announced his mockery of Ginny to the Great Hall. His possessiveness must have taken over after all and his sparkling grey eyes were fixed on me.

"Ginny, you can't force feelings!" Harry ignored Draco's throw-in expertly and looked at Ginny very intensively now, taking her hand into his own, wanting to appease her.

"Harry, don't you want to rebuke Malfoy?" Ron interrupted Harry brusquely and was visibly upset.

"Um, why?" Harry stared at Ron in bewilderment, released Ginny's hand, and turned back to Ron.

"Because of what he said!" Ron blared now and almost jumped off the bench in his anger. "First of all, that Hermione and I don't fit together and then he insulted us! He called her that name again …" The tension in the hall was almost palpable. It was worth seeing the best friends arguing like that.

"Ron… First, I agree with him. I'm sorry to tell you that, but I think you and Hermione have never been a good match…" His proclamation led to a collective gasp and Draco, too, looked puzzled for a moment. "...and now don't start screaming! You hate books, she loves books. She loves learning, you hate learning. You love Quidditch, she hates Quidditch and flying. Now tell me, what are your similarities?" Harry said harshly and provocatively, making Ron speechless, who looked at him dumbfounded with his mouth open. "...And his insults? I don't even hear them anymore. What did the potty mouth say this time?" he asked visibly irritated, making clear that he had ignored the 'Mudblood', as I had been doing for years. Since Ron was only staring at Harry with his mouth wide open and his expression shocked, I was so free to interject.

"He called Ron an idiot and a squib and me a Mudblood!" I listed dutifully and earned startled looks when I spoke the swear word so casually. Many had breathed in sharply. Please, the gasping in perpetuity annoyed me. Were they all affected with asthma all of a sudden?

"Aha, Ron ... So you're certainly not an idiot. You are very smart, you beat me in chess every time! You're a wizard who successfully performs a lot of spells, remember the terrier…? So you're not a squib! What should I say to Malfoy now? Bad, bad Slytherin? You insulted Ron, stop it? He wouldn't do that, he is too stubborn for that!" Harry responded to Ron. Draco still seemed to be having a great time. "...And regarding Hermione. Well, she is a Mudblood!" Collective shocked inhaling and gasping set in. Many seemed downright outraged. But I only nodded. "She has long since resigned herself to him calling her that and is ignoring it. I would not do her any favour by reacting to Malfoy's spitefulness and escalating it further. That would be a battle fought on Hermione's back!" Man, I got scared. Harry was developing fast, I liked that. "If his insults bounce off her, then it should bounce off me all the more, and I should take an example of her behaviour, standing above it!"

Ron said nothing in reaction to that, but he didn't seem hungry anymore and I drank greedily again while George whispered to me:

"You should take care of your blondie! You should have seen his face when you pulled off this show with Harry. By the way, quite credible, that. Only our poor little brother still has to get over your loss!" He chuckled viciously.

"Oh, George, don't say that. He should be happy that he doesn't have to put up with our most beautiful here. I think she would have flattened him in a day. Although I don't like to admit it, she needs a different caliber! Maybe she should put us on the shortlist after all," Fred shook his head sympathetically as his sarcasm got the better of him.

"I don't know how to tell you guys, but I don't fancy redheads. It has never been an option!" I declared nastily and not the least bit cattily to the Twins who stared at me in indignation in return.

"Ahh, you know how to tear a man's heart out!" Fred shouted theatrically, then mimed dramatically ripping his heart out of his chest, and sobbed. "That was really not nice, bear in mind that we are redheaded!"

"I think that's why she rubbed it in. Man, that hurts, that was not nice!" George complained while giving me a piteous look.

"Who said that I'm nice?" I asked pragmatically, shaking my head over the two morons.

"Ouch! You're in a good mood today, just like Harry. Didn't you have a pleasant night? Oh, look, the white one is leaving. So, go make an exit, beautiful!" He slapped my thigh to punctuate his prompt and grinned wickedly.

"Harry, I'll go already. Will you get our stuff from the Tower?"

"Yes, sure, will do… Ron, do you want to accompany me? I think the two of us should talk in private... " he asked, turning to his speechless best friend, who looked deeply hurt.

I hurried out of the Great Hall, making sure no one pursued me, and scurried back into the darkness of the dungeons.

"Draco!" I jumped into the dark corner and embraced him passionately. He closed his arms possessively around me, hugged me close, buried his face in my hair and I pressed mine to his strong chest.

"Are you going to tell me why the lions made such a fuss and you felt the need to pull off a show like that? Now I can't even kiss you because those adorable lips stuck to Potter's ugly dinghies!" he replied with disgust, lifting my chin to look down at me reproachfully.

"I'd much rather hear whether the show was good and then whether it was believable!" I smiled cheekily.

"Mh-hm, both! Even though I would like to punch my fist into his face. However, if you had to be credible, it was enough. None of them knows how passionate you really are, because under these aspects nobody who really knows you would buy it," he explained and - aha! - I understood, apparently, I was more active on a normal day. I had to smile about it. "So, what was the occasion for this unworthy drama?"

"Yesterday we had bad trouble in the common room. There were problems between Harry and Snape! He fetched me and the way that happened didn't please the Lions!" I explained in a roundabout way.

"Oh, when do the two of them don't have 'problems'?" Draco groaned sufferingly. "But why are the Gryffindors acting so strange. I don't understand."

"Yesss. That sums up quite well what's going on between Harry and Snape, but unfortunately, the professor has requested my silence. However, the whole thing was so volatile that Harry fetched me from the common room and, well, the Gryffindors are crossed with us both because of attention-whoring and the like. Since Harry doesn't even want to tell Ron about Snape - and can't - he had that idea of avoiding stupid questions by pretending that we had been together overnight - which we were not - and he wanted to solidify that impression with the performance earlier!" I justified our action, while Draco listened to me without interrupting me.

"Clever, very Slytherin of him, not facing the griping of your House. Now they are so distracted - it _is_ much more interesting - that they forget your behaviour yesterday. I wouldn't have thought him capable of so much cunning!" Draco was really impressed.

"You won't pester me about Snape?" I asked in disbelief.

"No, better not. I think Severus probably said something like, 'My godson does not have to know everything' and if he did... if he doesn't want me to know, it shouldn't concern me! Hence I accept his decision!" He rolled his eyes and kissed my brow. "And how was Potter's kiss?"

"Not at all. I didn't feel anything and we just put our lips together so nothing dramatic!" I shrugged and wrapped my arms around Draco's hip.

"Just make sure he doesn't change his mind someday because one thing should be clear: I may be ready to overlook him, but I won't accept it should he forget himself and cross certain boundaries!" he threatened a little bit dangerously. I found him too cute.

"No, no worries. I will give him no reason to want to cross those boundaries! I promise… That reminds me that Easter is in a week. Are you going to leave Hogwarts?"

"If I do, then on short notice! ...But so I'm wondering what's going on with Potter, considering how he just acted in the hall. This is not the same guy who until recently has stumbled around like a blind donkey. And I'm not talking about the kiss! Mind you, it was the first time I ever saw Potter exchange a kiss with a girl. His behaviour towards the weasels was... harsh. The tiny redhead seemed to be quite persistent, but that he also gave his bosom friend a piece of his mind... Marvellous, I haven't enjoyed myself so much for a long time!" He smirked diabolically. When the ringing of the bell sounded through the school corridors, he pulled me close again and kissed my forehead very lovingly and I moaned in response.

"Yes, I have to say that was something to behold. Harry is growing up, Draco! But come, we have to go. We have Umbridge next!" I said quickly and we started on our way. We parted before we reached the classroom.

Guesses and rumours whirred through the castle, almost shaking the school. Harry and Hermione, the friends who became a couple, that was the dominant theme. Only a minor matter managed to find mention as well. At least Harry found it much more interesting than us and our nonbeing. Today he had had his very first lesson with Firenze, the centaur.

He and Ron were very excited, although Ron showed some distance, especially towards me. The male friendship seemed to be stronger after all. Apparently, talking things out between the two of them had been enough to make them make up again, but alright, it should suit me for Harry's sake.

All eyes were fixed on us, but we ignored them skillfully and so I listened intently to what they had to tell.

So both of them told me that Firenze had been viciously expelled from his herd when it became known that he had talked to Dumbledore and considered taking over the Divination class. He took advantage of this opportunity, as he had almost no other option left and he would otherwise have to survive alone in the forest, which would have been an impossibility considering the dangers lurking there. Especially for him, Dumbledore had made a huge classroom on the ground floor that looked like a forest clearing, with a meadow and trees and all the trimmings. The lessons took place on the floor at the hooves of the teacher.

However, what I heard didn't make me doubt my resolve to have renounced the subject, as the centaur taught star gazing and its interpretation the centaur way. So, Ron told the whole lunch table, the magical world was currently only on a break between two wars. Oh really, I wondered perplexed, I didn't have to stare into the sky and look at the constellation of the stars for that. What did I say? All nonsense, whether from Trelawney or the centaurs!

The girls raved about the look of the half-man. The centaur had long, light blond hair, a striking face and intriguing blue eyes. His naked, impressive torso, which merged into a magnificent Palomino body. The all-beautiful golden coat, with the silvery white mane. Despite all the gushing, there was an unexpected quarrel between Lav and Pav and Firenze, who dismissed the astrological predictions of personal fortunes that Professor Trelawney had taught as human superstition, bringing tears of rage to the eyes of the two girls. Phew, man, could somebody shoot me? That hurt! But who had ever said that the thought processes of airheads didn't cause me any headaches?

Harry beamed at me now with amusement and told me that the best was still to come and that this would be a pleasure for me, which made me listen curiously. The centaur had stated that they, the centaur community, firmly believed that we, the humans, were incapable of recognizing the signs of the future and thus taught the pitiful students that had the luck, or rather the misfortune, to attend this subject to always doubt divinations and prophecies. Hallelujah!

I say it: Take the subject from the lesson plan! It's misleading people, especially since the centaurs in my opinion just saw the obvious as well! Oh, what a nonsense.

Harry excused himself and left the Hall. A short time later, my coin and also those of the other members suddenly became hot and so I made my way to a spontaneous meeting of the DA.

Only I wasn't supposed to come that far, because on the third floor my coin began to heat again and suddenly I heard a voice from a corridor calling softly for me. Confused, I followed it into a dark, windowless hallway and encountered a figure with very light hair, which looked at me slightly worried.

"Draco, what's up? Did you activate the Galleon?" I enquired, walking up to him.

"Your cover has been blown! You were betrayed. I hope the Twins understand the message and keep the others from your squad away! Blaise is also on the way and putting obstacles in the path of everyone of your group that he finds…" he whispered quickly and furiously, taking me by the arms and holding me tightly.

"Who?" I breathed angrily, my eyes narrowed to slits.

"A Ravenclaw girl. No idea about the name of the traitor… Umbridge has blown your cover. She, the traitor, could only say that the DA exists and that the meeting is taking place on the seventh floor, then she turned silent and something happened to her face. It wasn't pretty!" he said in disgust, but quickly.

"Damn, Harry is already up there!" I shouted agitatedly and Draco shrugged in apology.

"It just happened. I immediately disappeared from her office to intercept you! What is that noise?" Draco suddenly asked, pricking his ears. We glanced cautiously around the corner and could see Harry getting escorted by Umbridge and Filch to Dumbledore's second-floor office entrance.

The smug, triumphant face of the old hag was unbearable, but Harry had raised his chin determinedly and had a straight posture. He didn't appear truly worried. Rightly so, Harry! I crossed my fingers for him. It seemed like Draco's action had helped and the Twins and Blaise had all been able to warn the others, preventing worse. We had been lucky for once.

"Thank you, Draco. The toad has him now and I won't be able to help Harry! I have an idea!" I murmured to Draco and, with my white wand now drawn, I aimed at my shoes and spoke the Sonus Ex and then I pointed the wand at myself and became invisible in front of Draco.

"Hermione, darling, what are you up to?" he said, concerned, and looked at the spot where I had been visible until a few seconds ago.

"Shsh, Draco… I'm about to do something forbidden…" I breathed lasciviously and joyfully into his ear, as I had sneaked up to him silently. I'd say the spells were all working as they should for he jumped in alarm as my hot breath brushed his skin.

"Great, you can never let anything be. Will you tell me what you are planning to do?"

"I have to be quick. Can't you guess it? But I'll do it alone, that works best. That's how I'm used to it. Look what happens… Keep the toad out of my hair and if she's done with Harry and Dumbledore, activate the coin!" I demanded quickly and kissed him, which startled him slightly as he couldn't see me.

"You are impossible! Take care of yourself. And have fun!" Draco whispered, and I was glad and grateful for his confidence, which he apparently had in my abilities and my decisions, and that he did not question what I intended to do. I silently sped along the corridors.

I was glad that he obviously realised that I liked what I did, that I enjoyed it and that I liked it. Few men would stand there so calmly, wishing their girlfriends a lot of fun for what I was about to do. I really liked Draco for that, because he probably suspected quite well what illegal activities I was about to commit.

I scurried to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, which was also on the third floor and was adjoined by Umbridge's office. I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity that presented itself to me, and I was in the right mood to break in. When I went too long without it always started to itch dangerously.

The empty classroom lay deserted, only the dark brown, wooden desks lined up in the stone-walled, grey-looking room whose gloomy atmosphere was softened only by the large windows that let in a lot of light. I walked purposefully to the small spiral staircase that ended in a gallery and housed the door that led to the professor's office.

I applied one tracking charm after the next as I approached the door cautiously, breaking Umbridge's curses and spells one after another. I had to remember them all, and then put them back in later. Then a smirk escaped me and I whispered, "Dolores, Dolores, who would have thought you had it in you?" The fat bitch had a Black locking spell on her door as a last failsafe. But what can I say, it was as always shockingly simple. I would have a lot more problems to open the door with a lockpick but so it swung noiselessly into the room and revealed to me ... For heaven's' sake, I would prefer a torture chamber! I almost had a stroke!

Poor Harry! Had he had to spend his many detentions in that pink candy box? At the sight, it surprised me that he still had all his senses together. He had never mentioned what it looked like in here. Maybe an unconscious protective mechanism to hide from the horror? Pink and rosé were the predominant colours and gave me a shock for life in terms of colours. I frowned in disgust, a grimace on my invisible face, checked the room for safety, and when I realised that there were no spells left in place, I entered and closed the door.

The room was awful. On the walls hung wall plates with moving cats of every breed. They even made sounds and meowed non-stop. Well, that would drive me crazy. Maybe that explained the madness of Umbridge? There were lace doilies everywhere. From the windows, one had a good view over the grounds of the school. You could make out the lake and the Quidditch field, but this magnificent view was ruined by voluminous, pink lace flouncing. It was just hideous; the true little girl hell, unequivocally hideous... Maybe you should give Snape a detention here, I thought with vicious irony and then called myself resolutely to order. I wasn't here for fun.

I hurried toward her baroque-style desk, which stood in the middle of the room and was meticulously kept in order. Krass, the toad was pedantic! Even the quills and parchments were arranged in exact, straight lines.

But how does the saying go? Pride goes before a fall. She was so ignorant and had foregone any protective measures inside her room. How stupid of her, but she seemed to think that no one would be able to overcome her protective spells at the door. I mean, hello, that was nothing! Did I sweat? No! Had I had to make an effort? No!

 _Okay, my dear Hermione, do not become over-confident now,_ I reminded myself; _reflect and think everything through_ and so I still did a few checks before I started to open the drawers.

Mh-mh, no, school records. Interesting what she thought about me and everyone else in general, but not what I was after for now. Next, please! The lower right drawer was locked, a little unlocking spell and voilà. Nice when someone was so tidy, that sped up the search for relevant information very much.

I pulled out the big file labelled Fudge and sat on her soft plush seat, ugh. I got a quick overview of the entries. She seemed to monitor her revered boss minutely. Oh, Lucius, did you have to stick so much money up the ass of this brain-crazed idiot? Over the years, as I noticed, a considerable sum had accumulated on Lucius' side alone... Mh-hm, Fudge had also received some 'donations' from others. Many names were listed here. What? The Prophet paid for interviews? Since when? The association of Fudge and the Prophet seemed to go very deep, but I wanted to keep searching. So I spoke a duplicating charm and held a copy of the file in my hand, which I quickly reduced in size and stashed away in my invisible cloak. I swiftly continued my search. Fudge was really nothing but power-hungry and money-hungry, I thought slightly distracted when I paused. I knew that name.

Rufus Scrimgeour, of whom I had once read in the Prophet. Here was written exactly ... he was the Head of the Auror Department. Oh well, he had an extramarital relationship with Edgecombe and she worked in the Floo Network Authority of the Ministry of Magic. Great! And Umbridge knew something like that about the Head Auror, just great! But now my brain was working at full speed.

Draco had said that a Ravenclaw had blown the whistle on us, and let's face it, it wasn't Cho. Even though she looked like she would start to spew fire in the Great Hall after Harry's and my performance at breakfast today, she would never betray all members of the DA. But with these insights in my hands, her best friend probably had nothing keeping her back anymore, now that Harry was finally off the market, and she had to protect herself and her mother. I could imagine that Umbridge, the old extortionist, had rubbed her mother's relationship under Marietta's nose and that it would be overlooked if she revealed some secrets. The date when this info had been received was from the day before yesterday, so several unfortunate circumstances came together. I copied this file carefully, too.

Because of these new insights, perhaps, should this drama end reasonably mild for Harry, I would lower myself to give her her voice again. Wasn't I a goody-goody? She didn't deserve it, but I didn't want to be like that! But the scarred pimples that carved the word SNEAK on her forehead, I wouldn't remove and so she would be reminded of her traitorous act for the rest of her life and no makeup, or anything else, could mask this blemish or hide it. I was, if I wanted, brilliant and as I said, I wasn't nice, had never been actually!

Oh, what was that? Percy? What did she have from Percy? I was about to reach for the file as the coin got hot on my skin. Shit, she was coming back! What would I be without Draco? And so I got up and made everything appear as it had been before. The drawer closed and I was already out the door and quickly rebuilt the wards. I didn't want the toad to know she was not as smart as she thought.

I hurried and scurried down the spiral staircase, enjoying the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I jumped behind the teacher's desk more than I walked and stayed on my knees on the floor, roughly covering my mouth with my hands to keep any sound from escaping while I heard her clacking heels enter the classroom, echoing on the floor. Phhhew, that had been really close. My heart pounded against my chest.

"An impudence... against... the ministry... against Fudge... that senile old... They'll be surprised... impossible... terrible Potter!" From my hiding place, I listened to her slightly crazy mumbling, occasionally interrupted by a high giggle, until she stood in front of her door and opened it.

"Oh, my babies, Mommy is home. She is now the Headmistress of Hogwarts. You're moving, my darlings!" she cooed in a horribly high, sickly-sweet voice. Shit, I had to get to Harry. What had happened to Dumbledore? Was she now headmistress? If the lunatic now became the head of the school, that would be unbearable. Where was a murdering Death Eater if you needed one? Right, not here, unfortunately!

I got up from my aching knees - ouch, the rough stone floor was not the best for my bare knees, I had scratched them open slightly - and slipped out the door unnoticed. The blood still rushed in my ears. I looked left and right for a moment and then quickly cancelled the spells that lay on top of me and showed a contented face. Too bad that my time had been limited, but better than nothing. Although I would still be interested in that information about Percy. Pity!

Unfortunately, I didn't meet Draco again. The castle seemed deserted and so I reached our common room, which was bursting at the seams and in which a great chaos reigned, as the rumours rushed through the castle with lightning speed.

Harry was sitting on the couch with Ron, looking like a picture of misery, and I went to my worn out knees in front of the couch as I put my arms on Harry's thigh, able to discern from his lowered head that he was blaming himself for whatever!

"Hermione, there you are!" Ron groaned in relief. "Have you heard already? Dumbledore is gone!" Ron had apparently forgotten or forgiven our argument in the morning, he was sometimes quite simply like that, looking at me with big eyes anxiously.

"Wait, Ron!" I drew my school wand and warded ourselves against the audience. Harry had not responded yet and just kept his head down.

"So, Harry, tell us. You were on the seventh floor and then?" I nudged him encouragingly. Now he looked up at me with sad eyes but also very desperately. Then he cleared his throat and began hoarsely:

"Yes, I was. I heard noises outside the door and so I went out and there some Slytherins overwhelmed me. Luckily, there was only a storeroom behind the door when they entered, but the mirror with the DA parchment was still in there, for whatever reason. Filch gave it to the Bitch and then they dragged me to Dumbledore. Luckily none of the DA was already there…" he whispered quietly.

"Well, in Dumbledore's office were McGonagall, Fudge, Percy and, and two Aurors ... I knew Shacklebolt from Grimmauld Place and a ... wait ... Dawlish, that's right! I mean, I was totally steamrollered!" He stuttered. I nodded, I could understand that.

"But then I saw a girl standing in a dark corner, Cho's friend!" he spat in disdain and looked wildly around. "She looked very frightened and the toad then pulled her into the middle of the room, but she couldn't say anything and cried her eyes out. Best of all, there was a completely ugly, scarred, pimple-strewn script on her forehead! Sneak. And ... and a question, was that your work, Hermione?" Harry now tilted his head and studied me carefully.

"Yes, these were my safety spells. Because of them, everyone had to sign the contract. If I don't give her her voice back she will never speak again!" I declared visibly proud and saw how Harry's eyes grew big and he frowned.

"What? You can't do that!" Ron shouted in shock.

"She would have earned it!" Harry and I said at the same time, which made us both smile amicably. We threw ourselves understanding looks because we were both angry with the sneak.

"You don't mean that!" Ron looked horrified, his big blue eyes wide open.

"No, Ron. Don't get upset. At the end of the school year, when the teachers and healers have given up, I'll give her her voice back on the train, gracious as I am. However, she has to be punished!" I stated, hard and uncompromising.

"But… what about her face?" Ron continued to stutter, horrified.

"You mean the word 'sneak'? With that she will have to learn to live, there is nothing against it. The healers won't be able to help her and there is no way to cover it. I warned everyone back then. Insistently, I pointed this out and Ron, I'm so sorry, it was her decision to betray us, now she has to live with the consequences! There must also be an incentive to remain silent for the others; I point subtly to McLaggen and Smith!" I was tough and showed a determined face.

"That's pretty hard to disfigure someone like that, Hermione, I hope you know that!" Ron showed his sympathetic side, but I shrugged and turned to Harry. Ron had too many moral concerns that I didn't have and that were alien to me.

"What do you think?"

"What, about Marietta? Hm, she has nobody to blame but herself. She won't get any sympathy from me. I'm so mad, I think it's still too little!" Harry hissed furiously.

"But…" Ron started again when Harry ignored him and just kept talking.

"Wait, Ron. Hear me out and decide afterwards!" Harry requested and Ron nodded slowly in reply. "...So, Umbridge persisted in saying that Marietta should answer with a nod or a shake of her head. That was pretty strange because she covered us now, and didn't react at all. But then I saw how concentrated Shacklebolt looked and I figured he was working magic... When the toad realised that she wouldn't get any more answers, McGonagall took care of the girl! Then the Bitch started to spread her evidence before Fudge. Woah, I thought, I would be sick... Firstly, someone overheard us in the Hog's Head, then she pulled out the parchment with the DA heading and waved it around and now comes the worst…" Harry described and his cheeks were bright red.

"Don't keep us on tenterhooks, Harry!" Ron whinged.

"Hm, yeah, yeah… Dumbledore said that the 'D' stands for 'Dumbledore' and the 'A' for 'army' and that he and not I wanted to start a student army this evening. That was unreal! Fudge and the toad couldn't get over their joy and the Minister said that Dumbledore was under arrest until his trial for inciting against the Ministry. When he gave the order, Dumbledore only casually asked whether Fudge thought he was going to let himself be arrested so easily and then unleashed a massive, magical explosion. Suddenly, there was dust all around and everything was devastated. It went lightning fast! With a swish from him, all of them collapsed, stunned. It's really wicked, what level of power Dumbledore has! Then he quickly told me and McGonagall that he was going to work underground, and then the most frightening thing happened. He declared that I should continue learning Occlumency, as that was important, and I would learn the reason later, and when he touched me, I wanted to bite him again, especially as I was angry about another cryptic message from him. And then he got out of there, grabbed the tail feather of Fawkes, and with a jet of flame, he was gone," Harry told me, quite pragmatically and without emotion, while I had listened with interest.

"Dumbledore is gone!" Ron visibly swallowed hard about this final revelation.

"Yes, Umbridge is now Headmistress and it's my fault!" Harry whined tonelessly and lowered his head again.

"Nonsense! If, then I'm to blame, I instigated the DA and got you to lead it. But it would have happened either way, sooner or later, so fuck it!" Harry just gave us a tormented look, but I thought it was true. The toad had been working all the time with the goal to replace Dumbledore.

"Ey, mate. She is right. The Bitch worked on it all the time and we've at least learned something from you!" Ron agreed with me and, to my astonishment, put my thoughts into words.

We were interrupted when a big black owl bore down on me. I was startled and looked at the window that had been opened by Colin. What? The wards kept us completely isolated from our environment, which I also found better when I became aware of the glares. Was it only my fault that our stand in Gryffindor seemed to be getting more difficult each day?

Uh-oh!

"What's that, Hermione? Who writes to you at that hour?" Ron asked curiously and Harry, too, looked at me questioningly, when the owl started to leave and sailed away. I held the letter in my hand as if it was on fire, shrugged, and tried to distract the two of them from my post.

"Harry, how are you by now?" I said, worried.

"Actually pretty good, even if I don't know exactly how it will go from here, but I think, I or we cannot change anything about the whole thing!" he groaned, taking off his glasses and rubbing his tired eyes.

"That's right and I'm glad you see it that way too. It's best you're invisible from now on. I'm serious, don't mess with Umbridge anymore, please! No detentions…" I implored him urgently and stroked his knee reassuringly.

"Yes, Harry. Don't start another fight with the fat toad. She's going to make our lives hell right now!" Ron agreed enthusiastically.

"Harry, and that with the biting of Dumbledore: Do me the favour and meditate today; try to clear your mind and keep it clear!"

"What? Are not you going to sleep with Harry and us in the boy's dorm today?" Ron teased me mockingly and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Are you over it? I really like you, Ron, just not as...!" I looked at him hopefully, but also apologetically.

"Let it be, Hermione. Harry is right, it was a crazy idea. I mean, you look really good ... A man can get stupid ideas. But Harry's hint with the similarities, that opened my eyes! He was right about that!" He showed himself very mature. Apparently, the events in our fourth year had left their marks on him as well and his knowledge of how much the friendship with Harry meant to him and that we both had no similarities… Well, everybody could see that.

"And besides, as a smart boy, you already know a replacement for me, right?" I was the one to wiggle my eyebrows now playfully, laughing all the while.

"Who?" Harry asked, looking up.

"Say, Harry, are you blind?" I enquired and Ron laughed merrily.

"Yes, when he takes his glasses off…!" Ron stated, his laughter turning dirty, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Lav, Harry, um… I mean, Lavender…" I explained and waved over my shoulder where Gryffindor's girlie connection was gathered, gossiping, giggling and just chatting silly nonsense.

"Really… Lavender fancies Ron?" Harry had opened his eyes and I rolled mine. How could one show oneself so ignorant?

"Yes. And look at Ron, he's trying to compete with his hair, so I suppose he's already noticed!" Upon my words, Ron rubbed his red cheeks.

"What? Never, Hermione. What are you saying?"

I laughed out loud. "Good luck Ron, I'll keep my fingers crossed!"

"Um, me too, of course. Have fun with her. Please excuse me, it was a long night and the day wasn't any better!" Harry got up, looking exhausted, and stroked my hair.

"Then I'll go too. Good night, guys!" I kissed both goodnight. I was relieved that at least between our Trio unity was restored and rushed to my bedroom.

As I walked up the stairs, my fake smile left my face and it darkened considerably. When I approached my bed and tore open the envelope, my expression didn't get any happier reading the contents and so I released a depressed groan.

Snape was expecting Minna during the Easter holidays...

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	79. Hogwarts' Headmistress

Chapter beta: the one and only Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy & Sophie (my co-translator is back, yay!)

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 **Hogwarts' Headmistress**

That night I laid in bed for a long time and planned. Technically, I was not allowed to leave the castle during the holidays, but now Snape wanted to meet Minna to... Well, I didn't have to go into that just yet. Thus I would schedule all my errands around this excursion, that much was clear! I wouldn't inform Draco. As I had said, he had not addressed this topic for weeks and he didn't seem to want to know, so why tell him? No, I couldn't, it was already hard enough for me. Though how could I get out of this unharmed? I hoped my ointment worked on the mark... Argh! I rolled back and forth uneasily in my bed; today I wouldn't find any peace of mind.

By now I knew Snape better, not only could I see the evil professor that lived in the dungeons but also, incredible as it was, family in him, thanks to Draco. I was not aware yet how I could survive the encounter in one piece, but I was reinforcing my heart and mind to do it already. I tried to convince myself. It's just work. Do it and then put it behind you You can do it, Hermione, you're cold and calculating enough for it. Exactly, if I said this mantra often enough, then I'd, for sure, believe it soon!

Grit your teeth and get on with it! It was .. it would be a fast number. Yeah, right, it worked, really fantastic, the mind was a great thing! That was meant ironically; the irony dripped downright out of my thoughts. I lay down on my stomach and screamed my frustration into my pillow. It was unbearable. I had been expecting a letter of that kind for weeks, and when I had held it in my hands I could not and did not want to be able to contemplate it.

Luckily, I had been able to turn Ron's and Harry's interest away from the letter.

Oh well, my not yet silenced conscience had decided to come back after a long absence and deprived me of my well-deserved sleep, great. Professor, why did you decide to call upon Minna at this time? I was wondering to myself with slight annoyance.

Also, the files I had stolen from Umbridge were still occupying my thought. My mood increased minimally. I loved it when I was successful but even that didn't cheer me up fully.

Finally, I gave up, annoyed, and got up to prepare for our daily run. Armed with a book, I took up camp downstairs in the common room to wait for Harry. I didn't have to wait long. The slight bags under his eyes showed that he, too, had had a truly restful night.

We didn't speak; we found solace in our common silence. It gave us a lot and did us good, more so than if we had chewed each other's ears off and I understood that he had a lot to think about, just like me.

When the three of us entered the Great Hall again as a unit, almost everyone looked up immediately, still hoping for a continuation of yesterday's soap opera. But we just took a seat, began to eat, and gradually the other students also turned their attention towards their own food, disappointed that we were getting along again and demonstrated unity. The everyday gossip bubbled up because now it was time to dissect the story around Marietta, Dumbledore, and Umbridge.

As the new Educational Decree No. 28 appeared everywhere, informing the students that Professor Umbridge had been appointed Headmaster, it led to indignant and angry opinions being voiced, which were expressed louder in some places and quieter in others. Everyone was shocked, downright unsettled and so the events of yesterday went from mouth to mouth at lightspeed.

I could hear the loud, curious conversation between Lav, Pav, and Padma, who was just saying that it was somehow related to her Housemate Marietta, who had been in the infirmary since yesterday. It caused a lot of excitement and I really couldn't resist a nasty, vicious grin.

Just then little Dennis Creevey skidded through the hall and stopped everywhere, at Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, finally scurrying up and down our table as well, stopping near to us.

"Did you hear? It's so cool! The pink monster can't get into the headmaster's office! The gargoyle refuses to let her in. This is so wicked! She's standing in front of the office with her box and screaming like a wild banshee. She gave up, Colin is taking pictures!"

It bubbled out of the small, bright boy and he continued on. Soon he got stopped by some Slytherins who wanted to know what he had to tell. They were interested in the information and brought it to Draco, who had not stirred once. As a matter of fact, it was incredibly difficult to look at how he kept court while his lackeys brought the despatch.

"Hey, Hermione…" Fred flopped down next to me and I looked at him invitingly. "Did you notice that a Slytherin girl can't take her eyes off our hero?"

I frowned at this information reluctantly and shook my head, but I did not raise my eyes to search the table of snakes. I had myself too much under control for something like that.

"No. Who?" I whispered back and looked into the so carefree-looking face of Fred.

"She's in your year level. Seated near Dra… Malfoy and Co. Brunette, really pretty, well built, not like the pug face or as beefy as the other black-haired one." He too spoke softly. I thought I could discern from Fred's flattering description that he meant Parkinson and Bullstrode, who would fall under 'ugly.'

"I think you mean Greengrass. Yes, she's pretty. Find out what she's up to. But only talk to B ... Zabini, the other one would probably be annoyed with such questions... And you are sure that you didn't misjudge or are imagining something?" I enquired and got an exaggerated rolling of his brown, sardonically gleaming eyes in return.

"Please! Her eyes are glittering since he licked your face yesterday!" Fred leered. "But it was just too inspirational. We had our fun yesterday as well!" He wiggled his eyebrows and smiled happily. Did I want to know that?

"Then tell me what pieces of information you can find!"

"Of course, boss. As you order, most beautiful! Now we are still curious; what do you have to say about the toad?" he wanted to know confidentially.

"What do you think? I get the cold horror. Spread the truth that Dumbledore easily overwhelmed her, Fudge, and two Aurors; harm her reputation!" I planned my little revenge. The letter I would send today would not be to Fudge's and Umbridge's liking at all and make sure that the events in the professor's office and the total failure of the Ministry people were portrayed and made public. Well, I wouldn't do Dumbledore a favour, but when had he done any for us?

I was curious and wanted to give him this chance to show me what he could do in the 'underground' and how his strategy looked like against the Dark Lord, but also against Fudge, now that he was able to act more freely because his post was already lost.

"I think George and I will even go one step further. You know everything is up and waiting for us to get out of here! So we decided to go all out. We're going to mix up the school in a way Hogwarts has never seen before. Forget the Marauders, it'll be fun! And the best advertisement we could wish for our company!" he prophesied eagerly, smiling ominously from ear to ear

"You want to get expelled?! … How original!" I now showed my teeth and had to suppress the urge to tremble very hard, as I already saw the horror in red these jokers would unleash on us coming towards me. Good that they warned me, I would be everywhere where they weren't. But I agreed with them; should they drive the toad mad. If anyone could do it, it would be the Red Devils.

"I think with this reaction you could paralyze Gryffindor again, most beautiful, do you know that?" He rubbed his hands viciously, in malicious anticipation.

"Well, I'm not as many think I am. But I wish you much pleasure and fun while you practice your expulsion. On a completely different topic: How is Ginny? I'm a bit sorry for her and your laughing at her! Isn't she becoming a bit obsessed?" I played with my cup.

"Oh, Ginny is Ginny! She was and still is the baby of the family. She always got everything she wanted, even clothes. Mum bent herself dangerously so that Ginny always got everything she desired! And now she's been desiring Harry for years. But really, our little sister is not an angel, truly not! We have lived with her for years and she definitely is not angelic, she's rather more of a devil. She has a thick skin! Hello, I mean, she has six brothers! I don't think that you have to pity Ginny. She knows what she wants and wants to get hold of it by all means. But honestly, she's similar to Mum and maybe that's why I fancy hem hem... someone special, but I wouldn't wish Mum on anybody, really. I don't think that Harry deserves that; he needs someone else! Ginny will get over it!" He shrugged indifferently. "If you want to worry about anyone, worry yourself with Ron, his skin is much thinner and he has more insecurities!"

"Yes, if you say so, then I am reassured. And I do; I'm about to set him up with Lav!" I said long-drawn, which led to Fred getting a full-blown laugh attack.

"Are you coming, Hermione?" Ron called me over the heads of our Housemates.

"Oh, I'm already sorry for you, what you will have to endure when they start living out their love!" Fred croaked out, but I had to go now, anyway. However, I understood very well why he laughed so much.

"Sorry, Fred." I waved to him, hurrying after Ron and Harry, who were chatting with Ernie.

Just before I caught up with them at the portal, Slytherins jumped into our path and Pansy pointedly stood in front of Harry.

"What did I just heard? Are you bad-mouthing the new headmistress?" Pansy squealed in excitement, her plump cheeks reddening unfavorably.

"Out of the way, Parkinson! Put your pug nose into your own affairs," Ron snarled, straightening up so that he towered over her.

"If I were you, I would pay attention to the words directed to a member of the Inquisitorial Squad!" she fervently announced, patting her chest pompously, on which a badge with an ornate, silver 'I' marked her new position. The other Slytherin pack standing behind her laughed loudly when they caught sight of the surprised expressions of the three boys. What a pity that the snakes didn't know that I was Abraxina; that would be a glorious scene. Draco was clearly rubbing off on me, I grumbled, because Pansy, I was sure, would throw herself on the floor in front of me, pleading that I shouldn't harm her. Oh ... the mental picture was wonderful! But unfortunately, it wasn't feasible at this time, so I silently joined the group and observed the situation.

"And what I heard is a disrespect to the new leader of Hogwarts, so I will deduct twenty points from each of you!" Pansy spoke very smugly, her arms crossed over her chest, and glared at the boys.

"What, what… Come again?" All three of them shouted indignantly at the same time.

"You understood correctly!" She showed a cutting grin.

"You can't do that. Ernie and I, we are Prefects!" Ron said matter-of-factly and pointed to his own chest, on which the plaque was pinned.

"Oh, you're really too stupid to pick it up, Weasel. The Inquisitorial Squad outranks the Prefects!" Bullstrode now hissed maliciously and seemed to relish in her new position.

Thus the snakes, gleefully laughing over the shocked-faced boys, passed by and waved derogatorily.

The terror regime of the pink monster at Hogwarts had begun. The mood was lousy, the teachers looked like they had all been chewing on Dumbledore's lemon drops and now they had stomach acid. They were doing everything they could to avoid appearing too cooperative.

Snape, who was flying through the corridors of the castle, whose bulging robes fluttered ominously behind him, and who had already spread a fearful mood previously, showed what it meant when he was apparently in a bad mood. Unbelievable but true, he seemed to have been in a really good mood the last four years. Now that the difference was so clearly visualised, everyone fervently wished the old Snape back.

McGonagall, who could never have been considered particularly warm-hearted until then, showed what coldness really meant. She was able to compete with the good-humored Snape, which unfortunately did not exist anymore, and her mouth was permanently pressed into a firm line. She was as strict as never before.

The other teachers, too, showed only stolid, reluctant expressions, while the students flitted and crept through the school, afraid of the Inquisitorial Squad, which had now opened the hunt on everything and everyone. Umbridge's blood feather was in constant use. Despite the beginning of spring, it had become very dark at Hogwarts.

One lunchtime Harry received a written request from a Slytherin asking him to appear for tea with the new Headmistress.

"Blimey. What does she want from you, Harry?" Ron asked morosely, scratching his arm distractedly.

"Harry, it says 'for tea'! Please don't drink or eat anything she's going to serve you!" I advised him urgently.

"You think she'll try to slip me something?" Harry enquired, immediately wary. He wouldn't put anything past her.

"She would certainly be capable of that, so be careful!"

"Don't fret. I may not be as smart as you, my dear, but I've seen through that too. She couldn't have been less subtle!" He snorted contemptuously, looking at the 'invitation' with unspeakable reluctance.

"Don't underestimate her! Who said that this woman is smart? She's just mean and vicious and that's sometimes even more dangerous!" I tried to explain to him my point of view, that you always had to be careful.

"Man, Harry, if that's what I hear - just take care of yourself!" Ron looked at him imploringly. His concern was reflected in his blue eyes.

"Sure, I'll do. Thanks for caring. Then I'll get going!" Harry left as enthusiastically as if he was going to his own funeral and went to our beloved toad. At least she'd been forced to relocate back to her classroom office because she was still denied access to the headmaster's office, which had to mean that Hogwarts too didn't recognise her as a legitimate successor. Ron and I looked after him worriedly, but Ron soon turned to Lav and Pav to distract himself and started chatting with them about all and sundry.

"What did we hear there, beautiful?" The red fiends squeezed themselves into the bench next to me, grinning like the devils they were.

"Yeah, that sounded like Harry is going to the hell of the cats!" Fred said laconically, but also seriously.

"Unfortunately, and she wants to drink tea! I'll dare a shot into the dark and venture a guess... Veritaserum? What do you think, my little Red Devils?" I pulled the whole thing into ridicule, which was not ridiculous but highly dangerous. Although the serum did not always work to one hundred percent, Harry was not part of the category that could do anything about it.

"You are probably right. Rumour has it that at the moment all those who are summoned by her, and are stupid enough to take something from the hand of this... this hag, chat a lot!" George said seriously, and one could only marvel at how much they knew and how well they played the grapevine.

"That's not good, but Harry won't accept anything from her, and she won't like it." I deliberated, thoughtfully biting my lower lip once again.

"Quite right. Do you trust us?" George raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"Absolutely, you know that!" I quickly admitted, conjuring a truly scary grin on their identical faces.

"Well, grab Ron now and herd as many Gryffindors as you can find into the tower. We'll have our Geminio doubles sleeping in the common room, so give us five minutes before you come in with the whole lion pride!" he requested, now all business.

"What are you going to do? Stop, stop! Forget the question, you'll do it!" I said quickly, picking up my hair.

"Cool. You'll like it. Bye!"

I let three minutes pass and then ambushed Ron.

"Ron, gather as many Gryffindors as you find. Everybody needs to get into the tower as fast as possible!" I urged him hurriedly.

"Why?"

"Don't ask, you'll see. Help me!" I demanded with a conspiratorial expression. He blinked at me for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders indifferently, got up, and helped me get a large crowd of lions to go to the tower.

As we entered, I saw Lee watching the Twins sleeping in a corner, and I noticed him giving me a cheeky wink. Ah, it seemed like Lee was privy to whatever was about to go down.

Everyone asked excitedly why they all had to come here and Ron looked at me with the same question in his eyes. However, before even a word could be exchanged, we suddenly heard a loud bang at a volume that shook the foundations of the castle. Hell, what were the crazy Twins doing? It sounded like cannon thunder! Did they want to raze Hogwarts to the ground?

The common room was filled with the panicky shrieks of girls clinging anxiously to each other and even many boys looked around fearfully. I stood in the middle of the room like a rooted tree. Yes, really, with everyone running around like frightened chickens, my total immobility stood out in stark contrast. But really, I did not know what the twins were doing, but just a bit of noise was no reason give yourself to such an embarrassing behaviour.

"Hermione, what's happening?" Ron asked me in a high pitched voice, looking at me with fearfully wide, open eyes. Not being brave at all.

"Nothing too bad, just calm down everybody!" I tried being pragmatic but I really could have just stayed silent for all the good it did.

"Come on, let's go and take a look!" called a visibly excited Dean. I gladly let them because I was curious myself and followed after them. Gathering in the Common Room had just been for an alibi for most of us and we had it now.

It was unbelievable! When we left our protective tower, total and absolute chaos prevailed. There were constant explosions, noise, and quakes; it was overwhelming, gigantic! But it stank pitifully of smoke and ashes. As we descended, we were greeted by loud firecrackers, some of which came dangerously close to us and required an abrupt dodge. Some of the students would have fallen down the moving stairs if the higher years hadn't been so far-sighted as to use protective spells against that.

When we arrived at the main staircase, we experienced a riot of colours and sounds. The Twins had unleashed truly gigantic fireworks: Dragons formed out of sparks, their size scarily life-like, chasing students; huge fire wheels setting fire to everything they touched - students helped the younger years by quenching them with water jets from their wands - sparklers which self-ignited and wrote swear words of the worst kind into the air... Hey, I mean, they were so resourceful, you could learn something from them. Many of the words even I did not know.

I suspected that thanks to the defensive spells that lay on the castle, the effect and number of fireworks increased disproportionately and therefore it was almost unstoppable.

I truly laughed when I saw the toad rushing through the school with disheveled, scorched, tangled hair and in a costume singed at the edges like a brainless, frightened hen. She looked sweaty and out of breath, and with black stripes of soot on her face. She didn't really look like she could master the situation.

The twins were brilliant, such amazing inventors; their ideas were incredible. I was simply overwhelmed by the skillful timing and the perfect implementation. I took my hat off to their inventiveness, being delighted to watch how Umbridge scurried around making the chaos even worse by trying to contain it while screaming for the other teachers to help.

Professor Flitwick declined with thanks, pointing out that he had a lumbago and was not allowed to move too much and, above all, too fast, and McGonagall said that, magically, unfortunately, she was too untalented to stop such complex magic. A big compliment to the Twins.

Snape was and remained missing, also a valid tactic. Did I ever say that I admired this man? He stoically held the position in the dungeons, which were strangely excluded from the bombardment. I could already imagine why. Fred and George certainly did not want to challenge their torturer, who hammered discipline into them every Sunday and face an even more acidic Snape. I congratulated them on this foresight because he was already unbearable. Pestered with such a nuisance, he would take revenge and then the two wouldn't be able to move once again and so they left him, clever as they were, wisely in peace.

When I noticed Harry walking towards us smirking playfully I knew our little project 'save Harry' had been a great success. Words weren't needed when I sent him a similarly mischievous smile.

In the evening, Fred and George were found innocent after a thorough interrogation by McGonagall and checking all of our whereabouts. Consequently, the two were frenetically celebrated as the initiators and inventors of the spectacular fireworks, but not prosecuted. They had achieved what they had hoped for: there was a volley of pre-orders from all the houses. I stress the 'all'. We here in the Tower could almost have been confused with the owlery. It was not surprising that the fireworks boxes proved to be a bestseller.

Even though Umbridge suspected the Twins she didn't have a ground to summon them. McGonagall already had done all the interrogations and everybody had testified that the Twins had been in their tower. Such a pity.

While Harry seemed to be in a trance-like, thoughtful state, Ron flirted with the girls. It looked like he tried to become a second Sirius. I wasn't serious about that.

I utilised the celebration and general inattention to make myself scarce. For a short moment, I straightened my black cloak before I entered and also disturbed a social gathering down here. This time I saw Draco immediately, who was enthroned in his broad armchair, holding court and everyone was hanging from his lips.

I was still angry that this whole house was terrorising me with its inquisitorial shit. If they knew who I was, they would not dare to do so, hence I looked around contemptuously, which unfortunately no one noticed.

When I realised that the little Greengrass girl was sitting on the couch right next to Draco's armchair, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity and take a closer look and stepped closer to the group. In the meantime, my appearance was no longer regarded as spectacular, because if you ignored me, nothing happened to you. Who said snakes were not smart?

Thus, I arrived without attracting much attention, as I purposefully walked over to the brunette, long-and-smooth-haired girl with a billowing cloak. The group around Draco didn't have time to react before my hand darted forward, grabbing the little girl's chin and raising her face so that I could look into her green-blue, relatively pretty eyes.

"Ahhh…" she exclaimed anxiously and surprised but didn't dare to move when I manhandled her like that. Her eyes expressed her worry without knowing what this was about.

"Darling, what are you doing here? Not that I'm not elated!" Draco showed himself unaffected by my surprise attack on the girl.

"Draco!" I greeted him without paying attention to him. Blaise, who was sitting in the other armchair, said nothing at all, probably thinking that I was difficult to judge right now. Blaise was always too amusing in his calculating, rather cunning way, and so he held himself back gracefully. But now I wanted to take care of the little girl whose first name was still unknown to me.

"What's your name?" I asked harshly.

"Darling, you aren't jealous that Daphne is sitting here, are you? I mean, that's not like you!" Draco wanted to know in a controlled, calm tone since he too could only wonder what I wanted from her.

"Draco, please, do you want to insult me?" I asked, piqued. In the meantime, I could see into Daphne's frozen, fear-stricken eyes. I turned her head now back and forth and examined her profile. I had never consciously noticed this really very attractive girl because she was calm and discreet. Next to the lumps Parkinson and Bullstrode, who always pushed themselves into the foreground, she got overlooked.

I could feel Draco getting uneasy in my back.

"Draco, it's about something different. I don't accuse you of anything!" Meanwhile, thanks to my action, we had returned to the spotlight. "Daphne it is… Hm-hm. Leave us alone! Get lost, Nott and the others too! Draco, put up the wards, I want to talk to Daphne!" I announced sweetly but also very briskly.

"What about Blaise?" Draco asked, starting to cast the wards. The rest of the group had quickly fled to the other side of the generous common room from where there were watching us curiously.

"He stays!" I decided. Although I couldn't see it, I heard Blaise falling back into his armchair.

When Draco had finished, the Malfoy required and demanded attention. Malfoys tolerated disregard very badly.

I released my victims face and she immediately tried to make herself as small as possible on the couch, whimpering timidly. Then I turned around and sat down on right beside her.

"May I now ask what you wanted to achieve with this dramatic performance?" he asked presumptuously.

"As if you don't appreciate a show like this, you, the drama queen par excellence!" Blaise dared to laugh at my dry manner which earned him an angry glare from Draco.

"What? She is right, Draco!" Blaise chuckled, amused but stifled, and shot Daphne a reassuring glance and that tipped me off that he had already spoken to the Twins and knew what I wanted from her.

"So, Daphne, you are a Greengrass. Tell me about your family!" I demanded jovially, very friendly and the small, frightened deer blinked at me with wide eyes and then at Draco and he only nodded at her encouragingly before he looked at me, interested.

"Why…?" she asked, perplex.

"Do what you're told to do!" Draco hissed impatiently and she winced visibly trying to make herself small again.

"Of course, I am sorry! I'm fifteen years old and I have a sister who is two years younger, Astoria…" she stuttered insecurely, not knowing where exactly to start.

"What, where?" I interrupted her and Blaise pointed out someone in my back. I turned around in interest and spotted a small, pale, inconspicuous but attractive brunette girl in the mass of Slytherins, watching us cautiously. She wrung her hands nervously, keeping a concerned eye on us. She seemed to be visibly worried for her sister, which was quite uncommon for a Slytherin since they didn't really believe in showing their emotions openly.

"Hm, what's bothering me about the picture you sister is making?" I asked predatorily and noticed the fear reflected in her eyes.

"What? Astoria didn't do anything!" she exclaimed in indignation. Ah, so there was temperament under this beautiful shell.

"Now you show it as well!" She showed me a mask of incomprehension when I tried to explain myself.

"Gee, girl, since when do snakes worry about others? And show it openly on top of it?" I shook my head in disbelief.

"Oh! Oh, well… Our mother died ten years ago and Father remarried. The new lady wishes not to be bothered. Astoria means a lot to me…" she tried to justify herself. Even though I didn't show it to her, I thought it was good that she cared for and was concerned for her sister and that she also had an interest in her, that was nice.

"And you to her! Look at the little one. Cute, isn't she?" I wanted to rile her up.

"Leave your fingers off of her!" she hissed suddenly at me, with steel in her eyes. Respect, little girl. But when I didn't make a move and she could only stare into the darkness of my hood, her temperament seemed to extinguish just as quickly as it had sparked up. She seemed to be surprised about her own courage and whispered with a shaking voice: "Please, don't harm her!" But still, she tried to withstand my gaze.

"Why should I? She didn't do anything to me!" I stated neutrally and saw that Daphne seemed to calm down a bit. Blaise and Draco were just listening attentively to our conversation.

"Ah, well, moving on… What does your father do for a living?" I enquired.

"Merchandise of all kinds, on a large scale, that's what the Greengrass family has been doing for decades!" She readily provided the requested information. She had a very nice voice.

"So you are rich?"

"No idea!" She looked at me with an honest expression.

"They are. They are wealthy!" Draco interjected in her stead and drank from his teacup. I gratefully nodded to him under my hood while Daphne looked at him in disbelief. He seemed to know more than she did. Should that surprise me? No, Malfoys knew such things, and the girls of the pureblood families were less involved in the business concerns of their families.

"Is your father a Death Eater?" I wanted to know and the little girl gasped and froze completely, not twitching a muscle. I always say 'little girl' but she was as tall as I was when she was standing, and not daintier than me. However, thanks to my training I would be able to crush the 'little girl' next to me like a grape between my fingers.

She stayed silent and I waited, tapping my knee with my fingers impatiently.

"Answer her, Daphne!" Draco ordered icily. I loved it when he was dominant like this.

"I… um, when our mother... The first time, he wasn't, but now, since summer, he is. Thanks to his new wife! She is one as well!" She whispered unhappily, her head lowered down in resignation.

"What kind of snake are you? You should be proud!" I told her coldly and I could see Draco raise his oh so noble eyebrow in question. Daphne did not react and kept her head down.

"Who is your 'evil' step-mother?" I enquired further.

"One of the Warrington sisters!" she replied contemptuously. The fairy tale of the Cinderella seemed to repeat itself constantly.

"Draco, isn't one of the Warringtons here?"

"Yes, darling. He is the oldest son of the brother of Daphne's stepmother. An old, noble family, highly respected but a little impoverished!" He explained very arrogantly.

"Interesting! You may go!" I dismissed her with a wink of my hand and she jumped up and wanted to dash away when I continued to speak: "Keep your concern for your sister, it's a good thing to have, but don't show it so openly. For you as a true Slytherin, that shouldn't be a problem, right?" I advised her instead of a goodbye and let her go by turning away. Confused, she walked to her sister. Blaise smirked all the while.

"Will you tell me now what that was all about?" Draco asked. I motioned to Blaise that he should answer.

"It looks like our dear Daphne is interested in Potter and as Hermione is so close to Potter she apparently wanted to sound her out, the old matchmaker!" He chuckled meanly.

"Hey!" I shouted, insulted.

"What?" Draco exclaimed loudly and struggled to maintain his mask as everybody was still watching us. "Ugh, Potter? I thought she had more taste than that!"

„Why, Draco? She would be a much better match for him than the red Weaselette!" Blaise said slightly scoldingly.

"Or the weeping swan!" I added with frustration. When they looked at me questioningly I explained: "Oh, that's Cho. Cho Chang."

"Oh no, she doesn't suit him at all. I mean, she's kind of pretty in her exotic way but she's really very wearisome!" Blaise stated diplomatically.

"Stop babbling. She's an unbearable wench! I can't stand girls like her!" Draco declared frostily.

"I wanted to sound her out, watch what happens. But stay out of it, please!" I requested and both nodded, then I got up and held out my hand to Draco. "Is she always so skittish?"

"No, what do you expect? Everyone here is scared of you, since Pansy! And Draco inspires everyone's respect. She is a well-behaved, nice girl, very smart and well-read and as you can see, in this environment quite something special!" Blaise explained. Draco took my hand.

"Do you fancy her, Blaise?" I asked.

"Hell, no! This girl means marriage and if there's something I won't do, that's it!" he exclaimed, startled, and his dark eyes wide open in horror. "No way!" He pressed his hand against his chest atop of his heart in dismay, completely shocked at the thought of a ring on his finger.

"You just gave Blaise a shock for the whole night!" There was an amused undertone in Draco's voice.

"Then we'll leave him to his shock! Feel like intimacy? I missed you!" I breathed seductively and he now pulled my hand close, so he could kiss it when he pressed his soft lips against my skin, I could almost not suppress my longing.

"It would be my pleasure, milady!" He rose gallantly, positioned my hand in the crook of his arm, and escorted me to his room. The crowd parted in front of Draco like the sea before Moses. The man was unbelievable! Many envious glances from a lot of girls followed us when we left the common room behind us.

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	80. Dumbledore, Icon of the Light

Chapter beta: Olivia

Chapter translator: Aivy

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 **Dumbledore, Icon of the Light**

When I fled back to the tower in the early morning to get ready before Harry, this beautiful and again much too short night was occupying my mind. I had stuck to my plan and told Draco nothing about Minna and so the plans took on a more and more concrete shape. Today the holidays would begin and almost all fifth years would stay in the castle to prepare for their O.W.L. exams and to consider what they wanted to say in the career advice interviews.

I could give McGonagall and even Umbridge a life-long shock if I included liar, thief, spy, murderess, and black mage as career aspirations. That would be much more resourceful than Auror, right? That was out of the question though, as I would have to commit myself to Azkaban then. That'll be the day!

Oh, that would be too wonderful! I was just so cynical because I really couldn't deal with my future in two years seriously. Maybe I didn't even live there anymore. I mean, with my lifestyle and the luck accompanying me, the view was not really bright.

If one then considered that I was between three narcissistic Slytherins, who all had the honour to call themselves Death Eaters sooner or later, then the expected future looked very questionable. Why should I puzzle over it then and fantasise about what I wanted to become?

Harry was still very calm and taciturn. His thoughts of the past still seemed to captivate him and so I hoped that during the holidays he would find enough time and peace to become aware of his feelings and then be ready to make decisions.

At dinnertime, the Great Hall fell silent again and everyone stared at the entrance. Luckily, this time I was not involved, but... Drumroll, please ... Marietta 'the traitor' Edgecombe made her big appearance.

She used to have shoulder-length, dark blond hair, not noticeable in any way. Now she had a fringe; I found it very amusing. Unfortunately, the underlying lettering was so conspicuous that the whole fringe didn't help. The deep and large scar ran all over her forehead and was covered with ugly pimples. The girls whispered particularly excited about Marietta, who could also say nothing in addition to the outer brand. I have to say, I couldn't care less that she now looked around with tears in her eyes. Your own fault, my dear, everything had its price!

At her side was Cho, who was anxiously supporting the feeble-looking sneak and glaring at the group of mumbling and slagging students.

"Oh Merlin. She looks awful. That's really ugly..." I could clearly hear Ron who announced his opinion with so much tact and loudness that it echoed off the walls, causing Marietta to howl pitifully and Cho to glare at him bitterly. Draco let out that gloriously devastating laugh that was so dry and mean. Only this time, I wasn't sure if he didn't agree with Ron and just laughed at Ron's lack of sensitivity or not.

"Well, that happens if you can't keep your mouth shut!" I hissed in a low voice. As the two girls were level with us at that moment, they heard me and glared at me and I gave them both the look I would give to Pansy or someone else who was trying to fuck with me. I always said that you didn't want to make an enemy of me, because you could only lose. I would urgently advise the two to have a heart-to-heart with Rita, I thought particularly snappily and sarcastically. They backed away in front of my piercing sharp look, in which my anger was probably reflected. Clever!

Now Harry tucked at me and demanded my attention.

"You-hu! I met Cho this afternoon and... we quarrelled. About her telling me that the sneak had no choice but to betray us because Umbridge had blackmailed her and that I needed to understand that. I asked her if she was crazy. You always have a choice! That's what I believe. And then she turned on you. What sort of spells you put on the contract and how to break them... Well, I don't think she liked my answer!" He grinned at me mischievously and together we looked to the two girls who had sat down at the Ravenclaw table and were curiously watched from all sides. Many gave Marietta disgusted and appalled looks. Some even moved away as if she was contagious. Oh, 'kids' could be so mean.

"Now I am curious!"

"I told her that that's just bad luck for her friend and that you would be too brilliant for the spells to be easily broken and not to come up with stupid ideas as the magic still protects us all... Well, then she wanted to slap me, but thanks to Quidditch I have some good reflexes... I think I was not particularly nice...?" he said, torn between mischievous and uncertain. Apparently, I rubbed off on him.

"Harry, you shock me!" I beamed at him happily.

"Must have learned that from you," he laughed now and showed his dimples. I punched him playfully against the upper arm. Of course, our flirting didn't go unnoticed, and so we were once again a topic of conversation when Ginny suddenly entered the Hall holding hands with Dean. She had put on make-up and pinned up her hair, and sent heated looks Harry's way again and again. In reaction, Harry rolled his eyes and gave Ron a concerned side glance.

I hid my grin in my coffee cup and inhaled the tangy scent, thinking that I really didn't understand Ginny. She wouldn't make him jealous that way. Rather, she would get the reputation of a slut - Lav and Pav would interpret it like that. I would never say anything of the like. What I would do again soon, that was not just slutty, that was outright whoring, so I was not allowed to judge. As the saying goes, the one without sin may cast the first stone. I certainly didn't fall into that category.

Ron hadn't noticed yet since he hung on Lavender's lips and worshipped her. The girl chuckled artificially without cease, shaking her long, slightly curled blond hair conceitedly and still showing herself very shocked by the fate of Marietta, indulging her sensationalism with relish.

"I cannot believe that Ginny snagged Dean!" Harry said disbelievingly, shooting an uncertain look at our red, spirited friend. "Hopefully, Ron will be above it."

"Well, it's none of his business. Do you want to annoy Ginny?" I winked at him conspiratorially.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Congratulate her!" I advised and Harry immediately leaned over the table and shouted:

"Hey, Dean, congratulations. You too, Ginny!" Harry said honestly, showing a beaming smile that made Ginny look shocked. She gave him a slightly perplexed look, and so Ron's attention was drawn to the new couple.

"Ey, mate. What did you congratulate the two on?" Ron was still glowing because of Lav.

"Uhm, on getting together as a couple!" Harry said cautiously, causing Ron's eyes to darken from one second to the next, and he sharply focussed his gaze on the two.

"What? Dean…" The drama started and Ron got worked up quite a lot. Ginny screeched that her love life wasn't Ron's business and I felt deliciously entertained. I needed a performance like that to help me drive off less pretty thoughts.

The last days had been filled with work, even if my visits to Snape's had been scarce since he seemed to be busy at night. Lucius, too, seemed busy now, thanks to the new article about the ministry's inability and the fact that Dumbledore had made the bend, as well as speculation about the return of the unnameable, which skyrocketed right now. The Dark Lord also seemed to keep his people on their toes and I was not even sad to not see Snape too often. It helped me to arm myself against what was to come.

So we all met in the Room of Requirement because we could not train with Snape - finally, I had been able to show it to the two Slytherins! Both were overwhelmed by the fact that there was such a thing in Hogwarts and used the room frenetically. Here we also continued our physical training, as Snape would not forgive us to procrastinate. This man was very demanding in everything he did.

We had half the holidays behind us and today was the day I had been preparing for. It was time!

I stood naked in the bathroom and was all alone. It was early afternoon, and I was still dripping wet from the shower. As I dried up in front of the washbasin, on which my prepared salve spiked with unicorn blood stood, my worried face looked at me from the mirror.

After a resigned moan, I now spread a little of the precious essence on the Malfoy crest marking me on my stomach, slightly offset to the left. The ornate 'M'! I prayed that it worked because everything, absolutely everything, I had done had failed! Nothing had helped, no potions, no ointments, all white and black spells to disguise and obscure, nothing! I had done extensive research in the Room of Requirement myself, but now I had the clarification that what Draco had done to me was something that was as ultimately binding as it could get in the magical world, so there was nothing to hide it.

My only, desperate hope now was my own invention, because if Snape spotted the mark on me, I was not sure how he would react. Probably not positively; he wouldn't be happy in any case. So, I once again traced the lines of the black tattoo, lost in thought, and distributed the cool, creamy ointment on it, which shimmered slightly silvery due to the blood and warmed up on the skin, tingling.

And now, staring intently and spellbound at the result, I waited with wildly beating heart what would happen and silently prayed. And... and... and…

Cautious joy sparked inside me. The strong, rich, deep black colour became noticeably paler and paler until it looked washed out. I dipped my fingers back into the precious pot and repeated the procedure and it got even lighter.

However, it would not disappear completely. After the fifth time, I gave up, annoyed. I moaned, tormented, and covered the almost invisible, translucent mark with my hand, pulled it away and blinked down at the mark again.

"Hmmm…" If you didn't know it was there, you wouldn't see it right away. It wouldn't get better, though. Great, really great. I shrugged my shoulders in frustration and applied the salve to my other scar on the side where Bole's knife had once stuck, and closed the pot. All that remained to be seen was how long it would last. So far I'd had achieved eight to ten hours with scars or injuries, but a less than good feeling told me that I shouldn't raise my hope in this case. And since I wouldn't meet Snape until nine, in about six hours, I would take the salve with me. Better safe than sorry.

I had my sick leave from the school nurse and my Geminio twin was asleep in bed. Everyone thought I had overworked myself with studying and was about to collapse. In addition, I had the monthly, womanly problem, and as a result, I was ill and would have to rest for today. The others were out in the open, enjoying the first sign of spring and the freedom to escape the walls of the sometimes gloomy castle, trying to flee the depressed atmosphere in the castle, which had existed ever since Umbridge arrived.

I was still walking around the room naked, fastening my daggers to my thighs, then turned to my dress. I renounced wisely on underwear; I would lose it anyway so why put it on? I opted for a long dress. The sleeves went to the middle of the forearm, it had a square, generous neckline and emphasized my bosom. It ended slightly above the knees and the highlight: A corset band, with which I hoped to avoid losing my clothing, was wrapped around the abdomen, which emphasized the waist and tied at the back. The dress was held in a dark, warm brown tone, and the beige, velvety corset band would compliment my blond hair well.

I already had put on make-up and now, I thought, I looked good. At last, I stowed my white wand on the holster on my arm and was grateful that others couldn't see or feel it. But just before I would go into the room to see Snape, I planned to take off my weapons and stow them in my coat.

Finished like that, I looked into our upright mirror in the dorm, found that I looked well and then pulled the black cloak over me, which turned me back into this dark figure of the shadows. Then my image vanished into the void and the mirror showed no more of me, only the room behind me. It was wonderful what was possible with magic. Invisibility was great. The Twins were informed that I would disappear until late at night, but only them. Let me put it that way, they were not pleased and didn't approve that I didn't want to tell Draco that I was leaving the castle. Shit, we had almost gotten into a row about it, but thankfully, I had gotten my way. I sighed wistfully, not liking it myself. But it wouldn't help to dwell on it, so I crept quietly through the abandoned tower, towards the dungeon, to disappear through the secret passageway.

I had arrived at my first destination for that day and the air was nice and warm and fresh. After the long winter, it was invigorating that the sun came finally out again. This small, tranquil village, which lay in the southwest of England, was too cute as it lay peacefully before me in its idyll. This village was ancient, as one of our founders had been born here.

Godric's Hollow was a typical English village, where magical and non-magical people had settled together. My target was an old, relatively well-known lady in the wizarding world. Her name was Bathilda Bagshot; she had lived here for a long time and was now quite old, but I hoped to get some important information from her, especially because of her old age. She was a well-known historian in the magical world. Her book 'History of Magic' had been our textbook in Binn's class since the first year, and it was very good and informative. Unfortunately, the same could not be said about the ghost's teaching.

As I walked with brisk steps into the village square and saw the war memorial built in the middle of the square, I thought for a moment that I was going to be sick. It changed before my eyes. The obelisk, which was a war memorial for the Muggles, became a memorial of the Potters. It showed Lily, James and Harry Potter as a family. That was grotesque, schmaltzy and very bizarre. Harry would drown in shame over the statues should he ever see this. Oh goddess, that was almost as bad as the well in the Ministry. I shouldn't be surprised if the same artist had set his hands to both pieces and I thought that one should also lay hands on the artist and strangle him for this atrocity.

Otherwise, I felt pretty comfortable here. It was a tranquil, nice atmosphere as I walked slowly down the street. I had the hood on, but it was not pulled into my face but lay more on the back of my head. I didn't want to attract too much attention at this early hour and a person who publicly disguised themselves, well, that would be very noticeable in this quiet little place.

When I arrived in front of a typical, cute suburban home with the name Bagshot attached, I smiled. That had been easy.

I had a very interesting conversation with a very old and therefore very exhausting woman who, if she had been at the height of her mental fitness, would never have entrusted everything to me as confidently as she did now. That seemed to be a gap that the good headmaster of Hogwarts had overlooked.

She had carefully opened the door. She was a round, small, sunken, lonely old woman with strawy white hair and patched clothes, evidently not caring what she was wearing. But she was visibly pleased with the diversion to her dreary everyday life and the visit of a young, pretty woman, as she said. So we drank tea in her living room that was filled with souvenirs and trinkets from top to bottom, and I pumped her for specific information. She was longing for human closeness and for someone to listen to her, and I took advantage of this cunningly.

So I told her, to win her trust, that my good friend Albus had told me that his family had moved here from Mould-on-the-Wold in the early 20th century and she, the famous and well-known Bathilda Bagshot, was a good acquaintance of him.

She beamed all over her wrinkled face and laughed heartily. She said she had recognized his brilliance and genius at an early age. She had congratulated him at the time on a scientific journal publication about the six uses of dragon's blood and befriended the very withdrawn and abrasive Dumbledore family and made some contact with the rather lonely Kendra, the mother of Dumbledore.

She sang Dumbledore the highest praises and I listened patiently to everything. About his worthless brother Aberforth, she ranted at length and complained about his always listless behaviour. The only thing that could get him out of his own, self-centred world would have been Ariana and I pricked my ears at the mention of her name.

So far, the only information I had about Ariana Dumbledore was her name from the stolen family tree from the Ministry's archives and her date of birth and death. Nothing else existed about her. Like a phantom or spirit that had never set foot on this earth, her existence had been eradicated. Because of the family tree, I knew that Ariana had not grown old. The family tree had noted her death; it had been dated 30.08.1900, so she died at the age of fifteen.

I interjected that I found it shocking that a girl had had to die so young, which gave me a puzzled look from her.

"Albus told you about Ariana?" She had been completely taken by surprise and had to gather her thoughts first. "Then he must trust you very much because he never talks about her," she stated then, lost in thought, and took a sip of tea.

The story was too sad, this poor family! First, the father died in Azkaban, which I knew thanks to the Ministry as well, because there were no records of his father either. Percival Dumbledore had also been eradicated from history by his son, like Ariana. He had been sentenced to Azkaban as a Muggle-hater and murderer and died there. What had brought him to do this, unfortunately, was not in the files, which would have been interesting because Kendra Dumbledore had been a Muggle-born witch. Something had to have happened, but what would remain hidden in the thicket of the past.

But I could understand Dumbledore: a young, aspiring spirit, highly gifted, with all the possibilities of the world open to him. Who would want to be associated with a prisoner? And so Mrs. Bagshot continued.

"Well, as you know about Ariana… There is a big secret about her, but I think I can tell you…" She winked conspiratorially like a young girl. "Her mother told me after a collapse - shortly after her husband died in Azkaban - although this woman did everything to appear dismissive. It's really terrible that at age six, Ariana was brutally violated by three young Muggles. Her husband took revenge and she now had to struggle with constant, uncontrolled and unpredictable magical outbursts, as the spirit of the little one had shattered. But they didn't want to put her into St. Mungo's; the shame was already big enough for the father."

I showed myself visibly shocked by what I just heard and I was, really. What a cruel fate. I was terribly sorry for the poor girl. How stupid had the father been? Of course, I would have taken revenge and, of course, I would have killed these three monsters, but without leaving evidence. Amateur!

Then she entrusted me with the great family secret of the Dumbledore family. The final drama started when Ariana killed her mother in a magical outburst. Albus had just finished school and wanted to go on a world tour when this accident happened and he witnessed it.

That was sick. Here too, there was no record of the misfortune of the daughter killing the mother. I only knew, barely a year later, the daughter should follow her mother. I was shocked.

"Yes, yes, my dear. The Dumbledore family has suffered a lot. So Albus had to stay here and take care of Ariana," she explained shakily. Yeah, yeah, I thought. I couldn't imagine that the great Albus Dumbledore was particularly fond of his sister. I mean, he probably saw her as a millstone around his neck. Mrs Bagshot confirmed my guess right after that.

"I was so sorry for Albus. He was now sitting at home and got grouchier every day. That's when I introduced him to Gellert. Unfortunately, he had to leave Durmstrang at the time and he was just as brilliant as Albus with his sixteen years, even though he was one year younger!" she related, misty-eyed.

"Are you talking about Gellert Grindelwald?" I echoed, shocked. I hadn't expected that Albus had met this man here, personally!

"Yes, my dear. I'm his great-aunt," she confessed slightly bashfully and tried to justify herself immediately.

"Though back then, my dear Mrs Cale, he was a sweet, bright, handsome boy and he and Albus quickly became friends. Gellert then moved over to the Dumbledore's house for the year. They were always together and so happy…" the old woman smiled pensively and reminisced about the distant past.

I sat there thunderstruck! Did I hear that... Again, slowly... First of all: Gellert Grindelwald?! Hello, that confirmed my worst fears and worse. Dumbledore had had a close relationship with his later bitter rival, the greatest black magician of all time before Lord Voldemort. I was gobsmacked, my hard drive reported an error. I could barely absorb any more information.

The good old Professor 'no black magic' Dumbledore. Yes, exactly! I thought this cynically and suppressed a derogatory snort.

"Do I understand correctly that the two were more than friends?" I had to ask. She laid her fingertips atop her smiling lips, chuckling merrily, and nodded slightly embarrassed as she blushed. Okay, all right, Dumbledore was gay and his lover had been Gellert Grindelwald. I resisted laughing hysterically with great effort. Curious, I asked how the story continued.

"Oh, the two were unruly, inquisitive. Always read and planned! There... Do you see this little golden book? That's what they took a shine to, no idea why. When Gellert left, he left it behind and said it should stay here…" she groaned wistfully and blew lightly into a handkerchief. I quickly summoned the book magically from the shelf and held it in my hand. She just kept talking and didn't notice when I pocketed the book.

"When Aberforth came home on vacation and noticed what was going on there was an argument. I never learned what exactly happened. Except that one day Ariana was dead and Albus had her put in their mother's grave. Not even her name adorns the stone; it's too sad." The lady shook her head in reproach. "What happened then? No idea. Albus followed Gellert to on the mainland. He remained divided with Aberforth, but the relationship with Gellert had changed as well. After that, I don't know anything anymore, unfortunately. No one ever returned here and Aberforth sold the house."

Here she reached behind her for a small table with several moving photographs and grabbed one that showed two handsome, brightly laughing boys wearing wizard robes. A sign was embroidered on these clothes which was also on the front of the book I had pocketed. I didn't know what it meant, so I asked.

"No idea, my dear. But it was very important to them," she let me know conspiratorially.

So I sat on a bench in the middle of the village square and watched the glowing red sunset, trying to digest all the information that overwhelmed me in its mass. Who would have thought?

I felt the breeze on my skin and my chin-long, blond hair tickled my face. My thoughts wandered. I felt confirmed once more. Not that I wanted to look arrogant, but I was once again right in my assertion that there was nothing pure white in the world and nothing jet-black. I think Dumbledore's past showed that very clearly. Of his past, some parts still remained dangerously in the dark.

Nor was he this icon of the light he was represented as everywhere after his victory over Grindelwald, his beloved, and how he, as one had to admit to his shame, also let himself be celebrated everywhere, as the saviour of the Light.

I didn't like that, I thought that was dishonest. I mean, well, I think he's not really mean and evil. No, I don't think so. But he is not the dear, kind, always smiling grandpa, who wouldn't hurt a fly. Was this a tactic to pretend to the opponent that you're weak? No, probably not, for that Dumbledore had made his past and the people involved disappear without a trace. You have to give him that, he was thorough. As soon as Bathilda was dead, there would be no one else besides Grindelwald and Aberforth who had even the slightest idea of what had happened. Grindelwald was sitting in Nurmengard and couldn't say anything - and no one would believe him if he did - and Aberforth would always keep silent. Maybe because he was Albus's brother or because he was partly to blame for his sister's death, who knew what had really happened on that fateful afternoon in the house with the four people involved?

If I could really move freely now, I would be on my way to Nurmengard to talk to Grindelwald out of pure curiosity. That would be fun and I felt the itch in my fingers to dare it. But stop it, now, I shook the crazy idea right out of my head. _See that you first survive tonight, my dear! You can dream later!_ At the thought, it started to tingle slightly in my stomach.

Snape was waiting!

One last time I looked at the meaningful and incriminating photo in my hands, lost in thought, and then resolutely put it back in my pocket. Of course, I had nicked it; the only visible proof that Gellert and Albus had once been beaming with their arms around each other's shoulders. Unbelievable, the historical proof that these two had been more than just opponents in a duel!

When darkness prevailed, I finally stood up from the slightly rotten wooden bench overlooking the picturesque park of Godric's Hollow and walked with a wistful sigh to the apparition point. Once there, I pulled my hood down deep into my face until my face was completely hidden and I felt well protected. For where I was going to go now, I would light up like a firefly with my head uncovered, and I certainly didn't want to attract attention.

On to my 'date!' On to Knockturn Alley and the Beheaded Hangman!

Once again, standing in that dodgy and uninviting alley, I realised that I had missed roaming around here. It was a little scary, but I loved to sneak along here. I didn't know why, but I felt inexplicably comfortable, which meant I was not afraid and I savoured the tense atmosphere as well as the extraordinary displays that captivated me. I enjoyed watching and observing the sometimes obscure fellows in this alley. I found it interesting and exciting, perhaps even a little arousing, to do something so dangerous and move in this shady society. But it was true to my nature, as I now admitted.

But the mood was different than before, even more uncertain, even more explosive. Especially the people of the dark alley knew very well that there were no speculations whether HE was back or not. He was, full stop!

And even though the people here were running around without masks, sometimes you saw a group of three or five cronies, all wearing the same night-black, all-swallowing cloaks and boded ill. And those who were not quite stupid could just add the masks in their imagination and voila, the Death Eaters were revealed. But everyone here would keep their mouths shut. There was no doubt that every individual here had enough skeletons in their closet that they themselves belonged in Azkaban, and so they adhered to the Code of Silence!

I ducked in order to appear small and scurried quickly across the worn cobblestones toward my destination. As fast as I was running, one might think that I was looking forward to getting to him as soon as possible, the thought flitted quite ironically through my mind, but in fact I sped up a bit more when I heard voices roaring loudly behind me and already I entered at a rapid pace through the door of the brightly lit inn.

As on my last visit, the room was more than well filled and a huge cacophony rushed in my ears as I stepped up to the bald and toothless innkeeper, who handled the bronze tap and magically filled several glasses at the same time. I spoke the same words as last time:

"A gentleman is waiting for me. Which room…? And a shot of firewhiskey!" He didn't try to look under my hood as he had the last time because he was too busy and let the desired drink float to me wordlessly.

"Room thirteen, m'lady!" he only said curtly and unasked, I put the Sickle on the counter, tipped my drink down in one go to gather liquid courage and then went up the well-worn, creaking stairs to the top.

I felt like I was on the way to my execution!

The corridor was as dimly lit as it had been the last time I visited, so I scurried to a dark corner, took off the daggers and my white wand, and put both into my cloak. After that, I quickly pulled out the ointment and smeared myself again, almost twisting myself in this endeavour to cover my scar and my mark, because I couldn't see anything.

When I straightened up again and tucked everything back into place, I encouraged myself: _You can do it. Chest out, belly in, head up and buttocks firmly together, then nothing can go wrong._ Finally, I stretched my shoulders and stepped toward the door with the tarnished brass sign adorned with the No. 13. I knocked determinedly and loudly. Even though my heart was pounding in my heart too much, I tried to appear as casual as possible.

Then I heard a muffled but very confident "Come in."

End of Hermione's POV

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 _Next week on When Hermione Fights:_

 _Chapter 81, Her Darkest Night_

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	81. Her Darkest Night

_This is one of the most controversial chapters in WHF._

 _Warning: dub-con, sexual violence!_

 _As usual, you get the less explicit version, though I_ couldn't edit out much without it making no _sense._

 _No brackets in this chapter, there would have been just too much._

 _If you want to read the complete chapter without any censure, come find us on wattpad, AO3 or out own bulletin board._

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **Her Darkest Night**

Snape's POV

When I heard a sure knock, my head jerked to the door and I called "Come in!" with a certain tone and there she came.

Finally!

She had appealed to me from the first moment. That I had snatched her so spontaneously at the Hog's Head back then was not really my style, not at all. I was, for that matter, always very picky and preferred known, changing ladies! But with her... well, with her the urge had overcome me. I took what I wanted, always, and you could not say that she was not willing.

Although you could not say that she was a normal prostitute. She did not act like one. It was rather my guess that she liked what she was doing.

And so she entered, showing a proud bearing, and stared at me out of her blue eyes, sharp and clear. No fear in sight, which actually everyone usually showed whether I paid them or not, but everyone knew who I was and was scared of me. Even those who did not know me perceived my dark, authoritarian aura and thought twice about challenging me as an opponent. She was truly different, she showed no discernible fear, at none of our meetings, which, unfortunately, took place too rarely for my taste. But my varied tasks rarely gave me time for pleasure. A tragic circumstance I was, unfortunately, used to suffer.

She laid down her coat lasciviously while walking. I stood unmoved in the middle of the small room and looked at her steadily. She wore a beautiful, tight-fitting dress that showed off her attributes. The slender waist was emphasised through the bodice. Her chest was lifted even higher by it and the brown and beige of the clothes flattered her complexion. She knew how to sell herself.

"Mr Snape, you have summoned me!" She used the same words as last time and lifted one corner of her mouth. I, however, only raised an eyebrow appraisingly.

"Miss Cale, pleased and so punctual!" I snarled in my usual pitch, abruptly approaching her, greedily clutching her narrow hips. I pulled her over to me with no hesitation, causing her to open her eyes in surprise. I gave her a slightly cynical lift of the corners of my mouth. Did she think I wanted to do small talk?

I lowered my head and kissed her neck. She tasted good. The scent reminded me of something, but I would not think about it now. At that moment, she cocked her head to ease my access to the soft, tender skin on her delicate neck. Good girl. She herself clung to my vest; I had already taken off my cloak and my long frock coat with the high collar on my arrival, so I wore only my black trousers, my white shirt and the tight-fitting vest and was thus unusually lightly clothed for my standards.

I pressed myself firmly and demandingly against her as I let her feel my hard arousal. It had been too long ago, and that unbearable minx at Hogwarts had just bothered me too much over the last weeks for me to be patient now. When I thought about it, I had never been a patient and forbearing lover.

I let my hand wander to her chest, caressing her desirable, well-rounded body covetously, making her moan and sigh softly. These low sounds only fueled my desire even more. I now lifted both hands from her body and began impatiently to gather her wide skirt to pull it up, slid one hand around her bottom and grabbed it roughly in a possessive gesture. With an abrupt jerk, I pulled her even closer to my middle, pressing her hard against me, then stroked down and found her bare in front of me. I froze for a moment. Did she do it on purpose? I wondered speechlessly.

"You have renounced something elementary today!" I whispered in her ear hoarsely. Her blond hair tickled me and she purred some.

"Mh-mh… Oh… I thought you would only rip it off again anyway, so I didn't feel the need to put it on!" she whispered, slightly breathless, and in me spread a diabolical joy. I nibbled on her earlobe and she whimpered.

"Well, in that case…. I still want to rip something off…"

"Wh… no, no!" She pulled away from me and looked at me taken by surprise.

"Oh yes!" I retorted predatorily. I swung my wand over her figure and immediately robbed her of her dress. It was now on the table of the small, dimly lit room. Immediately, I pushed her naked body onto the bed behind her. Completely perplexed, she fell onto the mattress and looked at me with wide eyes. At once, she rolled onto her side, resting her head on her arm and looked up at me with surprise.

I stepped slowly towards her and was aware that, for the first time, she was fully naked and also the first time a bed was involved. A very tantalising sight, which I liked very much. In a fluid motion, I sat down next to her on the bed and lasciviously caressed her body. In the dim light, I traced the contours of her frame. Her pale, flawless skin almost glowed and tempted me to take her. She seemed a bit distracted, but soon I would again have all her attention on what I did to her and only that. I could feel her shaking slightly beneath my fingers, and with an imperious snap, I got rid of my clothes too and she gasped.

Because it was true, we had never been completely naked. However, according to the expression in her eyes, it was not as if she did not like what she saw. I thought I saw something daring flash in the depths of her eyes, but I was not sure. Now she raised a hand, put it on my chest and pushed me onto the bed. I let her do as she liked with a devilish grin, giving in to her pressure, and laid back willingly. With me complying with her wishes, she crawled down the bed. I was surprised, but if she wanted to take the time, please, I would not stop her.

I felt and watched from above, as she gave me a blowjob. She was good and skilful as she had proved more than once already. She was really talented. If she had been a student, I would have given her an Outstanding. I could feel that if I wanted, I could let myself go so far as to come in her mouth but I wanted more, so I stopped her quite abruptly and roughly grabbed her short, blond hair - the only thing that bothered me about her appearance - and pulled her up with a jerk.

As I pulled her up desirously, I looked down at her flushed and swollen mouth and for a second it made me wish it was one I could kiss. Then I rigorously banished that idea from my head and turned us around. When I knelt between her legs, I enjoyed watching the willing woman in front of me, who looked at me with eyes clouded with lust. Something most whores did not do, but I knew every time I fucked her, she too had her fun and orgasmed. Even if I did not strive to do so, it was a good feeling that I could get her there.

Roughly and impatiently, I reached for her to check whether she was ready and she did not disappoint me. She shouted in surprise and shivered slightly, closing her eyes with a sigh. She licked her red lips, which made me growl slightly. I could not wait to sink into her.

Something caught my eye on her stomach and I paused. I thought to perceive something that had not been there before. I became alert and attentive as this washed-out shape emerged, gaining in intensity. Suspiciously, with narrowed eyes, I gazed intently at the forming outline. In the meantime, she noticed nothing of my mental absence, as I discerned after giving her a quick, scrutinizing look through lowered eyelids as she still had her eyes closed.

What would that become when it was done?

Immediately I was on guard, but also in wait. In today's times, after Moody's perfectly correct statement, you had to practise 'constant vigilance' and that I did! Therefore, I waited and watched as the dark mark gained more and more substance. I had time and left my finger where it was, so as not to alert her. She should not become suspicious and so I lulled her into a sense of 'security.'

But what I saw then almost stopped my fast beating heart! I was... I was speechless. I'd never expected to ever see this sign on the skin of a human and the more astonished I was to spot it on the young woman lying below me.

The mark of the Malfoys!

The crest of the Malfoys!

I immediately knew the ritual concerned and I knew what it meant.

I also knew instantly, from one second to the next, who lay here below me and a hard, brutal shine entered into my dark eyes. My mouth pinched into a thin, furious line. I thought I could no longer control my exuberant anger because I knew Lucius would not brand this sign to anybody in this world. So only Draco would be able to do that, and he would only do it to one person in the world. I roared loudly in my thoughts.

Granger!

That person lying beneath me was Hermione 'I am the proper, innocent Gryffindor princess' Granger!

An indescribable storm raged inside me, and I felt it turn into a deadly tornado as I glared down at her with my ice-cold gaze and realized that I had the minx' naked body completely at my mercy underneath me. To have her so fully naked, vulnerable, and willing right here cut the last thread of patience that I still had inside me, and with that, my common sense must have completely vanished.

My whole body tensed and she grimaced in reaction. What then followed happened in seconds.

I would show her what it meant to laugh at Severus Snape, to betray him, to betray his confidence, and to lead me by my too-long nose. This lesson she would never forget in her life! I swore revengefully.

With raging, animalistic and irrational fury, I pounced on her. She didn't have time to open her eyes fully before I took her by force. Now she bit her lower lip with her teeth and gave a gasp of pain, giving me an astonished, furtive look and staring blankly at me, not understanding why I had taken her so brutally.

When she became aware of my hateful gaze, which must have been murderous, I could see cold calculation enter Granger's momentary blue eyes, an expression which she had already shown to me on one or two occasions. Now I wondered how I had ever been so stupid not to recognise that piercing look. I could watch her now lick her red lips and I felt her desirable body very well, caught so relentlessly underneath me. Then, to my surprise, she spoke briskly, considering where I was right now:

"Professor, what tipped you off?" she actually asked and I thought I saw red for real this time. I was so incredibly angry that I had fallen for her, that I realised I would not get a word out. I wanted to dominate her, control her and show her who was the one on top. I could not believe it, I had had sex with Granger more than once. I had had sex with my student several times! It was unbelievable. I had already possessed her!

"It became visible, didn't it?" The guess came from her hoarsely after a moment, before she swallowed hard. I admired my self-control, that I had not immediately attacked her.

"Finite Incantatem," I whispered and witnessed her eyes losing the intense, bright blue colour and taking on the dark, iridescent brown that I knew so well. Her curly, rich brown hair was growing steadily and this visible proof that this was really the little bitch and her calm, deliberate manner on top of that was the last trigger I needed, so now I finally blew the fuses.

I raised my hand and slapped her! The force of my slap threw her head sideways.

"Argh…" A painful sound escaped her as the loud beat of my hand echoed on her skin. Unmoved, I looked down into her swelling face and could admire her bloody split lip, but also the purple-and-pale-blue bruise forming on her cheek.

A thoroughly satisfying sight, I thought confusedly, to my later disgrace, but in fact, I was driven only by the desire for retribution after she had made a mockery of me. I let myself go in a way I rarely did, letting my emotions take over.

As it seemed, it hurt her when I fucked her so hard and relentlessly as dry as she was. Good!

As I watched her lips red with blood, I wanted to kiss them and not deny myself. What should stop me? And so I leaned on my elbows and gripped her head like a vise. She got big eyes, at first not understanding what I was doing and then, when she apparently realised what I was up to, she wanted to turn her head away. Of course, that was something I did not allow by burying my fingers into her gloriously long hair and pulling hard on it. She screamed in agony and I took the chance and conquered her mouth brutally, kissed her roughly. She clawed her fingernails painfully into my upper arm, something that made me growl while I kissed her so hard, but I did not let go of her.

I was fucking Granger, my student! It was maddening. And she wore the Malfoy's mark!

But I was driven by both my instincts and my base desires. Of course, I tasted the blood from her burst lip, something that doubled my arousal. But suddenly I tore my mouth from her and stared hard into her now shocked eyes, which reminded of a frightened doe and then suddenly I came with a heartfelt, guttural scream. My strength left me for a moment and I slumped down, burying her under me for good.

She had tacitly endured this martyrdom except for the inarticulate sounds, without begging or pleading. A realisation that only slowly penetrated my brain filled with anger but also satisfaction.

That she had found fulfilment this time, I seriously dared to doubt, even though I noticed now that she had not resisted me. The whole time she had lain motionless beneath me and I had taught her too well not to free herself from such precarious situations. She had not stopped me in my remorseless action. So she shocked me again! She had not resisted while I took her in the most bestial, ruth- and merciless way!

But if anyone expected that Miss Know-it-all would burst into desperate tears and shake her shoulders beneath me, they didn't know the devious bitch at all. At least she did not put on an act in front of me. Most likely, she knew I would not believe her a single hard-pressed, faked tear and that she would only make me madder by a pity trip.

She did absolutely nothing, I could easily forget that I was lying on top of her.

Granger was my little slut! I had to get over it first. I just had not wanted to see it in my arrogance and preconceived notions because in itself it was obvious and there was no excuse that I had been so blind for even a second. A little student had tricked me and managed to deceive me! A circumstance that I abysmally hated to admit.

Now, after all, she stirred beneath me and I felt how her inner muscles contracted. What? This girl was a walking catastrophe. When I thought about all the ways and places where we had fucked - and she had let on absolutely nothing! At those thoughts, I was turning stiff again and I knew she noticed. On top of it, she actually stimulated me as she rhythmically used her muscles to massage me and... and... What is going on here?

Either she was sick or she liked being fucked by me, which could be taken as a compliment. However, after the number I had done on her, which had really not been gentle, I would not be surprised if she was bleeding and sore. But she was encouraging me to continue? Unbelievable! The gall!

So I growled angrily.

"What are you trying to achieve?" I asked coldly, straightening up and leaning on my arms, making it easier for her to breath, and looked coldly into her heated and swollen face. I saw her eyeing me with passion, stretching her hands out to me, grabbing me around the neck. "Miss Granger!" I spat, reprimanding her effort down there as it did not go unnoticed and now her hips, in fact, began to circle.

"Please, Professor! Only one more time, please. It doesn't matter anymore!" she begged impudently and licked the fresh blood very lasciviously from her maltreated lip. My eyes darted there very observantly. She tried to convince me by all means and why should I refuse something that she offered so willingly, while I was still snug inside her?

"Why should I do that, Miss Granger?" I asked. At the same time, I could hear her moaning softly and she arched her back, presenting her breasts to me. Although I was not sure if the pain made her moan or the unlikely lust.

"Because I want my fun as well!" she hissed furiously and then I knew she either meant that very seriously, or she played the callous bitch quite splendidly. So I complied and moved sharply.

"That… Is that what you want? …" I asked contemptuously. Because she couldn't hide that she had to suffer, in my view, and so she trembled under me. I was at an absolute loss for words. This woman drove me crazy. I had taken her against her will, had I not? Well, she had voluntarily entered the bed, but then I had almost raped her, from the brutality and relentlessness that I had imposed on her. And now she wanted to be fucked again and made it really hard for me to resist because I was now fully operational again. I did not know how to judge her absolutely inappropriate behaviour.

And so I lowered my head, kissed her like crazy and she returned it with a wildness that surprised and almost startled me as I slowly began to move on her, giving her the opportunity, unlike before, to join in and to hold her own against me and to be able to feel pleasure herself. It was still rough, but not nearly as barbaric and brutal as the first time.

We reached our climax very quickly. Hers, she screamed into my mouth. Her whole body tensed up and she shuddered beneath me for an unusually long time. She dug her fingernails ruthlessly and painfully into my back. It was unbelievable to see Granger, the real Granger, orgasming, and my climax, too, could not withstand for long, so I came inside of her for the second time that day.

Now, as I immediately rose up this time, I saw the blood that flowed from her after our merciless, pitiless and cruel fuck, mixed with my seed, and turned away. I did not like the proof of how much I had let myself go. I had certainly torn her up dangerously and she would not be able to sit without pain, but my pity for her injuries was limited and she deserved the pain.

I quickly spelled on my clothes. She was still lying beaten on the bed, gently fingering her stomach below her navel, as I watched from the corner of my eye. Most likely, she still thought to feel me inside. The mark was now visible sharply, stark black on her white skin. I would never have thought that one day I would see any of my students naked, and Granger to boot.

But she was a good fuck, I could understand Draco here. At the thought of my godson, I gritted my teeth dangerously. Damn, she was more than a good fuck! He had made her one of us! This boy would be the death of me…

When she felt my assessing look, she wanted to pull the blanket over her naked form, but I was quickly at her side, ripping it roughly from her hand and sat down again to the bedside. She immediately propped herself up on her forearms and looked at me coolly. She was very controlled but she was also wary of me. Admirable! Was she just acting? Was she affected so little by what had happened? I wondered doubtfully. I was annoyed that I could not read her; she seemed so uninvolved... As if she did not care and that could not be true! That was not allowed to be true!

Abruptly, I put my hand over her flat, well-toned stomach, a gesture that made her flinch slightly. However, she did not stop me, so I carefully and playfully traced the sign that marked her with my forefinger. I wanted to humiliate her and I would not let her cover herself. I wanted a reaction at all costs.

"When… When did Draco do this? Or rather: when did he commit that crime?" I asked neutrally, but very coldly and she slowly raised an eyebrow after she turned her eyes to me that had followed the movements of my finger as if spellbound beforehand.

"On the evening of the ball, after Lucius bit me!" Her reply came quietly, with a hoarse voice from her and she again licked the blood from her lip.

"Do you know what it means?" I snarled coldly.

"Of course, Uncle!" She positively spat her answer acidicly at me. Okay, it did not happen often, but it just happened: I was speechless. This bitch dared to talk to me like that, after what I had just done to her?! I had to keep a check on myself so I didn't hit her again, but I was in control of my actions, finally. So I just took a deep breath before I once again forgot who I was.

"How dare you?" I hissed aggressively with heavily suppressed anger, narrowing my eyes to vicious slits. I would never show her that, but unfortunately, she was right with her statement. I wanted to throw up.

"Professor, I didn't mean to be disrespectful, but one of my hobbies, both in the non-magical and in the magical world, is studying family trees, and so I know about the connection between the Prince and Malfoy families. I thought I was... funny!" she defended herself stridently and shrugged nonchalantly with a bare shoulder. There was nothing to suggest that she had experienced violence in this bed just a few minutes ago!

"Rest assured, you are not! Does Draco know about this? And do you really know what that means?" My hand was still on her body and I looked at her firmly, pressing my flat hand forcefully against the mark.

"About us? Sure, all the time. Only today I didn't tell him since he has preferred to keep quiet about it lately and didn't want to think about the possibility of you calling me. Why bother him?" she admitted quietly and very indifferently.

"Bother?" I echoed in disbelief. "That you fuck me?" I added with a nasty hiss and could not understand how she could be and appear so cold and unconcerned about it.

"Well, how does Draco always say: family is different! And yes, I know, with all the duties, rights, advantages and disadvantages, what it means to belong to the Malfoy family!" Her answer came very matter-of-factly from her and she let, even if she did not know, my heart bled. What happened to the youth of today? So corrupted, so grown up, so indifferent to everything!

"Then you know that the mark saved you earlier? That I would have killed you otherwise? And rest assured, Miss Granger, I'm serious! It was the only thing saving you from death!" I threatened her with an icy voice. But should I now expect her to be astonished at my statement, she again disappointed me by giving me a light, somehow wistful smile.

"Professor, have I ever disappointed you? Of course, I know that you would have loved to kill me and you expressed your anger very impressively... by... by taking it out on me. But it was also clear to me that, now that you know the 'secret', you were no 'real' danger to my life!" she explained calmly and perfectly correct. She made me speechless. Did she just tell me that she had not resisted because she had known that it was imminent anyway if I found out eventually and that she had expected it? What was going on in this sick brain of hers that she was planning so far ahead? Her cold-headedness and callousness made my heart falter.

"You are very aloof. Why did you agree that first time?" I kept my condescending expression intact outwardly, asking what still bothered me.

"What should I have said in that alley? No, I don't want to? I'm too expensive? Or: Professor, please don't; I'm Miss Granger? What would you have done then?... I didn't have that here back then!" She declared with accusation in her tone, put her hand on mine and squeezed. I shook my head in confusion about her provocative manner.

What would I have done? Good question! Well, I definitely would not have fucked her against the wall, that was out of the question! But I had to say, while musing, amazing how she had not let herself get distracted. This minx was really unscrupulous. At that time, she had completely surrendered herself to the situation and played her role perfectly.

"What was Draco thinking?" I shook my head in incomprehension and felt my chin-long hair, as it went with the movement.

"He wanted to protect me, from everything and everybody!" she acknowledged, to my astonishment, quite ungraciously.

"Was he the only one to want that? Does that boy think at all?" I hissed, frustrated with my godson. "Get dressed!" I ordered harshly, jerking my hand out from under hers. She rose obediently and went naked as she had been created to her cloak. She fetched her wand and cleaned herself quickly. I was still sitting on the soiled bed, looking ruminatively at her back with that small, firm ass. She did not seem to be bashful.

I repeated in my thoughts the past experiences. Suddenly, I stopped and froze. Abruptly, I jumped to my feet and severely restrained my once more flaring anger. She was just reaching for her dress, which was lying on the table, when I silently approached her and immediately pushed her from behind harshly and onto the table, capturing her mercilessly underneath me. Her astonished exclamation was again pressed from her lungs, the side of her face squished against the table top. I had brutally buried my fist in her hair again and pulled tight, something that made her scream shrilly.

"Argh, sir, what… What did you remember now that you are so enraged again? Professor?" She mumbled, her mouth slightly distorted. Her small, bare butt pressed against me.

"You dared to fuck Black and me at the same time!" I hissed furiously into her ear.

"No, no, no!" she stuttered immediately and I growled viciously. "Please, honest. Only when that happened in the alley, then never again! You were the reason he beat me up in the kitchen. He smelled our sex the second time. I wanted to send him packing forever that evening like I had agreed with Draco!" She rattled down breathlessly and I listened to it and could not resist a certain amount of satisfaction.

"You like it hard, don't you, Granger?" I whispered maliciously.

"At the moment, I would be happy if I were allowed to get dressed!" she confessed sheepishly.

"Never forget that other men are taboo for you. Should I see that you should cast another covetous eye on Black - or Potter for what I hear - then you will get to know me and I can assure you, you do not yet know what pain means! What pain can amount to!" I spat spitefully and threatened her very forcibly. This wench drove me unusually hard to my limits!

"Professor, do you think I'm an actual whore?" she asked with a deeply hurt undertone. I straightened suddenly but still held her down on the table top with hands. One buried in her hair, the other pressed onto her bare shoulder blades.

"Yes. What else should I think?" I snarled with an oily voice.

"I assure you I am not, I was only yours! There's only Draco for me, no one else. And Harry? Draco permits it because it's only an act. One we have to play thanks to you, no less! ... and before you ask, it was because of the night Harry and I were with you. After that, we had problems in Gryffindor and salvaged the situation with this lie. Harry is my brother, not my lover... May I get up now?" she hissed in exasperation, for I still pushed her down onto the wood with my outstretched hand. I looked at her narrow back and then stopped in my examination.

"Where is your scar?" I run my fingers over the spot where the knife had stuck.

"Have a cream. I didn't want you to recognise me!" she explained simply and as I spontaneously pulled her up by her hair, her hands shot to my hand.

"Owwww, Professor!" she wailed in torment, though she recovered fast and then began to dress quickly as I let go of her.

Incredible. What kind of ointment was that? Or rather: how did she get her hands on unicorn blood? But should I really wonder how she did that? Probably not, this minx did not appear to be afraid of anything, not even to fuck me! That should mean something.

I waited silently, trying to sort out my thoughts. I had had sex with a student and not the tender, soft kind of sex! Which in addition was the girlfriend - no, paramour of Draco... She belonged to him, to us. That was so unbelievable. As if everything was not complicated enough already.

I would never admit it, but I owed her my life, as she did hers to me. I owed her. Even if I did not show her that, she had been haunting my mind for a long time. A woman like her did not exist often. Who would be surprised that I could hardly take my mind off her? Though I still would never have touched her... But now I was just horrified at how coldly she had pulled it off and the whole time had faced me as calmly as if nothing had ever happened between us. She had never let on the slightest about our forbidden intimacies.

And then I stopped again and paused in thought. I had seen absolutely nothing about us during the Legilimens. This minx was even better in Occlumency than I had thought. That meant, after I had burst through the first wall, she had directed almost everything, otherwise I would have seen something about us. Oh-oh-oh, if I could just wring her petite neck with impunity.

If I were not so terribly angry and upset, I could be amazed by her performance and congratulate her. But... Let's leave that be!

I eyed her now and how she looked in the dress with her true appearance and to my shame - I despised myself for that - I liked it even better. I would have loved to take it off of her immediately. _Severus, pull yourself together now, really, you are not a teenager anymore._ But already I felt how I began to long for her, which I did not allow myself. How would I manage to keep my hands off her, after all?

She glanced cautiously at me as she wrapped her cloak around her body, and I took in the split lip and her swollen right cheek, and quickly moved toward her. I cupped her chin relatively gently, which she accepted without protest, and spoke an Episkey on the wound, which closed immediately, which she commented it with a curt nod of her head. She seemed completely and absolutely in control. She would have to put salve on her cheek, but we had no time for that, just as her maltreated body was covered only by the fabric of her clothes. I guessed that she hurt everywhere, even if she did not show it.

"Reapply your illusion and then we will go!" I ordered soberly with mean intent because I did not want to give her the time to heal herself. I wanted her to feel pain and watched intently as she changed again. She was a gifted witch, as easily as she made those changes to herself, I remarked, annoyed, with some respect for her ability.

I resolutely opened the door and went ahead. I could feel her following me like a shadow and joining me in the taproom. And as always, Granger's luck came to fruition because there sat none other than Lucius, who dominated the room alone through his aristocratic aura. When he saw me, he immediately rose elegantly and left his acquaintances behind unheeded.

"Severus, nice to see you!" A jovial Lucius came up to me and grabbed my right forearm, which I held out to him. I grabbed his and so we greeted each other amicably. I sensed Granger in my back and saw that Lucius became aware of the veiled figure behind me. Should that surprise me? But my emotionless mask fit perfectly.

"Lucius, what are you doing here? I thought you hate this environment that is so very unsuitable for your person," I growled, cursing that damn fate.

"My friend, what should I do? Fudge ties up my attention and a bit of fun must be in there for me as well." He showed his perfect, white teeth. "Who is that in your back? As far as I'm informed, you have no mission today," he asked in his usual nasal voice and I wondered briefly what I had done to deserve this.

"Correct, I had an appointment with a friend!"

"Oh, introduce us. Please come to my table!" he insisted, as always the born gentleman and charmer. Lucius pointed in a sweeping gesture to the private corner that was well-screened from outside view, but when you sat in it, you had everything in sight, as I knew. Only the best for a Malfoy!

"I'm sorry, Lucius, we have to go!" I harshly declined and got a derogatory click of Lucius' tongue in return.

"Tsk, tsk… Severus, do not offend a friend. You will have the few minutes to spare for a drink!" I heard again this whining Malfoy tone in his voice that only sounded like that to me. All the others would think he spoke commandingly, from above, but that was not how it was. He would never order me around! But I knew that tone and when he talked to me like that, something had gone wrong again and I would have to hold his hand and pat and coddle him. That was enormously important to his ego, otherwise, sooner or later, it would become unpleasant. So I gave in and surrendered to my fate. Trying to escape a Malfoy was lost effort and I saw it from the ironic side:

I would introduce his new family member to an ignorant Malfoy!

Today I would experience Granger in action. Let's see how she acquits herself against Lucius. I was really and truly excited. Did I play a dangerous game? Yes! But had I not done this for years? I really wanted to see how she would manoeuvre herself out of the situation.

"As you wish. We will follow you!" I told him coldly and beckoned her to follow me, which she did without hesitation. She had courage but then she was a lioness, I thought sarcastically.

"Take a seat! You, move it!" Lucius said incredibly arrogantly with a blasé attitude and signified the plump, red-haired waitress to serve us something to drink while telling the three men who had been sitting with him before that they should vanish quickly. They retreated so quickly and swiftly at his authoritative command that it was almost embarrassing.

Lucius as a lustrous nobleman managed, as always, to upgrade this dingy bar. In his dark blue, high-quality frock coat, which was buttoned up, and the silky-grey, bound plastron around his neck, which was very becoming to him as always, he seemed completely out of place. Also, his beautiful, long, blond hair fell open today around his attractive face. I thought, completely detached from envy, that many women would envy him for this splendour. In my mind, I had to smile. He was so wonderfully arrogant and overbearing, in more ways than one.

"Please, cast off your cloak, my dear," he requested curiously with his contrived style, which was usually no request. I noticed her hesitating for a moment before her small, petite hands fumbled with her buckle and she slowly took it off. When he saw her, Lucius raised his white eyebrow in appreciation.

"Pretty, truly, Severus. And, did you have a good time?" Lucius asked me incredibly presumptuously and his eyes glittered with hunger. Apparently, Granger had an effect on him even in her disguised form. She remained surprisingly calm, keeping her eyes down modestly. Right now she showed her true ability, for she kept her nerves, although Lucius' interest should not have escaped her notice. If she was nervous, she knew how to hide it. Then came the waitress with the order and the three of us toasted and drank, so I did not have to answer immediately.

"I don't know what you mean, Lucius!" I gave him a cold look from my black eyes. He once again rolled his annoying walking stick with the ugly snake provocatively in his greedy fingers.

"Ah, always the gentleman. What's your name, my dear?" he did not respond to my accusatory look. He turned his head provocatively to Granger and examined her with his haughty gaze. He eyed at her like a piece of cattle.

"I do not think you have to know that!" I preempted her answer.

"And why not?" Surprise showed in his very grey eyes and he brushed back a long, smooth strand of his hair lasciviously.

"Because you will not see her again!" I declared decidedly.

"I won't? But I think she would not be averse to keeping me company today, the night is still young!" Now there was a sly grin on the noble face of my old friend. Before I could reply, Granger spoke up.

"I am honoured, but unfortunately, to my regret, I'll have to disappoint you. I cannot stay tonight; I have to go. I should be gone already, I'm way too late!" she answered very politely, and I could witness a storm raging in Lucius' grey eyes after this rebuff from Granger. She also seemed to notice that she was moving on thin ice and added quickly:

"Please understand, sir! My babysitter can only stay until half past and it is now half past. I must get to my child, please understand me, sir!" she pleaded with a pathetic tremor in her voice. Her blue eyes were suddenly swimming with tears. If I did not know that there was no child, I would have bought it. The worried, young, single mother - she had the act down to a fine art. What a bitch. I would never believe anything she said ever again, for she did everything with cold calculation, I decided brusquely!

"You will excuse me?" She rose bravely and looked submissively at both of us. I could see Lucius struggling with himself, but then he just nodded and I stared hard into her eyes and nodded too. I would stay and distract Lucius as she disappeared on the quickest way to Hogwarts. She understood my urgent message very well, made a submissive curtsey and disappeared quickly. Smart girl. Not many duped Lucius, but then she had snubbed me too, I thought sourly, grimacing as I took a sip of the burning alcohol into my mouth.

It turned out to be a fun and entertaining night, as always with Lucius, who had coped well with the rejection and was content with me for company.

If he'd known who he'd let slip away so easily, he'd be in a very bad mood now, I thought nastily. But so he dumped all his frustration over Fudge and all the other idiots who surrounded us on me. As I stumbled out of the secret passage at midnight, I purposefully aimed for Slytherin House. I had an urgent conversation to make. For the second time tonight, a Malfoy was waiting for me, only he didn't know about that… just yet!

End of Snape's POV

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 _Review feedback:_

 _ **sjrodgers23:** It was my pleasure._

 _ **hi:** We update every Thursday unless something prevents me or my betas from meeting the schedule. Then the update comes when the chapter is finished._

 _ **Sinner:** My favourite guest reviewer! That's the core of this fic. Multiple directions, multiple viewpoints, multiple motivations. Hermione will _ stay _the main protagonists, but at times it becomes pretty hard to identify with her. I_ fearm _the suppressing of feelings will become even worse after the current chapter._


	82. Reactions

Chapter beta: Olivia

Chapter translator: Aivy

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 **Reactions**

Hermione's POV

I ran as if all the demons of hell were after me. When I left the threshold of the pub behind me, I sprinted and ran and ran, apparated in the run, pulled out my wand, opened the entrance and locked it routinely, but didn't stop and rushed on. I ran blindly on and on and only stopped at the end of the passageway. Who said daily laps weren't helpful?

I finally collapsed where I stood, sank exhausted down to my knees and, beaten, I remained kneeling on the dirty, trampled clay floor, slapped my hands with a suppressed sob in front of my face and groaned in pain, because everything hurt. He battered made me terribly. My insides felt torn and sore. As I had sunken to the floor pain had shot over my spine into my brain. He had done a great job, I was a single wound, and not only physically. Mentally, too, I was struggling to find myself.

Because I wasn't nearly as tough as I pretended to be!

My body felt like nothing more than a shell. How could I have remained so uninvolved and kept my cool while he was near me? How did everything get so much out of hand? I had come to know a side of me that I didn't know I had. But it was good to know about it, I thought joylessly, pragmatically and a slightly hysterical giggle escaped my lips.

One thing was now certain for me: I was insane! I had requested a second time! Now I had it in black and white that I was mad as a hatter. The second thing was my pride, my stupid pride that had made me do it. I wanted to show him that nothing he had done to me meant anything to me! I was such a liar, but as it seemed a gifted actress, too! Or, a terrifying thought came into my stunned, confused mind: Was it no act and I was actually deranged?

That was probably more like it because the second time had been good, really! I didn't have to pretend anything to him. At the time, my insides had been torn with pain and lust; I had been trapped in my very own, incomprehensible world. I had enjoyed having power over him, forcing my will on him despite everything. So, in fact, I had enjoyed the way he did me the second time around and I knew without professional help that that was sick, very sick!

But knowing that he now knew that I, Hermione, his student, lay beneath him, so exposed to him, and also that I was doing it with my professor, Severus Snape, with my eyes wide open took some getting used to.

How could I still look into his face after this night? Knowing that he knew I had played the whore for him? And Draco - I sobbed dryly and looked lost, despairing into the deep darkness of the corridor, for I hadn't made a light for myself.

Why had I behaved like that? That worried me a lot. I had felt as if my fast-pounding heart had to leap out of my chest, but I hadn't been able to let him win. It was like we were having a contest about who could shock the other more, in one way or another; I with my emotional coldness, he with his barbaric brutality. I knew he could punish!

I remembered the kiss on the mat during our first fight. However, this punishment that he had given me this time, this physical punishment ... If I had thought the kiss had been punitive, then I could now say in good conscience, he had taught me better. That he shouldn't get his hands on you when he fucked to punish, I knew now. It was no pleasure, not in the slightest... It was all humiliating, degrading and hurtful, almost devastating.

When those dark black eyes had glared at me so abysmally angrily, it had been hard for me to breathe. His irises had changed to the colour of the pupils, making them look huge. So seething with rage I had never really experienced him, never! I had known that if he could, he would blow my lights out, and so I had kept quiet under that blazing look. Even when he had beaten me hard, I hadn't moved and let him let work off his rage on my body and oh, he had done that without inhibitions! Ruthlessly and mercilessly.

I had first clenched my hands in the sheet to stoically endure the pain, to show no emotion. To not scream loudly, I had bitten my tongue when I thought he would try to break me, to rip me apart! Even now, I trembled and shuddered in memory of this borderline experience, which I didn't begrudge anyone. It was only when he kissed me, so callously and coldly, and claimed everything in and on my body so barbarically, possessively, and made me absolutely submissive to his will that I drilled my nails desperately into his biceps.

Oh goddess, I was so tainted, so slutty; it was cruel. What had ridden me to ask him in such a shameful way to further humiliate me? I wasn't normal, hadn't been for a long time! What made this life out of me? What kind of person was I becoming? I helplessly wrapped my arms around my upper body, holding onto myself desperately. I was afraid of losing myself. I bit down on my swollen lip, tormented, to feel something, to feel anything. I was afraid to lose that ability, as empty as I felt right now!

Help, as he had pressed me to the table, I had felt so infinitely defenceless. Then he had blatantly threatened me about Sirius and Harry and other men! I was aware that he was serious, deadly serious. Just as he had wanted to murder me when he had discovered the mark with ice-cold intent, no ifs and buts. But he had just slapped me, tore my lip and had given me a painfully swollen cheek. I knew I had owed that restraint only to the mark because it prevented him from doing more, and I knew he could have been even more brute and brutal. At that moment, I had been as grateful to Draco for the mark as never before, when I had been faced with this unrelenting gaze that promised murder.

I had to be even more cautious from now on, since he had made it very clear, just like Draco, that he wouldn't tolerate another man by my side. It came just as I always expected, they all saw me as their possession!

I cried out in frustration and rocked back and forth with my upper body reassuringly. The bad thing was, I had expected something like that - that the ointment wouldn't last long enough. That's why, when I'd seen his frightening, almost berserk-looking look, I had correctly interpreted it and responded so calmly and deliberately, and I had deducted correctly that my cover had been blown! His gaze, when he saw my reaction, had been so satisfying for me that I pursued this tactic with cold-blooded calculation. What would have been the point of tears? Nothing! Not with him and even now they didn't come. I couldn't cry, not for myself!

And as if that wasn't enough unimaginable horror that could happen to me in a single night, my luck had once again decided to intervene to show that I was just an unwilling plaything of fate because we had to meet Lucius as well.

My luck has always been indescribably cruel. First this experience with a completely out of bounds Snape and then Lucius, who wanted to pull me straight into the corner, too. Exactly, I believe I had covered my need for cocks for the time being, I thought ironically, as I became consciously aware of my throbbing abdomen. Why had Lucius jumped at my secret identity? It was exasperating. I could probably do what I wanted and he would still desire me.

I still couldn't cry; not a single tear left my eyes. I felt no shame or shyness, just emptiness and an indefinable feeling in my stomach and I wondered what Draco would do because I didn't give in to the utopia that he wouldn't learn about it. He was going to go berserk that I hadn't told him I was leaving the grounds.

But on the other side, a slightly insane smile spread on my lips as I had to think of the successful afternoon, and that just cheered me up a bit. Exactly, this showed me that there were ups and downs, all this was close together. I had to come to terms with the new circumstances. Please, Hermione, what was worse? To have a knife stuck up to the hilt inside you or Snape, I thought bitterly and so sarcastically that I giggled. No, it was true, why did I make such a fuss? Now he knew it, nothing more than cruel fucking would happen to me. I began to unclamp my cramped arms and rubbed my ice-cold face. That's right, it would only be a big deal if I kept obsessed about it. It was nothing. My body could handle it. With my potions and ointments, the pain would be forgotten tomorrow morning, I worked out in my mind. And the mental aspect?

 _Well, take it how it comes, my dear Hermione, you cannot change it anymore. Annoy him by showing him how indifferent everything is to you, that will infuriate him and occupy him more than if you play the broken wreck,_ I said to myself encouragingly. Groaning and with wobbly legs, I got to my feet. Shit, that burned, and it pinched dangerously between my legs.

I wanted to go to Draco, my Draco. I needed him, I needed him so much, but I didn't dare. My courage had left me. My heart screamed for him and his closeness but my mind forbade it. I couldn't look him in the eye now, I wouldn't be able to handle that!

Oops ... I remembered that I did not look like Hermione yet and changed that quickly. That would not have been good. _Now pull yourself together and keep a calm, cool head!_ I was juggling with too many, too dangerous and too complicated topics at a time to be able to afford to lose my head now. I felt how my mind got seized by a don't-give-a-fuck mentality and that I had really begun to work through this evening with this little breakdown here. Good, that was good. As soon as the physical, internal pain was gone, I would bury it completely, I decided with feigned coldness.

I smirked, though then I remembered something and the grin slipped away. He hadn't paid me!

Oh, I already knew how to drive him crazy. I loved it.

And revenge was too sweet...

Oh, I lost myself again, I couldn't be alone right now. I couldn't return to the bright, colourful, peaceful kindergarten of Gryffindor. I couldn't, every fibre of my being was reluctant. Today, I had once again had a borderline experience that drove me even more away from the others. I had once again become a bit disillusioned, and even though my mind told me not to go to Draco, I didn't care. I needed his strong arms and I knew he would ask questions only when I was ready. So I resolutely pulled my hood down into my face and walked to Slytherin, to my boyfriend, my lover... the man whom I trusted and from whom I hoped to get a little comfort after this ordeal.

When I arrived, the common room was busy. I made a beeline for him and noticed how he eyed me skeptically with a raised brow. From his cold look, which went right through me, I knew that he knew that I hadn't been in the castle during the day! Even with my fuzzy brain, I came to the conclusion that the Twins had snitched and he probably knew very well why I hadn't said anything.

I kept my head down, even with my hood up, looking at the floor. I didn't want to see his look and have to interpret it. I was afraid to see disappointment, anger, sadness, and other deep feelings. However, didn't need that because I already felt guilty all by myself.

I heard rustling, he was getting up, then I felt him fishing for my hand under my cloak, grabbing it, and gently dragging me along with him. He seemed to feel my lousy condition and had not spoken a word until now and neither had I. He led me safely to his room and immediately pulled off my cloak, gazing at me for a long, intense moment, and I looked everywhere except at him. Then he suddenly picked me up and I gave a small, painful yell as he carried me into the bathroom. Otherwise, I did nothing and said nothing, but I didn't stop him either. I was just grateful that he didn't say anything and just stayed with me without any words. He seemed to instinctively suspect what had happened.

He carefully undressed us both and manoeuvred us into the shower. I perceived everything as through a thick veil. He washed me gently and lovingly. I felt the water warm my cold skin as if pointed needles pricked me, but I held my head under the water and enjoyed the rushing sound that was in my ears and numbed my mind.

When we were done, he treated me like a toddler, and it was so good to give up the lead and control so completely and let him guide me with so much caring, trust, and gentleness. He dropped me off on his bed and disappeared, only to come back with some medicine that he conscientiously administered. Afterwards, he tucked me into his bed still wordlessly and joined me freshly dressed, but remained above the blanket and clasped me protectively in his strong arms.

"Draco… I…" I whispered anxiously, after aeons of silence.

"Sh-sh, darling, tomorrow is early enough!" he said very tenderly.

"You aren't angry?" I asked breathlessly.

"I am. But as I said, we have time and now sleep!" He rocked me infinitely gently and kissed my forehead tenderly when I felt my senses slipping away. He had given me a sleeping draught... Goddess be thanked.

End of Hermione's POV

Snape's POV

When I swept right into the common room like a god of vengeance, it was well attended despite the late hour, thanks to the fact that holidays were in session. My lovely godson was not to be overlooked as he stood out just as much as his father. It seemed to be the Malfoys' curse not to know anything about inconspicuousness. Even if they did nothing, their presence was still perceptible. Unlike me, who always merged with his environment and stayed in the background, only the first place was good enough for these two. So much self-love was exhausting.

When Draco caught sight of me, a smirk crept on his face, which told me he knew what had happened tonight and was expecting me. But from where? Granger had said that she had not told Draco. So how did he know? I wrinkled my forehead unwillingly and looked disconcertedly through the greenish, gloomy room, which was very much in tune with my mood.

"Mr Malfoy, I would like to have a word with you!" I declared and rushed away with billowing robes. Surely some brave people would now dare to say that I, too, liked dramatic exits; my thoughts were full of cynicism and irony.

"As you wish, Professor!" I heard him answer politely at my back.

I rushed into my rooms and got rid of my rigid outerwear. I needed air, otherwise, I was afraid to suffocate. My blood was boiling when I thought of this unspeakable bitch named Granger and what she was driving me into. Getting so much out of control, that was not me!

Draco followed hot on my heels. He sat down on the couch with his innate elegance, crossed his legs casually and looked at me expectantly and patiently. A strand of his hair hung down into his face and gave him a bold expression. I too had caught myself again and was back to the ice-cold bastard I always was and so I let drinks appear for both of us. He immediately raised his and toasted me, appearing almost smug. I sagged more than sank down into my chair and groaned deeply. What kind of game did these two play? The crackling of the fire and the popping of the burning logs were the only things that could be heard in my rooms. The tension was palpable when none of us spoke and we only looked furtively into each other's eyes.

Eventually, Draco spoke up.

"What can I do for you, Severus?" he asked absolutely flawlessly and unmitigatedly, the confident Malfoy.

"It seems to me that you know that already. I just wonder where from?" I cocked my head and looked at him piercingly.

"Do you mean the fact that you saw my Mudblood today, out of school, for a rather ... intimate encounter?" The enquiry came so calmly out of Draco's mouth that I had to suppress goosebumps. I could only nod because I was afraid my voice would not obey me.

"Then, yes," he replied coolly.

"But from where? She said you do not know because she did not tell you," I added spitefully and gave him a contemptuous lift of the corners of my mouth.

"That's all correct. However, she doesn't know everything!" He spoke in a very blasé way. However, I could see the approaching storm reflected in his grey eyes, even though he was acting calmly outwards. Bloody breeding.

"Now I am really curious, Draco!" I said in an oily voice. I, too, had not shown any feelings so far. It was as if we were circling each other, waiting for the other to lose control first.

"The Twins, they informed me. She told them for safety reasons that she had to do something. She left the castle at half past three ... and arrived back half an hour ago!" he explained to me nonchalantly.

"But Draco, half past three? We had our appointment at nine o'clock. What did she do in the meantime?" I threw in in astonishment, and Draco shrugged his aristocratically straight shoulders. Somehow Draco's calm and dispassionate behaviour had taken the wind out of my sails and I just felt exhausted and drained. Also, it dawned on me slowly but surely that I had brutally assaulted a student, which made me uncomfortable. I hated it abysmally when my so-called Death Eater colleagues raped young women and always invoked my iron-clad control. I myself had not done much better today and had pounced on her driven by my most base desires. A circumstance that made me grimace contemptuously now.

Even if she had shown herself so unaffected, it could not be. Every woman would feel something, the way I had violated her, and see it for... and see it for what it was. I had completely lost control, something I never allowed myself otherwise! Draco's voice pulled me out of my confused thoughts.

"Something. Who knows. Collect information, I suppose. She would have constructed all her appointments around you, as structured as she is!" His reply was voiced in a monotonous tone. He had to simmer inwardly, as cold as he made himself appear, and now he took a sip of the alcohol and closed his eyes with relish. Yes, he was not as calm as he pretended.

"What do you have to say in your defence, Draco? You branded her with the Malfoy mark, your crest! Have you lost your marbles? Are you daft? And how could you allow her to be with me... let us, well... I thought she meant something to you? How can you stay so calm?" I still spoke softly and with emphasised calmness. I was very controlled right now. Yes, the Purebloods were pretty overbearing and blasé in their oh-so-noble behaviour and I had perfected it long before Granger. And then this minx came and rocked the very foundations of my world. It would be difficult for me to get over it.

"How, you ask? Many questions at once. Well. Yes, she means something to me, a lot even... More than anyone else... I... She means everything to me! I am not willing to give her up! Why am I staying so calm? You have taught me that, successfully, as you see. Should I demolish your living room now? Hmph... I beg you, that would be beneath me! How could I allow it? Well, I know, even if you will never admit it she means something to you, too…" He explained in detail, while he looked at me haughtily.

"Nonsense!" I interrupted him brusquely, underlining this with a harsh gesture.

"If you say so, Uncle!" he stated succinctly. However, I discerned that he did not believe a word I had said and he measured me doubtfully, so knowing, so predatory. "Besides, I know, no matter if she spreads her legs for you or not, only I am in her heart!" The words came hard, cold and vicious from Draco and I knew he really knew how to hurt. Yes, he was right, Granger was not irrelevant to me... not anymore and as he was rubbing it in that maybe I could own her body, but not her heart... I swallowed that bitter pill of knowledge with difficulty and retaliated, cold as ice.

"That is sick, Draco! Either way, you cannot be that indifferent about it!" I hissed nastily, and I felt deceived by him as well as by her.

"Nobody says that. But can I change something now that it has happened? We are all sometimes in situations we would rather not be in and want to avoid, but can we? No, not always. Who would not know that better than you, Severus? What should I accuse her of? That she acted as she thought she had to act? Back then, when I was with Father, when he had summoned me to see him on the evening when Pansy got her punishment - I was in a bad mood - I had the honour of attending a small, illustrious round. A little revel, and yes, I had my 'fun,'" he spat pejoratively and grimaced in disgust, "What? Do you think I love to rape women and then even in front of the mob? It was as always: humiliating, demeaning and disgusting. And do not look like that; no, I did not tell Hermione!" He shrugged and I rolled my eyes.

I was speechless for a moment. Of the little chat I knew, but I had not known that Draco had participated. I knew how much he hated and despised such gatherings, and was disgusted by them every time. I could understand him. Even Lucius, who was the most accessible and open in this respect, did not like these meetings. He did only the minimum that was expected of him and then left in a hurry, seeking his salvation in flight. Yes, the three of us were very similar in this regard.

"Scared how she might react?" I enquired. I wanted to better understand the relationship between the two.

"Yes, but different than you think! She would have shown me her understanding and said that I had to get through it. Surely she would have come up with such a stupid saying, like ' _Grit your teeth and get to it, Draco! Most of the time you cannot choose what you want to, should, can and must do!'_ But really I could do without it!" he said reluctantly, shaking his head and his white-blond hair went so well with the motion. I felt slightly dumbfounded!

That was what Granger would tell Draco if he cheated on her? That could not be right, could it? But on the other hand, she had not resisted me either. That would then confirm Draco's words that she had deliberately decided to endure it, submitting to her fate. No, she could not be so unscrupulous, she must not. Damn it!

"I… I… When I discovered the mark... I might have lost my composure, Draco!" I confessed unwillingly and stoically returned his gaze, hard and perhaps a bit too bitter.

"Does that mean that you beat her?" he asked indifferently and took another sip.

"No, yes… Oh well, beaten ...? Not really! Only a tiny little slap. But no, I did not mean that. I was very rude, brutal... I guess I actually…" I shrugged reluctantly. It was not like me to be so ineloquently, but it was hard for me to admit my weakness to Draco.

"What, raped her?" Draco asked harshly, still looking at me with a blank mask. I only nodded slightly and took a long gulp while his hands closed very tightly around his glass.

"Alas, what do you expect now, Severus. That I congratulate you?" Draco asked sarcastically after he had cleared his throat.

"No, the hell! The little bitch made me furious…" I burst out indignantly and glared at him angrily.

"And you were probably more upset that she's been fooling you for so long, admit it!" I now saw an ironic smile on his lips. "You won't do that again, Severus! Are we clear? She is under my own personal protection. You won't force yourself on her again, have we understood each other? She belongs to me, never forget that!" His voice clinked like frozen ice and everything about Draco seemed to be concentrated power.

"Of course not, what do you think of me? The situation slipped out of my hands at the moment…" I replied antipathically and stubbornly raised my chin. What did he think of me?

"Did she ride it out, or did you... break her?" He was visibly worried and had straightened up a bit.

"And no, it seems much, much more has to happen to break her. No tear, no reaction, no nothing. She is positively scary in her cold way! Which has probably put me in even more of a rage!" I shrugged.

"That's my girl! I would have been very surprised if she did not implement her words the way she says them. She is incredibly strong... I admire her very much, Severus! Yes, she has the gift to always trigger very strong feelings in a man!" he explained visibly proud and convinced.

"But why did you make that far-reaching decision and do this ancient ritual? What will Lucius say? She is also a Mudblood and you have taken in someone like that into the purest family ever. Several people will get the shock of their life when this comes out," I said worriedly, and his gaze became steely and piercingly sharp as he answered me.

"As if I would ever act ill-considered or thoughtless... Tsk, tsk. I have brought into my family the most gifted, powerful, and intelligent witch of our time, rest assured that even our Lord would appreciate it. I enhance the status of my family with her, not the opposite. She is a gem and I know how to get what I want and how to keep and protect it!" The reply came confidently from Draco. Wow. I was deeply impressed by how far-sighted and strong-minded this boy had become, but at the same time, I doubted he knew what he was getting into with her. He underestimated her, I was sure of that.

"You see me surprised and shocked, Draco! What are you up to?"

"Well, you should never underestimate me! What I have in mind? Nothing! However, Hermione is one of us, forever. Only Father should keep his hands off of her!" he replied in a controlled tone of voice.

"How do you imagine that will work? He is the head of the family. He is even older than me. When he finds out to whom he has unrestricted access… I won't be hopeful," I objected. I was sure Lucius would seize the opportunity.

"Oh, I think, if I rely on my right as the one who marked her, it will slow him down a bit. If Father does something, it is respecting me and he usually responds to my wishes. I think, with your help, that he will not immediately drag her to his bed, but will try to control himself!" he said coldly, calculatingly, and I was amazed at how much Draco had apparently thought it over.

"Yes, I agree with you. Lucius recognises you as his heir and whatever he understands as love, you come most closely to it. You are important to him. But we both know, matters pertaining to Granger never play out the way they should…" I ventured to argue thoughtfully. Where Granger was concerned, I did not expect anything more, or always the worst.

"Quite true…" A resigned sigh escaped Draco.

"I still have to tell you something. After the whole, unfortunate encounter-"

"Nice description!" Draco interrupted me and laughed harshly, giving me a piercing, venomous look.

"Where was I? We met Lucius!" I said. Draco got more serious from one second to the next and looked at me impatiently.

"She was able to escape him, although he too wanted to buy her. Even as a blonde, she seemed to appeal to him, but she played with frightening coldness the single mother that had to go home to her baby!" I still shook my head over Granger. She seemed to be the born liar and deceiver.

"What? Wow! Too bad I wasn't there; she was probably terrific. I love it when she does something like that!" Draco declared with terribly unemotional.

"Do you know what, Draco? You are both out of your minds!" I attested to him shortly. They had really searched and found each other. Who was worse, he or she? This question would probably occupy me for a long time!

"Why? We have a similar sense of humour! Now tell me, how was she in bed?" he wanted to know, suddenly interested.

"Your morale leaves something to be desired!" I declared coldly, crossing my arms and legs dismissively, and sat back.

"Oh, come on!" he continued to urge me relentlessly.

"I think you are in bed with her often enough that you do not need me to tell you about it or give an account!" I would not let myself be questioned by my godson.

"That good?" he laughed very dirtily. I pressed my jaws tightly together. "That you can have fun together, I already saw at Hog's Head a while ago!" He grinned diabolically and my perfect mask slipped for a short time. I looked at him shocked. What kind of cunning, cold and diabolical child had I raised there? I wondered, shocked.

"Yes. I watched you through a window at the time. With her you seem to have more fun than usual!" he told me unapologetically, as I raised a corner of my mouth contemptuously.

"You are impossible, do you know that?" I growled in a strained voice and put all suppressed anger into my magical power.

"Well, let's just say, I am who I am. And to be nice: no, that's not how you raised me!" It was too frustrating because where he was right… "But alright, I'll ask Hermione!"

"What?" I hissed, infuriated.

"Yes. What did you think? That I let it go that she breaks the agreement and just leaves the castle without informing me? She's getting a dressing down. Not telling me is and was unacceptable and that means trouble for her, real trouble!" He was very haughty and overbearing, but he meant it very seriously. Poor Granger, that would not be nice for her.

"Well, Draco, I'll retire now. You know everything now, live with it!" I rose determined and Draco followed suit. He approached me, which made me pause in surprise. Did he want to punch me? I would put nothing past him at the moment and if we are honest, I deserved it. But no, he surprised me again.

He held out his right arm, just as I always greeted Lucius, and reflexively, I stretched my own forward. Draco's fingers tightened around my forearm and I grabbed his. I raised an eyebrow in question.

"I am glad that you are now in the know and I am relying on your help, Uncle Severus!" He squeezed for emphasis and looked me straight in the eyes, his expression pure and demure.

"I will always stand by you. If you need me, I will be by your side, Draco, you know that. Your concern is unfounded, Granger is under my protection just as any member of the Malfoy family!" I spoke solemnly and clearly saw through this little viper. He oppressed any need for revenge or anger because he knew that he would need my full support against Lucius. So much cunning and deceit. If I was not so involved, I would be proud and deeply moved what a man Draco had become, but as it was I just felt like a pawn on his chessboard.

"Thank you, Severus. I knew I could count on you!" He looked at me contentedly, loosened his grip and turned away.

"Stop, wait! Why did you not tell me...? Why did you let it escalate like that? Because we both know, the ritual is not reversible anyway!" I asked curiously and saw him turn just his head and stop for a moment.

"It was much more fun this way!" He laughed harshly, going on, and left me shaken in his wake.

End of Snape's POV

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 _Because of a short vacation the chapter next week might get delayed or cancelled. Just for a heads up._

 _Review feedback:_

 _ **Sinner:** I think I can feel the emotion coming off your review and I'm happy we left you speechless and chuckling. Thank you for the praise!_

 _ **gentledove2:** It was not an easy chapter to translate and it's nice to know you think I did it well. The characters are all Queenie's doing!  
Not a Snape fan, are you? He might redeem himself just a tiny little bit with today's chapter.  
Our Hermione never ever wants kids and she was prepared for a sexual encounter, so I have to disappoint you, no baby Snapes on the way._


	83. Draco's Method

Chapter beta: Olivia

Chapter translator: Aivy

 _Another heavily edited chapter. Join us on_ wattpad _or AO3 for an explicit version._

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 **Draco's Method**

Draco's POV

I left Severus' quarters with my head lifted high and congratulated myself on my ingenious, level-headed behaviour, my calmness, and the fact that I knew Severus now to be completely on my side. But if I was honest with myself, I seethed inside like a volcano. Although I always acted as uninvolved and cool as if I was above anything and everything, when it came to Hermione, I could not remain casual and uninvolved, then I was involved, whether I wanted it or not.

Her self-control was really impressive, even Severus and I could take a leaf out of her book. With a quick and brisk stride, I returned to the common room where a few students still sat together. My bad mood was almost palpable, but they knew it when I was like that and would rather not address me. Good for them, I could not guarantee for anything right then and the next one would probably have gotten my clenched fist into their face. Right now, I did just not feel nice enough for curses and besides, I would have liked to ram it into the face of my dear uncle until his ugly nose turned into mush under my punches.

How good that I had been able to prepare for Severus' arrival, transforming my boiling, fiery rage into icy, cold restraint. It was one thing when my Hermione went to him as a whore, of necessity, as Minna and he took her, but he had recognized her and gone ahead and not only that, he had outright raped her!

My anger at her - that she had sneaked out of the castle without telling me, had resisted my instructions, which no one had to resist, not even she; I was a Malfoy after all - this anger took a back seat right now. Too great was my anger was at Severus, which unfortunately I was not allowed to indulge in.

I knew someone else would have to pay for it…

I quickly crossed the common room, felt the fearful and anxious looks that followed me, and entered my room. I dropped into my chair with little elegance and summoned a glass of firewhiskey with my wand. I urgently needed a drink. Greedy, I drank the amber liquid and felt the alcohol burn in my throat and then warm me from the inside. Glorious. In a slip of self-control, I ran my hand through the hair that already fell into my face, whereas my eyes fell on the sleeping Hermione. She looked incredibly innocent and vulnerable, the way she lay wrapped in my blanket and with her curly hair spread all around her face.

I laughed harshly. Innocent? Who among us was that? But vulnerable, yes... vulnerable. I gave her a sorrowful look.

I groaned heavily, closed my eyes, defeated, and tilted my head back. The way Hermione had faced me this evening had impressed me. Not a tear she had cried. Now that I knew what had happened to her tonight, it impressed me even more. Even though Severus said that he had not broken her, that she had been strong, rigid and confident, that she had even played my father masterfully, I hoped and had an inkling that on the inside she had looked very different.

Hoped it, because it would mean that she was not as dead and jaded as she wanted us to believe. I hoped it for her. She had needed me earlier, I had felt that. Her attitude had expressed her humility and remorse toward me because she knew she had left without permission, but also that she was torn inside and very confused. She had acted like a beaten dog; that had hurt my heart. My proud Hermione!

I listened to the crackling of the fire in the hearth, trying to calm myself, breathing deeply and evenly. Though I couldn't and wouldn't risk Severus turning against me, against us, not letting him pay for his act was incredibly hard for me, even if he was a family. If he were anyone else, I would have used the Cruciatus curse on him for a lot less and probably even killed him personally and with relish, slowly, or at least castrated him. However, he was who he was and I wasn't allowed to harm him, even if my animalistic, male side wanted it badly. Education, pride and my plans really got in my way. I was so angry, so incredibly angry.

I felt sick at the thought of what she had to endure today. I didn't want to imagine what it was like. It was disgusting enough to be the one who did it, over and over again, but to be the victim, no, I didn't want to know that. Maybe I shouldn't have asked, but ignorance wouldn't have gotten me further. Again, the anger that I had fought so successfully bubbled up in my veins, rushing through them faster and faster. I tried to force it down with a vengeance, hoping that her angelic sight would calm me down. Alas, it didn't because immediately evil thoughts shot into my head. Hermione would get her punishment for her behaviour tomorrow, she knew that and I would have to do it, even if I didn't like it - or maybe I would, I had to wait and see how the punishment would turn out.

The bad thing was, I could understand Severus to a degree. He was a Death Eater, for over twenty years. They, and Severus too, did bad, unbelievably bad things! Something like that had to leave its mark, deep marks, and then came Hermione, who had been aggravating Severus for a long time and made him forget the tight control he had always maintained in all circumstances. Again, I threw her an appraising look.

Man, here was a woman who had probably lived through one of the hardest nights of her life and at the sight of her I thought about her punishment. That was not right!

But necessary, that was all ...!

Forcefully, I threw my half-filled glass into the fireplace, where the whiskey hissed in the flames and the glass shattered into tiny pieces.

"Bloody crap!" I yelled. I didn't fear that she could wake up because the sleeping potion was too strong and was certainly still fully effective. My outbreak was out of character for a Malfoy, but that affected me only peripherally. No one saw it; it did me good. In what kind of situation had I just gotten myself into? I should never have got involved in this game, but that's how my life had always been. Essentially, I never had a choice. We all did what needed to be done to survive, including Severus. But most of all, Hermione. My strong, cold-blooded, unscrupulous-yet-affectionate, empathetic Hermione, risking her life for... Yeah, for what, actually? For Potter?

"Pha, not for that one…" I spat, my face twisted in disgust, and got up from my chair. Thus, I would not calm down, I knew that.

I hoped for Severus that his statement that he hadn't broken Hermione would prove true because otherwise, I wouldn't know what I would do, even if it endangered my plans. Besides, a broken, less tough Hermione would make my plans much more difficult.

I stepped carefully to my bed, looked at the pile of misery that lay there and that I so much desired and that had become so important to me - something I could show no one to the full extent - and stroked her cheek affectionately. Then I stripped down to my shorts and crawled under the covers, placing myself against her back, and pulled her possessively into my arms. This girl was mine and only mine. I lay awake for a long time, trying to regain control of my senses, but her calm, steady breathing at least calmed me down a bit, if not entirely.

End of Draco's POV

Hermione's POV

When I opened my eyes abruptly, all the humiliating memories rushed down on me like a waterfall. I had accepted yesterday without resistance to taking Dreamless Sleep to physically regenerate. Today, with a heavy heart, it was time to make an inventory.

In principle, all potions and ointments had worked flawlessly and I was actually restored as far as you could possibly be. However, not even magic could do nothing against the feeling of having been beaten black and blue, so my lower region felt like it had been used as a punching ball.

Even my core down there felt like it had been treated with a boxing glove and thus I could not simply suppress and forget what had happened. Instead of frightening me, it made me mad in the light of day. The dear Professor would find out that he had not stuffed my mouth with his violent behaviour. He would get a nasty surprise! A diabolical grin formed on my face.

I no longer experienced the panic-inducing feeling of losing myself or my mind. I was amazingly clear and present.

Yes, thank the goddess, I was back. I felt free to think; I just hoped that I was not fooling myself and I realised carefully that the horrors of the night had disappeared. I still didn't feel 'normal' again, but I hadn't done that for quite some time. Once again, I realised that I would have to learn to live with it and put it off as an unpleasant experience. The coldness with which I regarded my own fate made me shiver slightly, but I also knew: What else could I do? Indulge in my pain? Please, that didn't suit me and my pragmatic attitude towards life and its imponderables.

I would despise any girl who did that. It had happened and was now, maybe not forgotten but processed by me, I gave myself a pep talk. Also, I should keep in mind that, as I knew Snape, he would probably look dumbstruck if I met him with particular callousness, and so I would enjoy shocking him rather than reveal anything else to him.

Only now, did I feel - did I consciously notice - that I was held by strong arms, which embraced me tightly. Also, I could feel a tingling sensation on my neck that told me I was being watched. I showed a grateful smile that he was with me, that he had been with me yesterday, without questions, without words. But I knew him, now he would want answers and he wouldn't be happy; I had done a lot wrong.

"Morning!" I heard Draco's clear voice and froze completely. I felt him pulling me closer and he pressed himself against me as if he too needed comfort.

"Shhh, my darling, calm down!" he said gently, caressing me reassuringly. It caused me to find the courage to resolutely turn around to face him for up until then I had laid with my back to him. I buried my nose in the hollow below his neck, sniffing for his soothing sandalwood scent. After a long time enjoying Draco's caresses, I said against his soft, white skin:

"You know everything, don't you?" My tone was resigned.

"Yes, but still not enough. Your punishment will be to tell me everything in detail!" His voice was so indifferent and monotonous that I knew that in his eyes I would see the storm raging inside him, which he severely repressed for my sake.

"No, please no! You cannot be serious; you don't want that!" I pleaded quickly. I wanted to break away from him, but he grabbed me by the back of my head and held me close. Promptly, I gave up my resistance. It seemed like I wasn't back on track yet and just enjoyed the closeness he gave me, with all the consequences.

"That, my darling, is still for me to decide!" he whispered softly but decidedly. Horrified, I weakly asked for clarification.

"You would force me?"

"Yes, discipline is necessary. What were you thinking, not telling me?! You broke our agreement!" He sounded disappointed and frustrated and it intensified my guilty conscience towards him, whereby I wasn't quite myself.

"Nothing! I thought you didn't want to know and… I told the Twins!" I tried feebly, though it was noticeable that I hadn't really regained my old strength yet.

"But you know you should come to me. Just because I didn't mention it doesn't mean it's off the table. You're so smart otherwise! And believe me, we would always have found ways. Trust me; you don't have to do everything on your own and even if you had still gone, I should have known. Don't do something so stupid again; you're scaring me!" Now there was clearly reproach, but also concern and sadness in his voice. That's what I thought I heard, at least. You didn't hear that tone that often from him. I whimpered, slightly ashamed, and snuggled closer to Draco.

"How are you? How do you feel after yesterday?" he whispered quietly.

"You know, Draco, I'm just more shocked at myself than at Snape. Honestly, you really don't want to hear everything!" I still hoped he didn't really want it. "You know, I suppose he can't do anything more to me in this regard that I haven't already lived through now. Most likely, I should be grateful for the experience." I could hear him start chuckling derogatorily and I pushed my face up to face him for the first time that morning, and he seemed genuinely amused.

"Oh, you know, Hermione, after yesterday I was truly worried that you might be broken, you seemed so lost. But now - you're really tough. Do you know that?" he asked when he saw my questioning look.

"Please, Draco. I cannot open my mouth and say that you can't do anything against your fate and have to accept it and then bawl, really not. You have to be consistent through and through, otherwise, you lose your credibility!" I put my point of view in a nutshell, very pragmatically and felt how this statement firmly manifested in my mind and I tried to implement the attitude par for par. I was truly too head-driven and straightforward to become a headless chicken now.

"I'm relieved…!" breathed a grinning Draco, seeming very happy to see me like this. I returned his smile. "And now, start talking…" The order sounded very demanding and he became serious. Abruptly, he rolled on top of me. The suddenness pressed the air from my lungs and it surprised me when I found myself captive.

"Draco… What…?" The words didn't escape as firm as I hoped, rather a smidgen too uncertain, which annoyed me downright.

"Shhh… Don't forget your punishment and get started. You went to Severus and then ...? I want every dirty detail!" he probed mercilessly and I stared at him in shock and stunned surprise. I should relive my humiliation? Had he lost his mind?

"Draco…" I breathed, speechless.

"Hermione, don't make me hurt you. You get off lightly. Get going!" he threatened and demanded unyieldingly. What is more, I registered a relentless shine in his slate-grey eyes and realised that he wouldn't let me get away without it, so I would have to face the memory, whether I wanted to or not. I looked deeply into the eyes of the face hovering above me.

"Why…? It's so... not pretty to retell that. Why put it into words? It will hurt me, but you too, right?" I whispered hectically, as I truly didn't want to do that.

"Let that be my concern. Punishment should hurt, so get started. You're just dragging it out, my darling!" he breathed softly and rolled off of me, giving me some place to breathe and freedom to move, no longer pressuring me with his physicality. Finally, I gave in and fulfilled his wish. I had to force every word past my lips, which I now anxiously maltreated with my teeth.

"Well, I entered the room… He walked up to me and kissed my neck…" I stopped as I felt Draco leaning on his arms, scattering tender, small kisses on my neck. Because of the memory and the feelings that his touch triggered, I closed my eyes and moaned in rapture as goosebumps ran down my spine. That was mind-boggling. I should tell him everything and then...? I asked myself very worried. What was he planning?

Draco stopped what he was doing, so I opened my eyelids and looked up at him questioningly.

"And further, what did Severus do next?" he asked with his head cocked and his white hair surrounded the little devil like a halo. I grimaced and swallowed hard.

"Then... then he spelled me naked and pushed me on top of the bed...!" I huffed, caught in the memory. Abruptly, Draco snapped his fingers and I lost the T-shirt here as well, so that I was now lying naked under the blanket, which made me flinch even more. Next to me, Draco stayed calm and gave me the time I needed to catch myself as I licked my dry lips and started talking again.

"Then... then he was naked…" I gasped out breathlessly. Draco reacted immediately, throwing his boxer shorts out of the bed in a fluid motion. I must have looked at him very frightened, also my breathing accelerated, was choppy and hectic, because he gently stroked my cheek, caressing me gently and giving me a lovely smile that told me I should calm down. My fast breathing actually slowed down after some time again and became more even.

His placating 'shhh' helped me and eventually, I closed my eyes again so I didn't have to see him.

"I… Draco, I don't want to say it!" I shook my head on the pillows and pressed my lips together.

"What did you do, Hermione?" he proved himself relentless. When he asked softly, I wanted to hit his stubborn skull against the wall.

[start of edited part]

Over the next minutes, he made me retell what had happened next, made me touch him and continued to caress me gently, and more and more invasively until I put my foot down.

[end of edited part]

"Stop that, Draco!" I finally hissed, upset now, and gave him an impromptu clip round the ear. I didn't have the necessary momentum to achieve a resounding success, but it still hissed quite nicely, before he swung his hair back out of his face with a jerk of his head in the other direction. I saw him smilingly and it grew into a mischievous grin. Then he finally relented and laid down next to me again. I didn't understand what was happening.

"About time. I've been waiting for your temperament to come back, my darling." He planted a firm but short kiss on my lips and seemed pleased because I had resisted him when he had gone too far. I was baffled. What guided him? I just couldn't follow and propped myself up on my forearms, looking at him perplexed.

"What kind of game is that going to be when it's done?" I voiced my perplexity and he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"No game, my darling, your punishment. And now go on. Tell me, how did he fuck you?" he wanted to know without emotion.

"Well, what do you think? Mean, vicious, brutal... How do you fuck the women during your revels?" I spat angrily at him and was sure my face turned red with anger.

"Aha. Was it very bad?" He showed his typical, expressionless mask.

"Somewhat. I've been thinking all the time 'that can not happen to you' but it happened to me and I kept quiet. He had a crazy, murderous look in his eyes, I've never seen him so out of control and furious. It only became bad for me when he kissed me too!" I let myself fall back into the pillows.

"Aha. Severus, Severus, old boy. Just try to persuade yourself…" Draco shook his blond head, visibly amused.

"What do you mean?" I asked with curiosity but also lacking understanding. This family would be the death of me.

"One thing you can believe, Severus never kisses anyone, no matter how! But he wants to persuade himself that he feels absolutely nothing for you!" He spoke very sarcastically and derogatorily, his tone also underlining what he thought.

"If that's so, I wish he didn't feel anything for me because I can really do without these kisses!" I touched my lips and remembered the cruel, cold kisses.

Everything went incredibly fast again. In a heartbeat, Draco was almost on top of me, again burying me underneath his body, and let claim to my mouth with his own. He licked his tongue playfully softly over my slightly rough lips and I followed his request and opened myself up carefully. When his tongue teased me, asking me to play with him, I accepted the duel in which our tongues engaged in short time and he kissed me passionately out of my mind. I forgot almost everything when I lost myself in the intense play of tongues and just enjoyed.

He broke away with a final kiss on my lips and we both breathed hard and looked deeply into each other's eyes. I put my hand to his cheek, slightly flushed from my slap, and he leaned on his arms, brushing my curly hair out of my face with his hands.

"And then? How did it continue?" he brought me out of the clouds and pushed me back into reality, which I just had abjured so nicely.

"Is that necessary? You're impossible, Draco. But fine… it was over quickly. In, out, nothing spectacular, just quite painful for me!" I told quickly. He rose a bit more and I lowered my gaze, ashamed at the memory of the unimaginable I had done then. "Well, then I riled him, asking him to fuck me again!" I revealed surprisingly coldly and looked at Draco briskly. He returned the look with astonishment. He seemingly hadn't expected that.

"You manage to surprise me again and again, my darling. And what did he do following your demand?" he enquired hoarsely.

"What do you think? I made it hard for him to... resist, it was... satisfying!" I declared, my voice full of acid and ice.

"Just say you came?! My depraved little slut!" He chuckled uncontrollably now, while I examined him coldly and nodded curtly. "Ouch! You minx. That must have shocked Severus deeply!" He laughed harshly now and I snickered coolly too.

"Then he pulled out and looked at the mark again. When I wanted to get dressed, he pushed me down on the table furiously because he was struck by the realisation that I had sex with him and Sirius at the same time! He threatened... that no other man should ever be by my side!" I now summarised with much more steady voice.

"Where he is right, he is right!" Draco was quite unimpressed.

"That's it then. So we went down and there was Lucius, how he lives and breathes. Luckily I escaped quickly. It was enough for me, I wanted to go home, I wanted to see - "

"Me?" he clarified and I nodded. "At least that you did right!" he hissed angrily.

I blinked questioningly at him because of his sudden change of mood, but could not react at all, as he grabbed me less than gently and moved me into a reclined position, with him ending up between my legs. I struggled and fought with my hands, feet and legs with the blanket constricting me, in which I finally tangled completely.

"Hold still, stop struggling...!" he snarled and caught a favourable moment. He lay down on me again, capturing me again beneath his body. He sought my mouth, which he tried to conquer again. I stared into his grey eyes and closed my mouth stubbornly. And so he breathed on my clenched lips:

"Hermione, I have to and I want to feel you, everything, please and you know yourself punishment must be after you betrayed me like this...!" he whispered to my lips and I prepared to retort but he took advantage of my opening mouth and conquered it with a passionate kiss. I heard the words, "Must feel you, want to feel you... please..." echoing in my ears and desperately returned the kiss, as I didn't know if I could give him more.

[start of edited part]

But there I didn't give Draco enough credit as he made sure that I got a new memory of lovemaking that erased Snape's violent treatment. He was gentle, he was affectionate, he was tender. Though it hurt when he entered me, he had managed to arouse me, to feel not only the pain but passion as well and it mesmerized me. After he finished, he buried me under him and kissed the tears off my face, stroking my arms and whispering small, caressing words. Only the intent reached me though, the sense behind them was lost to me.

[end of edited part]

I was crying, something that I hadn't been able to do before, and I didn't understand why. Stammering, I relayed that to Draco as well, causing him to turn around with me and pull me along so that I lay on top of him, where he wrapped his arms around me possessively.

"That's good, then you process it. Let it out and put it behind you, my little darling!" He kissed my forehead. Those were the last words I heard before I succumbed to my exhaustion and fell asleep on top of him, well-guarded and protected…

"Hey, awake again, sleepyhead?" I heard all of a sudden and stretched carefully. I assessed every part of my well-rested body and I felt good.

"Yes. Incredible, but true, I feel fine. What did you do to me, Draco?" I looked over to him and saw him sitting casually at his desk, as if he were directing the destinies of the world from there.

"That's how I am, I know what you need! ... There on the bedside table, take something, you'll be hungry! Blaise got it!" He instructed me and I saw the tray with the sandwiches and a pot of coffee. I tucked in and enjoyed it. I had an amazing appetite and we both kept each other company in a comfortable silence.

Words had only disturbed, it was all said and we knew, I had really and truly completed, thanks to Draco. Although his methods might be unusual they had helped me.

After a while, I got up without a word, went into the bathroom to shower and brush my teeth. I got ready and was amazed at how well I felt when I rubbed lotion into my body. I felt ready to take on anything! For the first time, my thoughts wandered again to the important and essential things and away from the trifle that was Snape to the world-moving revelations.

Dumbledore!

Marvellous, now I had to concern myself with Grindelwald, too... But alright, I loved research. Thus, I walked into the bedroom elated and with renewed spirits, stepped to Draco, and sat down on his lap gleefully, smiling happily.

"And will you tell me where you went?" he skated around the topic. I brushed a blond strand of hair behind his ear. We were obviously agreed to consider the events as past in every respect. Such a deep understanding of each other's needs was wonderful.

"Mh-mh, sure. In Godric's Hollow. But I will not tell you more. And thanks for your help, but I have to go; I didn't show up all day!" I hugged him gratefully.

"That's true. I'm really curious about the story though! It's about time for dinner. You'll have to be inventive, but I think you'll manage it alright!" He pulled me to a possessive kiss, which I returned passionately and then broke away laughing. I put on my cloak and disappeared.

If I was good at one thing, it was at inventing lies.

* * *

 _The current season is not good for our beautiful readers. I have a project thesis due soon and am on vacation for ten days where I won't be able to translate at all. So there might be no new chapter for as long as two or three weeks._

 _Review feedback:_

 _ **Sinner:**_ _I'm curious what you think about Draco's method._

 _ **sjrodgers23**_ _: Glad you are still with us!_


	84. A Stage-Worthy Departure

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy & Sophie

* * *

 **A Stage-Worthy Departure**

When I made my way to the tower in an amazingly good mood, I was very happy with my decision to go to Draco; it had been the right thing to do and had been very important for me. I was grateful and happy that I had him, that there was nothing between us, even though I could hardly believe it, but I just accepted it unreservedly and was glad to have found someone in Draco who could understand me without many words and helped me in such an incredible way, as if he understood even better what was needed to heal me. I felt more grounded than I had been for a long time.

My ability to accept my fate and be at peace with unpleasant memories in such a short time amazed me again but I was very grateful that it was so, for the life I had chosen would make short work of me if I didn't have that ability and sooner or later, it would drive me insane!

But so I was cautiously looking forward to seeing Snape again and annoy him.

Thus lost in thought, I entered what should be an empty common room, which was not as empty as I had assumed, as I quickly realised. I was struck by the clear sounds of rough, passionate, and, above all, consensual sex: groaning, panting, little screams, and the slapping sound of sweaty skin meeting again and again. I spotted two people opportunising the couch with passionate lovemaking of the kind that only the Twins could indulge in. My mouth opened in horror. Were they crazy? At this time? Anyone could see them, see Fred fucking George's brains out again! Nah, so why did I always have to see that? Especially after my drastic experience yesterday? At least they had a lot of fun, as I heard loudly!

They once again delivered a borderline, sexual experience. Was my life just about sex since yesterday? Guys, there really are more important things! I shook my head fatalistically and somehow felt tired.

However, at that moment it was already over. Both proclaimed happily their shared climax and thus the mission was successfully completed; they had inaugurated the couch - some would say desecrated. When they discovered me and their eyes widened in a short surprise, life came into them, but I would like to emphasise that they appeared neither abashed nor embarrassed.

"Hermione, you're back. Thank Merlin, you are fine! We were worried!" The words gushed out of them. I held my hand over my eyes as Fred ran unclothed towards me, in his naked glory. I didn't want to see and know what he looked like in detail, really. Damn it. I had said in earnest that I had seen enough cocks for the near future. And why the two always expressed their concern for me with physical proximity? Well, I found that very twin-like. Should I feel honoured now? This ironic thought slipped through my damaged brain.

"Please, cover yourself!" I begged with a whimper. George quickly spelled their clothes on, in a show of unusual empathy, so there had to be something in my voice that wasn't usually there.

"What happened? Blaise activated his coin yesterday and told us you came to Draco. But why did you stay so long? What happened, most beautiful?" Their tête-à-tête seemed forgotten and they pulled me to my chair and pushed me inside. Even though they were still out of breath and their faces slightly red, they seemed receptive.

"A lot... Firstly, I was successful; secondly, Snape... knows now…" Impulsively, I laid my hand on my mark and the Twins glanced at each other meaningfully but did not say anything, astonishingly empathic. The little sneaks would probably run to Draco and question him. Fine with me. "And then I ran into Lucius. I was so exhausted, I needed Draco and... did anyone notice? And what were you thinking? Everyone could have surprised you!" I asked my questions in quick succession.

"Woah, one after the other… You may be able to multitask, but we don't. Will you tell us what it was you were successful in? Crap, that with Snape. Though, going by the lovely expression on your face we will gratefully forgo further enquiry," George said and Fred corroborated with a firm nod. "So what was next?"

"Lucius. She said she ran into Malfoy, George!" Fred prompted quickly.

"Wait, I want to say something to the first point. Yes, I'll tell you all during the summer holidays at the Cottage! And thanks for not asking. It isn't that important though. Now he knows. Lucius was in the pub and hit on me, but I was able to get away. There comes to mind, before we clarify the next point: You ratted me out to Draco!" I threatened them with a raised forefinger, pretending to be angry, but the two looked at me with calm eyes. I wanted to know why. However, after the developments I was actually happy about it and didn't want to scold them; I just wanted to understand their motivations.

"That's right. Your decision to simply go without telling him was wrong and we hope you forgive us, but we think we acted right. Draco's mask briefly slipped when we told him you're leaving. He was worried… Just don't tell him we noticed !" both asked me worriedly and I nodded curtly.

"No no. You were right, I should have told Draco. But it doesn't matter any longer. Now say, why are you doing it so publicly?" I pointed to the couch, quickly changing the subject.

"Right, you don't know the news yet. Harry wants to talk to Sirius shortly via Umbitch's fireplace…"

"What? Is he crazy? Are you all crazy?!" I cried in dismay. That happened when I was indisposed for one night. They only got up to consistently stupid ideas.

"Yeah… We'll start in half an hour to really make for a sleepless night. Only this time we won't need an alibi! We're gonna leave for good. That was our farewell to the Tower, and I'll tell you one thing… I've had enough! We sent the whole tower to dinner as an alibi, so we knew we were going to be undisturbed," said Fred stubbornly and crossed his arms over his chest. Downright challenging, he stared at me as if expecting me to try to keep them here at Hogwarts, and so I raised my hands in a conciliatory gesture.

"If you want to leave, I won't hold you back. What is it that Harry wants?" I expressed my irritation. With a hand gesture, I showed my assent.

"He didn't tell us anything except that he needs to know how his father was like…" Fred said with a shrug. I understood Harry quite well, but did he have to do such daring acts? I would have to dismantle the warding spells for him so he could invade; he wouldn't be able to do that on his own. Above all, he wouldn't be able to handle the black curse. I groaned in annoyance. Couldn't even one day go by without nerve-wracking action? I asked myself this question thoroughly miffed and blew an annoying, curly strand out of my field of sight.

"Okay, I'll help you. Otherwise, Harry will never get into her office." I rubbed my throbbing temples, which were starting to hurt. On the other hand, I wondered if this was not exactly the distraction I needed after yesterday so that I wouldn't have to think about the night with Snape.

"How do you know?" George enquired curiously.

"Because I used an opportunity recently and broke in. The fine woman doesn't even stop at warding her front door with a black curse. Without my help Harry doesn't stand a chance of getting inside!"

"What? Wicked!"

"How cool is that?"

"Congratulations! You burgled the Bitch! Gee, you have balls, Hermione!"

"Do you want to marry us?"

"We worship you!" The two berks made me laugh out loud. It was incredibly liberating to laugh so freely. The two did me a world of good; I would miss them.

"Oh, you are impossible…!" I chuckled, still amused.

"Oh, that reminds me, because of the little brunette: We told Harry that she thinks he's hot. You should have seen how he blushed. Was so cute. Sometimes you just want to cuddle him!" Fred was very moved and George rolled his eyes.

"Okay, and what does that mean? What was his reaction and why did you tell him?" I wanted to know now. My interest was piqued and leaned forward slightly.

"So, Blaise told us about your performance in the common room. Very amusing, very funny! Too bad that we weren't allowed to see you like that! Blaise outright acted it out, it was awesome... Hahaha... Well, and we liked what he told us about the conversation so we thought, Harry would never consciously notice the glances anyway, so why not give him a push! Sometimes he's blind even with glasses. Really, even Ron is sharper than he is!" George explained snarkily.

"He also needs perspectives. What happened lately, about which neither you nor he is willing to speak, occupies him so much that we wanted to get him out of his shell and I think it worked; it has cracks! He had a strong focus on her this morning. I think he likes her!" said Fred visibly satisfied and showed a dangerously shrewd smile.

"Yes, but she's a snake!" I doubted Harry and his broad-mindedness.

"Well, don't forget, beautiful... He must have told you too, that the hat actually wanted to put him into Slytherin!" George argued diplomatically and looked at me with mock innocence.

"What, you too?" I was really surprised. I thought I was the only one he had told. This was nothing that annoyed me but rather pleased me that Harry opened himself somewhat to others.

"Yeah, we found him crying in his second year near Dumbledore's office, quite upset, and he told us the story. He was very agitated. We then sent him to speak to you, so that you could calm him down again and make him see that it isn't the end of the world!" George explained readily.

"Oh, now I understand why he only wanted to talk to me. You were the reason! Did you tell him not to tell Ron? He was very panicked back then!" I recalled.

"Yes, we don't think Ron could stand above it. He really dislikes the snakes!" They rolled contemptuously their almost identical eyes over the antics of their youngest brother.

"But let's roll back. Because of that, I... uh... we think Harry doesn't have such a narrow view. If he likes the girl, he won't be deterred. I think I even saw a delicate, blindingly quick, bashful blink. He is too cute... so awkward! We are keen to see where this is going!"

"Phew, you bunk and I'm the one that will have to do all the work. I like that!" I actually laughed in amusement. Then I pointed to myself. "But tell me, is there any trouble with the others?"

"Nah, you might just want to banish your twin from the bed. Ginny found you asleep and meant that if you sleep so deeply, you'll need it. I think she was glad to have unrestricted access to Harry for once. The poor boy! But he did well!" George told me, and I waved my wand and released the spell that kept my Geminio in my bed.

"How much time do we have before you say goodbye to Hogwarts forever? Will you go to the cottage?" I asked for the most important facts.

"Above the house in the Diagon Alley is a small apartment, but it's intended for Jordan later. So yes, if you don't mind, we would have wanted to do it that way!" George pussyfooted around and looked mischievously at me under lowered eyelids.

"Then it makes me happy that the cottage won't remain vacant!" I immediately agreed and slapped his thigh encouragingly.

"Thanks, Hermione. How much rent do you want?" he asked and I looked up, perplexed.

"Huh, none. Give me, when I need it, your ingenious spirit, that's enough for me. I have enough money," I waved the question off almost offended.

"Thank you. You are the best, most beautiful!" someone screamed too loud and both pounced on me with exuberant joy and included me in a warm hug group. One each kissed my cheeks clearly too wet. When they broke away, George continued to downplay his emotion: "But come on, it'll start immediately. How are you going to do it?"

"This way!" I said mysteriously and became invisible from one moment to the next in the armchair in front of their eyes. "I'll go to the office of the toad and break the spells!" They stared at me with mouths wide open.

"Bloody brilliant!"

"How cool is that?"

"You are always good for a surprise!"

"Wicked!"

"And exactly; do it like that. You'll love the chaos that we'll sow. There is also a new invention we want to introduce...It's going to be unforgettable!" Fred said visibly proud and ruffled his wild hair.

"Draco doesn't agree with you!" I stated as I looked into their faces, glowing with excitement and anticipation.

"If the boy has got one thing down, it's the right performance. He can do that like none other!" both praised and I laughed briefly. That they all would get along so well, who would have believed that?

Thus we three climbed through the portrait hole and walked briskly on our ways. I left them quietly and silently, thanks to my spells, walking purposefully toward the Defence Classroom, and as soon as I entered the classroom, I immediately set about dismantling the spells.

When I suddenly heard a hellish noise, I had to smile. Wild screaming and calling sounded, making me almost deaf, so I hurried even more and then I noticed the door opening as 'no-one' entered. That was probably Harry under the Invisibility Cloak! I felt the gentle breeze as he passed me and stayed in place, not that we collided in our invisibility.

Okay, sorry, Harry was my friend, sure, but sometimes as stupid as Snape always claimed. He had simply stomped in, just knocked the door open and entered. What did the boy think a wand was for? I was fuming and it didn't even bother me to call on Snape.

Without me, Umbridge would be on the way here with flying colours. I was standing in disgust at the bottom of the stairs, not wanting Harry to know I didn't need an invisibility cloak. Furthermore, if he wanted, he would tell me about the conversation. After that night, I could really do without seeing Sirius face. I didn't have to be there.

After ten minutes all of a sudden, without warning, the class door was torn open, a shuffling, hectic Filch hurrying through, his thin, long, grey strands flying through the air. His mouth was tight with a mad grin as he stopped at Umbridge's door. He put a key on it and the door opened. Gee, the old toad really trusted the guy. After a few seconds, blissfully smiling, he stormed out of the room again with a piece of paper in his old, sticky hands, and I assumed quite daringly that Harry noticed his arrival early and ended the interview in good time. But with the noise the caretaker was making it was no wonder.

As if by magic, the door opened and closed again. When I was sure that Harry was gone, I rebuild the wards as even the key didn't break them, it only let Filch enter unimpeded leaving the spells intact. And so I worked routinely quickly and then left hurriedly. I took the spells off of me and approached the loud screaming and shouting and thus the centre of unrest.

The whole castle seemed to have gathered. In the middle of the central entrance hall, I made out the massive crowd, in the middle of which glowed the Twins' bright, orange-red hair, and I noticed Umbridge and Filch plodding down the moving stairs. Which was not easy, because the stairs abruptly changed direction, as if they wanted to annoy Filch especially and he could hardly get past the gawking, sensationalist students who blocked the stairs. The portraits also made vociferous comments and increased the cacophony. It was a perfect chaos.

I leaned over the railing and spotted Harry two floors below me, without his invisibility cloak, and made my way straight to him. Downstairs, all the teachers were gathered, even Snape. He stood out leaning against a wall in the background in his dark robe for he was the calm in the midst of chaos. All the ghosts of Hogwarts were present too, watching the unique spectacle hovering in the air, making the surroundings even more unreal.

I approached Harry and put my hand on his arm, which made him turn to me. When he recognized me, a smile stole onto his face but the expression in his eyes didn't look happy. This inevitably raised the question of how the conversation went, and I raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Later, Hermione, later!" He put a finger to his lips and pointed into the depths. Suddenly Umbridge's unbearable voice echoed, amplified by a Sonorus, through the corridors which made me wince as a result of the croaking, almost unbearable pitch.

"Students, I hereby announce that Educational Decree No. 29, which reintroduces corporal punishment, will now come into effect and those two who are responsible for the deed of having made several corridors and passages unusable will be the first!" Her words echoed through the castle and everyone looked shocked by this threat. Now I understood the crazy smile on Filch's lips; finally, his long-awaited wish would come true. Only that a devilish grin also crept on my lips since I knew that this decree would never be applied on the twins.

And so it happened. I witnessed live how they both raised their wands and performed a first-rate nonverbal spell as I had taught them. Suddenly their brooms whizzed towards them over the heads of everybody present and they mounted deftly and made the completely surprised toad with her slip of paper look quite stupid. They skilfully shot into the air as well-gifted fliers and hovered confidently.

"From now on our shop is open! Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, in Diagon Alley. Everything we have demonstrated this year is also part of our extensive product range. We look forward to seeing you. Have fun with the Portable Swamp; it's as hard to get rid off as it looks!" George explained all of us in great detail calmly hovering under the high ceiling. His Sonorus carried his voice far.

"Exactly. And those who promise to use our products against the pink toad get a discount!" Fred's voice now sounded and students' eyes, wide open, stared at him in disbelief. I bit back a laugh as my gaze fell on the teachers, who looked all shocked and astonished by this theatre, although they were amazingly holding back and evidently not dreaming of stopping the Twins.

Then Fred reached into his pocket and threw a package to the ground, which was already going off at that moment. Like the last time, the firecrackers and bangers lit and Umbridge immediately shrieked startled. Her still magically amplified voice was more than loud, while her stupid pink robes caught fire.

She started frantically running in circles and Filch tried hopelessly to erase the fire. It was too funny of a sight. Many students laughed at the monkey dance that those two idiots were performing. The other professors watched the dramatic events markedly unaffected while the various rockets and firecrackers again chased students and anything flammable they could find.

The Twins took advantage of the chaos that erupted as the students began to flee headlessly over the moving staircases for a last greeting. There was a confusing hustle and bustle while the flying Twins clapped with Peeves saluting in front of them and flew out of the portal in a stage-worthy performance. They disappeared into the night-black sky and left a true battlefield behind.

Harry grabbed my hand and pulled me away to a secret passage that led from the first floor via intricate detours to the seventh. It was good that we went like this, because after a short look down the hall to our entrance into the tower we saw the swamp spectacle that had spread out like a brown soup in front of it and made it virtually impossible for the Gryffindors to get to the Tower as the ground seemed bottomless with stinking, muddy, disgusting swamp broth, a veritable bog. We continued on our way to the Room of Requirement.

As we snuggled into the cosy sitting area, we looked closely at each other and started laughing out loud at the epic idea of the Twins. The performance was simply wonderful. So much ingenuity would go down in the annals of Hogwarts history, for Umbridge would never get the magic behind the swamp, not being a powerful or well-read witch; that was too wonderful and she seemed like she would have to wait a long time for the staff's help.

"Say, Hermione, are you feeling better again? I was worried," Harry asked breathlessly after we had caught ourselves again and wiped the tears out of the corners of our eyes.

"Thanks, Harry, I'm fine. I feel ready to take on anything. Sleeping has done me a world of good!" I beamed at him. And thanks to Draco's care, I added in my mind.

"You know that you are pushing yourself too hard with studying?" he scolded me earnestly and shot me a disapproving look.

"If you're serious, Harry, then yes! Do you know why the Twins did that?" I pointed over my shoulder.

"Mh-hm, yes, although you won't be pleased if I tell you, but I want to talk to you about it!" he confessed quite freely and this openness made me grin happily.

"I'm glad that you do, Harry. Go on!" I requested and was really happy that he volunteered to tell me about the conversation.

"So, Snape's memory... I was unsure and I wanted to know what Sirius had to say about it. Of course, I couldn't and didn't break my promise not to mention the scene explicitly. I didn't want that either, it's nobody's business anyway!" He put his glasses down, grabbed the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "That really occupied my mind, what kind of people my parents were... I chatted a bit with the Twins and said I needed to talk to Sirius and that I didn't know how to last until the summer and then the two lunatics offered their plan. That they wanted to get away anyway and could give me time for a short conversation. Well, it worked!" He didn't look exactly happy but satisfied that it had.

"And what then? Did you talk to Sirius?"

"Yes. Remus was there as well." He looked at his hands and played with his light sweater with an air of awkwardness. "I wanted to know what happened between my father and Snape. Also why they all didn't get along with him!" He sank into silence and I didn't break it, waiting. I had time to spare.

"I don't know if I'm getting obsessed and why I take that so seriously. Am I overreacting?" He looked at me overwhelmed, sounding very uncertain and showing his unease by biting his lower lip.

"No, Harry, I don't think so. You have a right to the truth and not just those beautified memories that others always give you! This glorification of people is usually not the truth!" I explained softly and he nodded in agreement before continuing.

"Thank you! … Well, what should I say? They hummed and hawed. But I didn't let up and then they both admitted that they had done a lot of mischief as the Marauders and especially James as the leader of the group, but that he had been a good and loyal friend despite the stupid, adolescent showing off. And that when he grew up, he wouldn't jinx anyone for the fun of it any longer... I didn't want to know that at all! I wanted to know what was going on, why he could do anything so cruel, and why Mum was running around so self-righteously. But they tell me he is a loyal friend. Hello? Of course, he was nice to them, although I have my doubts about even that by now…" He let out a deep groan and slumped slightly.

"And why?" I asked, perplexed. That train of thought hadn't come to my mind up until now.

"Well, there must be a reason why Wormtail defected, and if James treated his enemies like that, I don't know how he was with his 'friends'. Do you understand what's been going on in my head? There has to be a reason and a cause for everything!" Wow! Harry explained his thoughts very emphatically and really seemed to have dealt with the matter down to the smallest detail. Hats off, where he was right, he was right. To my shame, I hadn't yet thought it through to that end.

"Yes, I understand what you mean. Peter must have felt not as comfortable in the group as the others. How else can you explain his breach of trust?"

"Exactly. And the bad thing is: Are Sirius and Remus truly not dealing with their past? Were they so vicious in their 'pranks' that they turned even friends into enemies? After what I've seen with Snape and the umming and erring earlier, to my chagrin, I'm not tending to judge in their favour," Harry confessed very sadly and repeatedly sighed deeply and unhappily, looking at me depressed.

"Oh, Harry. I mean, you didn't have much time…" I insisted, but then he interrupted me impertinently.

"Hermione, stop protecting them! These are adult men, you'd think, and I'm no longer a baby either. Isn't it enough that they make such a fuss about this prophecy stuff? Must they really all treat me like a fool? I'm incredibly disappointed with Sirius. I thought he was the one who is always honest with me, but Snape is much more relentlessly open! What do they think?! That finding out where you come from and who you are in small bits and pieces is easier and more fun? I don't feel taken seriously at all. Or am I just imagining it?" He was now crimson in the face with rage. The magical tension in the room had clearly increased and I understood him to the core.

"No, Harry! I agree with you, especially since it is your life that they are talking about. I also find it bad that Snape's memories probably are one-hundred percent authentic. And your thoughts about Peter might be going in the right direction. However, as you say, both don't throw a positive light on anything! I... I'm so sorry for you... What do you plan to do now?" I put my hand reassuringly on Harry's arm because I was very worried about him.

"I think it's time I grew up. My parents don't define who I am, I do and the decisions I make! And I don't like to meet with ignorance. I finally want to know everything; just how can I achieve that? Well, I think about that all the time!" He sounded jaded to my ears.

"Harry! I would have to tell you so much but I'm planning all this for the summer holidays. Would that be okay for you? My findings have nothing to do with the Marauders or anything like that though, but they are very interesting nonetheless…" I was nagged by my guilty conscience as I blinked uneasily at him. Meanwhile, he watched me closely, tilting his shaggy head to the side.

"Sure, I think it's great that you finally want to tell me what's driving you so clearly, but alright, I can wait... But regarding the other thing? There I don't want to wait any longer. I practice and practice this fucking Occlumency with you and with Snape and it's getting better, but I always see that bloody door. I know, HE shows me that, I'm not completely stupid, but you know what? Just to show the others that their secretiveness isn't doing anyone any good, I would almost prefer to go voluntarily. Isn't that bloody mad?" He shook his head agitatedly and hid it in his hands. I believed him without question that it drove him into desperation.

"...but say, Hermione. I think it's nice of you but how do you plan on informing me during the summer holidays when I'm locked up at my relatives'?" he said in a husky voice, seeming a bit sadder still.

"You trust me, don't you?" I asked timidly.

"Always!" It came immediately as if shot from a wand, which elicited a grateful smile from me.

"That's nice... One day I will come, yes, to the Muggles and then you'll have to be fast, under your invisibility cloak, and follow me and then... then you will learn everything!" I promised fervently. His mouth opened and he stared at me flabbergasted.

"Okay... now you are scaring me. What are you up to? I don't think the Order, Sirius, or Dumbledore would approve of me just taking off!" He looked at me pointedly. "Do you always have to be so cryptic?" he moaned in frustration and after the thing with the 'adults' holding back information and outright lying, I knew that honesty towards Harry would be vitally important.

"Sorry, Harry. Yes, I'm sure about that. However, I'll have the opportunity to get you out of there by then and I see no reason that you should endure the whole holiday with these cruel people. With me, you can spend your time more usefully!" I hissed angrily and narrowed my eyes.

"You are getting mightily worked up but it's all double Dutch to me!" His green eyes gazed at me blankly.

"I know. I'm sorry too. But I'll take you where you're as protected as Grimmauld Place, don't worry," I appeased him and remained a bit stubborn after all.

"I don't! As I said, I trust you. When you come I'll be ready; I won't even unpack!" he offered trustfully and I was very touched, gratefully pressing his thigh.

"Do that!"

"You're upset!" He skillfully looked behind my mask.

"Yes, Harry. I still do not understand why you had to stay for eleven years in that horrible environment. But forget it…" I huffed like an angry horse.

"I like it when you speak up for me, thank you! ... What do you have to say about the departure of the Twins?" He probably wanted to change the topic and I accepted gratefully.

"Impressive!" I grinned a diabolical and very dirty smile.

"Not more? I thought Prefect Hermione would be indignant. The two have just thrown away their opportunity to graduate, just before the end!" He showed himself surprised by my acceptance.

"No. It is their decision. And let's be honest, I don't see them behind a desk. They do what they want!" I explained, a bit proud.

"Wow. I didn't think you would accept their decision like that. That astonishes me... but don't get it wrong ... in a totally positive way!" he said, shaken, and I laughed harshly.

"Harry, what do you think of me? I cannot control somebody else's life! And believe me, I would never interfere in the Twins' lives; they know quite well what is best for them. I don't consider myself all-knowing," I replied quickly, chuckling as Harry looked at me with something like a new awareness in the emerald green eyes.

"Ron and Lavender and some more would beg to differ!" he quipped.

"Certainly, but with Ron and Lav I wouldn't necessarily assume that they actually know what's best for them." I gave a clever retort and Harry laughed briefly.

"And with me?" he enquired curiously.

"Hm. You are on a good way as long as you're ready to take advice," I allowed candidly, stroking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"Mh-hm. Acceptable!" Harry decided after a moment of pondering, rubbing his neck.

"I'm glad, Harry, really!" I beamed at him happily.

"Tell me something different: Where does this security come from thinking that you know the Twins so well?" he wanted to know then and looked at me quite predatorily. I twisted the corners of my mouth before I made up my mind what to answer:

"This is one of the things that you should learn about during the holidays. One of the secrets, as you put it! I'm good friends with the Twins, have been for years, more so than with Ron. I also invested 1,000 Galleons in their business, as you did! Don't look like that, we get along really well!" I finally acknowledged my friendship with the Red Devils and earned a stunned look through round lenses.

"Wow. But why are you making such a secret out of it? I don't understand it. I mean, I like the Twins too, don't I? But that you like each other seems slightly strange... You and these two chaotics…? That doesn't really fit - at least at first glance!" He stated, confused. I was really looking forward to how Harry would react if he learned about the Twins' intimate relationship. For now, my friendship with them already seemed to take him by surprise.

It was like this - I didn't want to speak for the Twins - that our friendship was based on meeting in the Restricted Section, exploring dark magic, and encountering each other having sex.

"Unfortunately, it is not up to me to tell you this. That's the Twins' business and not mine. Sorry, Harry!" I said apologetically and he looked at me with wide-eyed irritation.

"Is it bad? I mean, do you have more of those… revelations?" he echoed, dumbfounded.

"Yes! Yes, I do. But here is neither the right place nor the right time. As I said, during the holidays. I'll pick you up from Privet Drive, I promise!" I smiled encouragingly and silently asked for understanding, knowing that I was taxing what little patience he had.

"You'll get in trouble for that!" Harry warned and I waved it off as he continued to speak. "Not that I'm against it, I'll be the first to bunk off!" he admitted solemnly.

"Very well. It's a deal!" I said determinedly and then Harry was already pressing on:

"One more thing: The Twins pointed out something to me this morning. At breakfast, there is a girl who might be into me... Um...! Arhg, somehow they have their fingers in every pie!" he pointed out precisely and bit his lips, looking so wonderfully shy and nervous. Let him face him the Dark Lord and he pulls out his wand; let him face a girl he likes and the boy has no clue what to do. Too cute!

"That would be nice after the disappointment of Cho and the realisation that you don't feel that way for Ginny," I encouraged him at once.

"Mh-hm, quite true, yes!" he murmured very quietly; I barely understood him.

"What? Don't you like her or what drives you?" I questioned him.

"No, not that. I think she's even prettier than Cho!" he was quick to deny and he blushed fiercely.

"Ooh la la. What's impeding you then?"

"She's a Slytherin!" he rattled down quickly, very embarrassed, and I laughed.

"Yes, so what Harry? There's nothing wrong with it, is it? Just because she's a snake... when she's nice?" I waved permissively.

"But maybe her parents are Death Eaters?" he demurred worriedly and looked at me reserved, almost shyly.

"Didn't **you** just say it yourself a couple of minutes ago that it's only your actions that define who you are, and not your parents' deeds, Harry?" I reminded him of his own words a little harshly.

"Oh, you're right!" He now smiled shyly and bashfully ran a hand through his hair.

"If you fancy her, does she reciprocate it?"

"Don't know. Fred said she's always giving me _that_ look! And when I glanced her way for a moment, she quickly looked away!" He shrugged uneasily.

"Aha. Who are we talking about?" I enquired with pretended ignorance.

"Oh yes, sorry! I completely forgot about that. Her name is Greengrass, Daphne Greengrass!" He blushed all over again.

"Oh, the little pretty one. Yes, she is very attractive and so different from Parkinson and her shadow Bulstrode!"

"Do you think she could be _the one_?" he asked hopefully.

"Harry, your question is impossible to answer at this point in time! But let it come to you, you have my blessings!" I patted his arm amiably and we were silent for a moment until Harry said, moving on to the next topic:

"Thank you! Oh, tomorrow school starts again and then there is the last game, with Ron. Ravenclaw against us!"

"I think we'll have to cheer up Ron. Oh, curfew starts in just a few minutes. Let's go, not that we get in any more trouble. I guess the toad won't cope well with the humiliations."

Hence, we hurried through marshy, musty aisles to our common room, where a party was still going. The Twins were celebrated like heroes who won a battle.

From today onwards, they were Hogwarts' legends!

The next day, there was still a chaotic bustle all around as the normal schoolday routine was impossible to adhere to thanks to the farewell spectacle of the Twins and the so far not yet eliminated swamps, which were only to crossable by punts. It was an almost unmanageable task to get to the classrooms.

However, all the professors seemed to endure it with unexpected long-suffering that these obstacles were delaying their students, so we three valiantly fought our way through Hogwarts. It was like tracking through a bog.

From hour to hour, the abominable stench increased. Many of the students covertly played additional pranks, driving Umbridge further towards insanity as she was overwhelmed by her supervisory and controlling duties. You could see her rushing through the corridors, from one end of the castle to the other.

Peeves took the assignment he had received from the Red Devils extremely seriously and accompanied the toad at every turn like a recalcitrant shadow and made her existence truly hell with his enervating, relentless manner.

Since Ron was still appalled by his brothers' callousness, wondering what Molly would say about her kids dropping out of school and where they got the money for a shop in Diagon Alley, Harry confessed in the morning that he had given the two the tournament money back then.

This left Ron with his mouth gaping in disbelief and he did nothing but stutter for the rest of the school day, which was great entertainment. When he finally caught himself, Ron said Harry should seek protection from his mum if she ever found out that his money had given them the opportunity to drop out of school prematurely. I agreed with Ron from the bottom of my heart, it would be better for all our nerves if she never found out.

Finally, it was time for our last lesson before lunch which was also the last lesson of the day: Potions, as my luck would have it. Yes, that wasn't really a surprise.

Then the Quidditch match with Ron would take place and so we started the precarious and protracted descent into the dungeons and made just barely in time before the big, wooden door closed with a loud, final bang. I held my breath briefly to then show the most indifferent and uninvolved face which I was capable of because now it was time. I looked at him coldly, taking my usual seat in the front row and felt Draco's eyes on me. I returned his look briefly and noticed the contented sparkle in his eyes when he saw my perfect mask, worthy of a Malfoy, and so a light, satisfied smile graced his even lips.

The professor strictly refused to look in my direction. I had shot him one or two calculating looks under my lowered eyelids but his black, long hair always blocked the view. He probably thought he could just make it easy for himself and ignore me, preferring to correct essays while we brewed our potions in quiet, anxious silence, but I was seething and it only increased with the cutting nature of his behaviour. To ignore me like that! He probably thought that if he didn't look at me he might undo it. I would show him that I wouldn't stand for that, not in this life!

When the bell announced the redemptive end of this seemingly endless hour, everyone quickly ran out of the classroom as it was now time to get ready for Quidditch and then lunch before the game began. I also stormed out of the room and then slowed down again.

"Hermione, come on. What's up?" Ron asked impatiently and stopped next to me.

"I left my book!" I said apologetically and hit my forehead.

"For real?" came the expected, very annoyed exclamation.

"Go ahead, guys, I'll catch up soon. See you!" I declared jovially and the two took to their heels and whizzed away. I squared my shoulders and my back became ramrod straight. Presumably, I was one brick short of a full load to approach and confront him now. But how had I put it so nicely? I loved to play.

Thus, I stood in the open door and watched him sitting behind his big, bulky desk in this relatively dark vaulted room. He had stopped writing, had laid down his quill and was burying his face in his hands. This usually so unbending man sat here hiding, as it appeared, behind his hair which fell like a veil over his clear-cut features.

As I stared at the otherwise so upright Snape - what did I feel in my heart? - I folded my arms over my dull school uniform and cocked my head. Nothing! Terrifying, but true. I didn't feel sorry for him though I strongly suspected I knew the reason for his stooped posture.

Rather, I felt a devilish joy about catching him in a troubled minute, in order to stab him even more with the figurative knife I had honed carefully. So I grinned nastily as I crept forward soft-footed because in my mind I saw, again and again, his evil deed and how ruthless he had been to me.

The moment he noticed me - not me personally, more a general sense on an instinctive level that he was no longer alone - his heavy-clothed shoulders squared and he quickly lowered his hands, then jerkily raised his head and fixed me with a piercing look.

I saw that his black iris flickered briefly as he finally recognised and perceived me. I was standing next to him at his desk. He pushed himself off the edge and straightened in his chair, looking up at me with a spiteful pull on the corners of his mouth.

"What do you want, Miss Granger?" he sneered in his usual manner, oily voice and all, complete with his customary disdainful gaze.

Not intimidated by his behaviour or gestures, I merely raised my chin proudly and his expression belied his impatience when I didn't answer immediately. I noticed how he started to say something venomous again and beat him to it:

"You owe me something, Professor!" I spoke very accentuated and was able to observe how my icy demand was received as his pupils widened in astonishment despite all the masks in place. I could downright see that it rattled within him, trying to discern the meaning of my words, though he didn't condescend to ask.

"You didn't pay me!" I spat coldly as I raked my hands down my sides to emphasize that he had owned my body. His mouth closed in a furious line and he looked at me again with that wildness in his eyes which said so much about the otherwise so emotionally cold man. I drove him to his limits again, only today I would defend myself.

"Did your mind suffer, Miss Granger?" he snarled coldly and crossed his arms to prevent himself from forcibly turning my neck which brought a sardonic smile to my face and made him look even more skeptical.

"Not more than usual, sir! I would describe it as crisp. But seriously, you had your fun and that twice and hey, you cannot say you did not come!" I taunted.

"Miss Granger, you forget yourself!" he reprimanded me sharply.

"You seem to have forgotten to pay for my services, sir!" I provoked further. Now his chair creaked over the rough stone floor. As he straightened up quickly and rose to his full height, the chair tumbled over and landed with a loud bang in the otherwise quiet room. He took a threatening step forward. I had expected this and stepped back.

"They seem to have recovered remarkably well if you are already so insolent today. Did I not stuff your mouth sufficiently? You can not rile me!" he hissed very frostily and goose bumps spread over my body at the memories of my humiliation at his hands. Yet at the same time, my resistance flared up to a blaze.

I can't? On the contrary, sir, I think I will manage just fine!

"Well, maybe you were not nearly as good as you hoped for? And I think that I do get under your skin!" What came over me to reply so cheekily and boldly? Revenge. Why did I want to get my fingers burnt? Well, my senseless pride.

I saw directly how I managed every second to drive him more into a rage. His laboriously maintained control - after I had found him so vulnerable anyway - continued to decrease and I irritated him to the death. He lunged forward and I backed away, sure of my escape. The door was open after all so that I could disappear quickly.

I felt my back hit wood and frowned in confusion, but when I saw his cold predatory grin I knew he had closed the door silently with magic. _Well, blame yourself, you should never leave your escape route out of your sight._ I was terribly annoyed by my own stupidity. I had been so blinded by my thirst for vengeance that I had generously overlooked this elementary knowledge.

And already he was there, putting both hands next to my head, eying me in that roughly-sensual way and I forced myself to meet his eyes stoically and calmly. _Just don't show any emotions or nervousness._

"You stupid girl! Do you have to push it to the extreme? Was the last time not enough for you?" he whispered coldly into my face. Brutally calculating, I thought about how I could unsettle him again.

To ram my knee into his privates, as once before, would be very satisfying, as I determined inwardly. Unfortunately, he was just waiting for that, so I did the only thing that I hoped would take him by surprise: I overcame the short distance of our lips, pressed my mouth to his angry line and licked it with the tip of my tongue. Immediately, he broke away from me with a brusque jerk and pulled back, thus giving me some room again.

"How dare you?" he hissed furiously and was apparently actually stunned by my act. Provocatively, I licked over my lips, focussing his attention on my mouth. Then I went for the doorknob, pushed it down and again looked at him with all of my focus.

"How I dare? … Well, I just wanted to show you what Draco can have every day..., sir!" I hissed now, a malicious gleam in my eyes, and left. I didn't turn around, walking away without looking back. It had been satisfying to experience that short, piercing look as I said this and so I went to the Quidditch pitch a bit happier than before.

* * *

 _And we are finally back with an update. A bit late for the current week, but we might be back to Thursday uploads with the chapter after next at the latest. Let's see how the rest of the month goes._

 _Review feedback_

 _Sinner: Thank you :) My holiday was great. Supply is back now. I hope I won't have to skip another week fully until Christmas._


	85. Blow Upon Blow

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy & Sophie

* * *

 **Blow Upon Blow**

Of course, I arrived late after my memorable confrontation with Snape. Our little interlude had lasted longer than I had expected.

I smirked at the thought of his perplexed face when he recoiled in front of me; his mask had clearly slipped. I enjoyed it and knew I couldn't keep my hands off this man. It excited me to annoy him and my pride didn't allow me to let him think he could impose himself on me mentally because when he tried my resistance spirit and my will to fight sprang to life. I liked to cross blades with him. I was not afraid and even his hidden threat to repeat what had happened didn't frighten me. Now I could say: 'So what?' I had endured it once and stood up with my head held high. That would happen the same way every time. Yes, my dear Snape, you'll have to come up with something else to draw me out.

Slightly rushed, I reached the game and sat next to Harry in the overcrowded stand of Gryffindor. He raised his brow questioningly but I only shook my head and he shrugged. We saw Ron concede Ravenclaw's first goal and Harry tried to keep the disappointment off his face. That moment, something touched our shoulders and we turned around so we could look at Hagrid's face, which had been glowing in all the colours of the rainbow this year.

He looked awful. In his thick, grey, bristly cloak and with his straw-like, brittle, brown hair interspersed with single white strands and the bushy, half-face-covering beard he appeared like something very dangerous and evil. Not like the good-natured, slightly scatterbrained Hagrid we knew he was.

He signalled us to follow him inconspicuously and we threw Ron, who bravely struggled on his broom not to let a Quaffle through his hoops, one last uncertain look and descended the stairs of the high stands.

We walked swiftly and silently towards the Forbidden Forest. Given that the forest was forbidden, I was sojourning pretty often into it I thought deeply amused. We, Harry and I, followed Hagrid along the path, which was stony and made hard to traverse by roots, ever deeper into the forest which seemed very diffuse despite the sun's rays.

After we had left behind the border of the forest and therefore no longer had to be afraid of eavesdroppers, he began to tell us how he saved Firenze from his herd when they had almost trampled him to death, calling him a 'traitor'.

We were deeply disturbed by the relentless nature of the centaurs and showed it. He continued:

"I need your help, you know. Surely I'll get fired soon." This insight, in turn, made us nod resignedly. We were astonished that he had even lasted so long. He said sadly:

"Umbridge is pinning the Nifflers on me. She found some in her office a couple of times and now thinks that's me."

Nifflers were really amazing animals. They were small, fluffy, black burrowing animals with long muzzles and spade-like forepaws that resembled a mole. Very cute but annoying beasts. They just couldn't stop digging. And they did it with so much enthusiasm that they could even bring whole houses to collapse. We knew Hagrid had not foisted the Nifflers on her. It had been students of all four houses. One at a time, just every now and then. She represented the perfect prey for these animals with her wealth of glittering knick-knacks and her terrible shrieks were just too delightful as they echoed through the halls of Hogwarts.

"Whatever it is, Hagrid, you can count on our help!" Harry promised rashly and I could hardly believe my ears. Since then, I've seriously considered strangling him and banging his skull against a tree for good measure to bring life to the dead brain cells. Whatever we were going to encounter, as I knew Hagrid it couldn't be good if it was hidden so far in the magical forest.

We kept walking. Not even I had ventured so far into the forest during my excursions. It became even darker; almost no light made it through the dense canopy of branches. If I was the type to be scared by a heavy atmosphere, now would be the ideal time, but I wasn't. Instead, I looked around the area with glowing eyes as I did not know this part of the forest yet. I had already discovered some interesting plants as well as small animals that aroused my keen interest.

Now Hagrid started to tell us why it had taken him so long to return to Hogwarts at the beginning of the year and where he had his injuries from. I almost had a stroke when he admitted to having brought a giant with him. A giant who didn't want to come with him. And as we arrived at a small clearing he introduced him proudly to us as his half-brother. The giant was about sixteen feet tall, or probably rather short for a giant. His appearance was disgusting and even my mouth slid open over Hagrid's narrow-mindedness. Sorry, but this had to be said! The giant clearly hadn't wanted to come along and you could see the evidence clearly when you looked at Hagrid's face.

"Hagrid, how could you? What's the meaning of this?" I snapped at him angrily.

Hagrid explained himself in his familiar simple-minded way: "Oh, Hermione. The other giants teased Grawp because of his size. He's a giant and yet so small, you know. They bullied him. And he's just my brother, you have to understand that."

Hagrid looked at us sadly, pleadingly. That was Hagrid's earth-shattering reason for bringing an uncontrollable giant into the Forbidden Forest? Was Hagrid thinking at all or was his big head just ornamental, useless accessory?

Grawp was just ugly, shockingly ugly and had a disproportionately large, round head which was adorned with green curls and a single ear. Help, giants were really not nice-looking. His muddy eyes were extremely small and he heaved pitifully heavy and loud breaths through his flat and shapeless nose. His mouth was crooked and when he opened it to utter incomprehensible sounds you could see his few teeth, which were just disgusting. They were yellowish and simply grotesque, huge and crooked in his mouth.

I, we, could only stare at him in shock. How did Hagrid come up with such absurd ideas? And Harry, that idiot, had already agreed. I glared at him angrily and he scratched his head in embarrassment, shrugging his shoulders apologetically. He must have recognised his rash action.

"Hagrid!" I called outraged. "You can't settle a giant in the forest!"

He just replied apologetically and also proudly: "The little one is already trying to settle in. He can even say a few words and his manners have improved!"

I waved my arms angrily in front of my face and shouted, "And what do you think he'll do with us? Shall we let ourselves be crushed to pulp, just as your face is?" We still had freshly in mind his lacerations, bruises, and other injuries which he had described as harmless.

Then he beckoned his brother over, drawing attention to us and introducing us as Harry and 'Hermy.' I was about to jump in a circle and noticed out of the corner of my eye that Harry was biting back a laugh and trembling slightly. Very funny! His name was not the one getting disparaged.

When Grawp noticed us, these tiny visitors, he suddenly started to move and it was like rolling a steamroller on us. So we took to our heels and hid behind the trunk of a particularly thick and large tree while Hagrid tried to dampen his brother's exuberant joy.

When he was sitting on the floor, we were introduced to him again and the threads of drool flowed from his half-closed mouth. I grimaced disgustedly. Goddess, I felt sorry for myself. So we left after a few minutes of staring and, completely stunned, started on our way home. We could only shake our heads over Hagrid's request. How should we ever control this giant? And I wanted to thank Harry with a slap to the face. Hasty, much too hasty!

We were still walking through the forest when we heard loud hoofbeats behind us. The forest floor vibrated slightly under our feet. Then we realized that all of a sudden we were surrounded by a large group of centaurs and even Hagrid was getting a bit worried. They held their weapons threateningly at the ready and aimed at us. With their bows and arrows, they gave a wild, untamed impression.

I stayed calm, because I always found these half-horses impressive. Watching them in their natural environment was exciting. A brunette, long-haired man with a chestnut horse's body emerged from the row and began to face Hagrid calmly, his whole posture demanding respect.

"Hagrid, you know that after you interfered in our affairs you are no longer welcome in our forest. From now on, we will attack all humans who invade here! We will make another exception today, as you have foals with you, but remember, this is only for today!" he announced in a grandiose tone of voice.

"Magorian, I ask you…" Hagrid said soothingly, but was angrily interrupted by a wild-looking, black centaur with a sable's body who apparently found it hard to suppress his heated temperament as he kept rearing on his hind legs and pawing the ground with his hooves, spitting angrily:

"You have nothing to ask for, Hagrid! Didn't you foist this huge intruder on us? By law, we would have to take much tougher measures -"

"Be quiet, Bane. I am still the herd leader ... And now I say, go and do not come back!" Magorian announced firmly, turned resolutely and trotted away. Meanwhile, Bane snorted like the furious horse he was, to then fall into a swift gallop, so that the earth whirled up under his angry hoof steps and flew high into the air.

"Wow, Hagrid, they are really out of sorts with you!" Harry said dryly. He had remained surprisingly calm during the threat by the herd. I, too, because I knew from my beloved books that we both had been in no real danger. All the while, I had left my wand sheathed as a precaution because I prefered not irritating the herd.

These hybrid beings were quite impressive; I could spend hours looking at the beauty of their bodies. The transition of the human upper body into the sturdy lower body of the horse was fascinating.

We witnessed Hagrid following the disappearing herd with a sad and wistful look, and then sighing and turning away, mumbling that it were tough times, so completely without Dumbledore, which made me press my lips together in disgruntlement about Hagrid's blind obedience to the old man.

At the edge of the forest, where we parted and from where Hagrid shuffled depressed to his hut, we could already discern that the Quidditch match was over and expected the worst. But as we approached, we heard that we, the Gryffindors, were singing and that they had re-written the lyrics of the song that the Slytherins had come up with to mock Ron, celebrating frenetically. That brought a beaming smile to Harry's face despite the deep concern in his eyes.

When we finally went to dinner very hungry after the long walk and the Gryffindors lay blissfully in triumphant arms, Harry and I were asked by some of them where we had been. We took refuge in our lie that we had to take advantage of the hour for some intimate time together and that this was therefore private.

What liars we were! But better than admitting that we had been in the woods and had encountered a too small, but still far too big giant and an angry centaur herd and thus had once again broken the school rules. Harry impressed me more from day to day. I was so proud of how he now lied without blushing. That was the right way to go.

Just before we retired, Harry whispered to me that tomorrow he would tell Ron in peace about Grawp - he pronounced the name very despondently - and I nodded thankfully.

As we walked along the corridors that still looked like bogs over the next day, and this became more and more a slalom run, Harry whispered to me that he hadn't told Ron yet, as he was still stunned by his success and Harry hadn't wanted to spoil his mood with this shocking revelation.

Yes, ignorance could be so beautiful and desirable!

"Well, then I hope that he finds himself again before the career counselling talks take place, otherwise the toad will have something to complain about!" Only Harry was listening to me because Ron indeed showed a truly not-there expression and appeared very misty-eyed.

I turned around and noticed that Daphne was struggling alone with a swamp in the back of the corridor, as she had sunk in with her foot at the edge and desperately tried to get free. She had apparently stumbled and lost her bag which probably contained her wand and it had skidded away from her.

Guys, how could one be so careless with your weapons of defence, I wondered desperately. However, I didn't want to miss this opportunity for Harry. The Twins would lynch me if they found out that I hadn't taken advantage of such an event. She was alone, without any attachment. It was the perfect moment and so I tugged on Harry's robe.

"Psst!" I said quietly, pointing the other way to the end of the long corridor, and saw that he quickly understood who was in trouble. Just as I expected, the knight awoke in him wanting to come to the aid of the fair maiden. I looked at him encouragingly, but he gave Ron's back a doubtful look. I nodded understandingly, stepped next to Ron, linked my arm with our Quidditch hero and requested:

"Ron, could you tell me on the way once more in detail how the penny dropped and you parried that first Quaffle so successfully?" Already the mission was accomplished and I made a shooing gesture in Ron's back at our saviour. As Ron and I climbed down the stairs, he had already hurried to Daphne and helped her chivalrously, which made me smile with satisfaction. I was curious how this would develop. He gallantly gave her a hand and she looked at him with an overwhelmed and very surprised face from the ground and then... then, unfortunately, the stupid wall was in the way.

Ron had fervently started into his tale and explained the game to me in great detail. I was just thinking about the punishment Harry would have to suffer as a result of what I was enduring for him. He would pay as soon as he showed up again. Gosh, I would rather hop into bed with Snape again even with the pain attached, at least that wouldn't be boring.

While Ron gushed about his exploit, I thought back to yesterday and my riling up Snape. I grinned slightly as I remembered his collapsed figure. I was giving the good man a hard time and the only thing I felt was satisfaction.

Harry arrived at lunch with slightly red ears.

"And, how did it go? Did you save her?" I asked affably and in good humour but very quietly.

"Yes. And I wasn't as stupid as usual; I could speak!" A big smile graced his face and his eyes sparkled radiantly.

"Harry, you have always been able to speak our language!" I said soberly, taking a spoonful of soup.

"No, that's not how I meant it, Hermione. She really needed help and it was quite easy and natural for me to help her and talk to her. If I had tried to speak to her as I did with Cho back then, I would have screwed that up again!" he clearly and correctly recognised his deficits. Respect, Mr. Potter, I silently congratulated him on his self-assessment.

"You are just the typical saviour, it's definitely a syndrome!" I pulled his leg and laughed loudly.

"Um, what are you talking about? … Oh, no matter ... Harry, Dean wanted me to show him the falling manoeuver again. Do you think we can go to the field tonight? How long do you think the talks will go," an important and excited Ron wanted to know.

"Eh, I think not that long. I'll have it now, Hermione too and you're right after me, as far as I remember the schedule you showed me this morning!" Harry looked at him, thinking sharply.

"Everything was right, Harry!" I said to him, took a sip of water and another bite of my soup, while everything developed wonderfully.

Not much later, a big group of students, us included, went to the rooms that had been prepared for the interviews and I interrogated Harry further:

"Since we were so nicely interrupted by Ron earlier: How was the little girl? Why was she alone? The snakes usually have such a group drive," I linked arms with him on his left side.

"Oh, she had looked up something in the library and the others didn't want to wait. Typically Slytherin. But she's nice and shy, but not as shy as Cho and not nearly as aggressive as Ginny. At first, she was totally surprised that I wanted to help her, but then she took my hand without any reservations and gave me a nice smile. I mean, I'm Potter, Harry Potter! They all hate me and she smiles and touches me! She said she would be happy …" he breathed, bewildered, and turned his right helping hand in the light.

"So you liked the first contact?" I enquired.

"Yes, incredible but true. She is sweet and even more pretty from up close!"

I laughed loudly and patted his heart.

"Well, is that beating faster? And what about here?" I put my hand on his stomach.

"Don't tell anyone but I believe it's both!" He smiled shyly. I didn't notice the deep-black eyes that were watching us from the darkness of a hidden corridor, and also not how they narrowed angrily as I touched Harry's body so intimately.

Then it was time and we entered our cabins and I met Flitwick and pretended to think about a career in the ministry or as a healer. Thanks to Snape, I felt able to sell the lie convincingly. To my astonishment, Flitwick advised me not to pursue a career as a healer as he thought that my analytical, strategic mind was better off in politics and that I wouldn't be able to maintain the necessary patience and compassion for my patients for a longer time. I thought I would crack up. I mean, the little professor was good and so smart and had probably seen a bit behind my facade. Hats off, even McGonagall hadn't managed that yet.

Thus I left the job preparation interview amused and joined Ron, who was waiting to change places with Harry, whos talk apparently took longer. Lav was shooting him languishing looks, fixed on Ron's lips, which he enjoyed to the fullest.

When Draco came out of his cabin with a sullen expression - apparently he hadn't had his conversation with Snape, otherwise that would have been a short 'Uncle', 'Yes, my godson' story that would have ended quickly - he looked absolutely annoyed. When I winked at him, amused, he snapped at me rudely:

"What's so funny, Mudblood?" He towered aggressively over me. Something that made me bite my tongue so as not to laugh loudly, because Draco's eyes as well showed a spark of amusement, but it made sure that Ron immediately turned to us and came to my unnecessary rescue.

"Shut your mouth, Malfoy, otherwise someone should wash it out with soap!" Lav looked at him anxiously, but also quite misty-eyed by Ron's courage.

"Ron, it was nothing. Calm down; I don't feel insulted… It would have only interested me to hear whatever career advice he got... The way he looked, maybe Auror!" I shrugged and then chuckled sardonically, as he, like myself, could then imprison himself immediately in Azkaban, and savoured my amusement at Draco's expense.

"Very funny, Mudblood. Be careful what you say! And just for your information: What this fat herbal shrew said is so much below my dignity; as if I needed to do that as Malfoy ... Unlike you, weasel, I can do what I want!" Draco said very nastily, baring his teeth. He skilfully provided me with the desired information. Sprout, then. Well, she was not my favourite teacher either. I'm just saying plants and death inevitably belong together in my world. So I twisted my mouth with dislike.

"Now I'm curious. What was… the suggestion?" I asked with real honest interest and hoped he would give me more information just as generously.

"She said I should become a professional Quidditch player. Where was she thinking?" he spat angrily. Ron looked completely steamrollered and now Blaise, giving me a delicate smile, casually approached Draco and asked with interest:

"And what is so bad about that?" He showed his outrageously attractive grin.

"Please, Malfoys don't do that for money. If, I would buy a Quidditch team. Everyone in the wizarding world knows that I am the heir of my father and will take over his business!" Draco looked around haughtily and you could tell that Ron didn't understand what was wrong with living the dream he had. And I? Well, I was still laughing and trying as best as I could to mask it as a coughing fit. Blaise gave me a look that said something along the line of 'You're just failing a bit in your quest, my dear.'

But it was too funny. I mean, I knew Draco had never liked Sprout and he liked Quidditch, but only for fun. Since Harry had beat him year after year, his passion for it had cooled significantly. Malfoys only deigned to stay faithful to and indulge in things in which they were on top. Everything else they liked to shirk and Quidditch was such a thing. I think without Harry it would have been different, but so Sprout's proposal was a slap in the face for Draco as he had never won against Harry!

My poor duped Draco.

"And what about you, Mudblood. What advice did you get?" He showed me a mocking grin, but he too was curious. I loved playing with him. It was very stimulating to talk like this, under the eyes of our friends. "Although, when I think about it - people like you can only follow one profession," he added provocatively, grinning at me nastily and arrogantly as his eyes wandered suggestively over my body. It seemed he wanted to work off his anger with me. I didn't mind, knowing that the story with Flitwick, the healing and the Ministry would amuse him and he would tell me again that it showed that the smallest were not the dumbest.

"Take that back at once!" Ron roared with a bright red head and immediately wanted to rush Draco who just smiled a haughty grin, his arms crossed over his chest, and Blaise grimaced. Before Ron reached Draco, the Slytherin's two shadows joined them as well, and I stepped forward, grabbing Ron's arm roughly and suddenly stopped his attack, causing Ron to stumble slightly. I shook my head decidedly as his fiery look came to rest on me.

"What did I say, Blaise? I think the weasel's imagination run wild here. What do you want to imply I said?" Draco continued to provocate masterfully.

"You… you!" Ron cried outraged and wanted to break away from me but he didn't manage to escape my iron grip.

"I, what? Why am I responsible if you have your mind in the gutter? Why am I responsible if you insinuate such a thing regarding the Mudblood?" Draco hissed maliciously, and then Snape appeared, unexpectedly as usual.

"What is going on here?" Snape asked silken as usual, eying the gathered group haughtily with his captivatingly sharp look.

"Nothing, Professor Snape! We just disagreed about what profession Granger could follow. I had a suggestion, but it didn't seem to agree with Weasley, only I didn't even get to articulate it, sir!" He shrugged his shoulders coolly. Snape actually looked questioningly at me and I rolled my eyes slightly. Unblinkingly, Draco finished sneaking to the teacher. "He wanted to attack me because of an assumption!"

"Well then, Mister Weasley. What did Mister Malfoy say would suit Miss Granger?" Snape now smugly pulled up his dark eyebrow and gave me a once-over from top to bottom. It was very reminiscent of the look Draco had given me. He had already realised what Ron had concluded from Draco's statement, and with his calculating look he tried to degrade me. _But please, I really have thicker skin than that, sir!_ Hence, I returned his insulting stare steadfastly and stoically.

In contrast to the others, I knew that Snape could actually see the whore in me!

I could see Ron's face lose colour and his ears flushed pink. Oh, the poor guy. He was getting crushed here between us three, just because we were all somehow on the outs with each other and the two snakes could appreciate the insider joke of the whore.

"Maybe you know your friends better than expected!" The words came viciously out of Snape's mouth and I looked at him in surprise. Draco also fought to maintain his indifferent mask and Blaise closed his eyes resignedly. Crabbe and Goyle laughed stupidly and Ron turned his eyes abruptly to me. Lav squeaked in alarm, clapping her hand over her mouth.

At Snape's insinuation, which he served as his vicious vengeance - but well, everyone had their turn during a game and that was his, making me impossible and spreading rumours about me - I gave him a cold grin. I would have liked to answer him with a stupid retort, but better not. I hadn't flinched or anything because I knew that's the way to tease Snape's ego the most.

Goddess be thanked, the door of Harry's cabin opened at that moment and he also came out with a heated face. He stared in astonishment at our group and I immediately snatched the reins.

"Ron, it's your turn. You cannot keep her waiting! Sorry, sir, that was a misunderstanding...!" I said, getting astonished looks and a stinging cold one from Snape, who, it seemed, had not yet got over the shame of yesterday and didn't like my current reaction.

"Hem hem." We all jerked around when we heard a characteristic hawking and witnessed Umbridge stepping out the door I had just pushed Ron through. "What?" She raised her voice and couldn't even blink before our group had dispersed.

Apparently, even the Slytherins agreed to escape immediately. Snape made the most impressive exit by swiftly turning on his heel, his robes billowing like big bat wings. Harry and I legged it and ran up the stairs, and even the members of the Inquisitorial Squad headed by Draco sought salvation in flight because not even Draco could stand the croaking toad.

We laughed together as I told Harry about the situation before he came out of the room.

"Do you think Ron will eventually learn to control his temperament? That was deliberate by Malfoy that he led Ron so badly up the garden path," Harry shook his head sympathetically.

"Of course it was and Ron took a running jump. It was provocative, nothing more," I shrugged indifferently.

"Well, that's Ron. As long as you don't mind. Do you?" Harry said very perceptively for his formerly so exuberant temperament. "How did your talk go?" I shook my head at the first question and then answered the other.

"Mine? Well. Flitwick said I should start a career in politics and thus at the Ministry!" I explained neutrally, smoothing down my ugly pleated school skirt.

"Mh-mh, and would you like to?" Harry asked doubtfully, because he didn't think much of the Ministry.

"Let's see… What was it like for you? Why was the toad in your cabin?" I distracted him quickly.

"Well, I don't know why, but I think because of me. So I just said that I want to be an Auror which the bitch immediately tried to nip in the bud saying that would not be the right job for me and that I was too bad in the subjects. Then McGonagall said she was the one leading the conversation and I would be an excellent Auror and would get better in potions over time... I should just work well for the exams. Then the two just quarreled and that's about it!" he reported and grimaced.

"Gee. I wouldn't have thought that McGonagall had it in her to flip her lid like that!" The thought amused me immensely. "Oh, say, are you going to tell Ron about Grawp anytime soon?"

"Nope. If it is alright with you, Hermione, then I won't. He now had that altercation with the Slytherins pulling him out of seventh heaven. He should rather be happy about his success in Quidditch and not worry about a giant and tomorrow the O.W.L.s start. Or what is your opinion on this?" he replied with uncertainty.

"I think so too. All right, let's keep quiet!" We sealed our agreement with a handshake.

The next morning it was time. Almost all of our classmates were on the verge of a nervous breakdown and everyone was still leafing through their documents quickly and agitatedly. I didn't think much of such behaviour since I had prepared for it a long, long time ago. Not everyone was as structured as me, I thought scornfully.

In recent days, a black market has flourished with magical stimulants and brain stimulants. I suffered a tantrum in our common room that made the walls shake dangerously. I really imitated the behaviour of the snakes too much. Dominating a house like this usually happened only in Slytherin, but as I said, I suffered a temper tantrum when I found out that these substances were traded at horrendously extortionate prices, and most of these inferior drugs contained ineffective or even toxic, dangerous ingredients.

I rounded up the whole tower with no regard that it was the middle of the night when I came to the bottom of it and gave them a piece of my mind! Some people wanted to protest, going:

"Why are you making such a spectacle of yourself?"

"You are not our boss!"

"Do you think just because you're involved with Potter you can play the big shot?"

"Exactly! She is just trying to show off."

"Your holier-than-thou attitude is unbearable!"

I almost saw red. If I didn't always have myself under control so well, I would have cast some less than nice curses now.

I positioned myself on the landing where the two staircases leading to the dormitories converged so that I had a good view of the whole pack that I had herded into the big room below me. As angry as I was, I didn't allow their stupid objections. Draco really rubbed off on me and right now I just wanted to have a similarly strong position in my House, but unfortunately there was no such thing in Gryffindor. Too bad, some brain would have done many a world of good. I explained to them in no uncertain terms:

"Even if you don't like it, you dunderheads, I'm a Prefect and so I have the right, basta! If you don't want me to go to McGonagall you should now shut up and listen closely!" I acted so resolutely that it shut most of them right up!

If they didn't respect me, I had to use the power of the office that Dumbledore had kindly awarded me with. And what did they want anyway? After all, my intervention was for their best! I reached into the bag that I had confiscated pulled out the drugs and looked into the rebellious round.

"Do you have any idea what you are taking here?" I exclaimed, getting very worked up. I looked at stupid staring faces that had low intelligence written onto them, I thought viciously and very spitefully.

With some spells, I broke them down into their components and got so horrifying results on most of the ingredients that they made even me stagger while the other students exchanged incomprehensible looks. How stupid and intellectually challenged could one actually be?

I should have let them die in their ignorance, they really didn't deserve my help, but then I still had a bit of compassion for them somewhere. So I took the most well-known ingredient and bluntly told them what they were consuming here so naively:

"Do you have an idea what doxy dung is. Do you all know?" They all nodded in confirmation and I realised that not all hope was lost because one or two were grimacing in disgust. I rubbed my knowledge with pleasure in their stupid faces.

"The feces are poisonous and therefore dangerous and you take this voluntarily and pay exaggerated prices. The stuff doesn't just make you sick, it doesn't even work! I hope you realise that you are voluntarily consuming shit. You eat the digested excrements of little magical critters! Soooo, who still thinks that I want to throw my weight around is welcome to take this stuff. Bon appétit!" I explained furiously. At least everyone was really disgusted with the realisation of what kind of stuff they were consuming. I mean, who likes to swallow shit?

All who were blessed with the intellect of a worm. Some were beginning to choke, others were vomiting and others were breaking out in cold sweat.

So I sat in the midst of the shocked, headless crowd onto whom I had imposed my will and was dwelling on my thoughts. How I would be able to still carry out all my plans and, and, and... I enjoyed it almost spitefully that so many were sick. When I curbed my malice; I always had to consider so many aspects and then these idiots came and ate something like that!

It was annoying that every time I had to teach them to respect me when something had to be done. I saw it coming, at the next scene with Harry or if something happened again, everybody would be whispering again. The Gryffindors really forgot too quickly who they should respect.

* * *

 _Review feedback:_

 _ **Lacertidae:** It might take you a while to get here but thank you nonetheless for your review. The goblins will pop up here and there in glimpses only. However, their relationship with Hermione is really something very entertaining._

 _ **Sinner:** She really likes to burn herself ;) Sadly, no "Snape's POV" this chapter or the next. It's just too much happening where he isn't directly involved. But the next time comes for sure._


	86. Now It's Getting Serious!

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **Now It's Getting Serious!**

McGonagall called us into the Great Hall which was now empty without the four House tables. Instead, there were four desks next to each other in neat rows with plenty of space between the seats standing down the hall up to the door.

This alone was exciting for many as it screamed 'exam'.

The mood of the students knew no bounds; the tension was palpable. Finally, the professor asked us in her usual stern way to sit down. I felt, as so often at exams, an exciting tickle of anticipation. No, no fear or nervousness took possession of me, but rather an icy calm, conscious that I wanted to do everything right and perfect. In order to also find fun and enjoyment in the whole thing, I also set myself a time limit, with the goal to make it as fast as possible.

"Please sit down completely randomly. You do not have to sit next to your friends as the parchments are magically protected against cheating!" her hard, magically amplified voice sounded through the hall.

I could see the panic in Ron's eyes and looked at him reassuringly.

"I would like to introduce you all to the Chairman of the Examination Board, Professor Griselda Marchbanks," she pointed to the ancient woman standing next to her, who, when she spoke, did so very loudly because she was almost deaf because of her age. She had already taken Dumbledore's O.W.L.s a hundred years ago and well, she had the wrinkled look to go with it. The question of whether the magical world didn't know retirement suggested itself to me.

Now I was curious to see what we had to do.

Charms, one of the basic subjects taught at Hogwarts by little Flitwick, was a challenge for many of us, though it had always been surprisingly easy for me. In this subject, we learned to enchant items or sentient beings with a wand in conjunction with a spell so that they acted differently than usual because here only the behaviour was changed, not the shape.

This art also involved manipulating and erasing desired memories with a spell that was not taught in practise, but as we all know, had been applied by me and successfully, as I remembered pensively and somewhat self-righteously my altercation with the two attackers in the alley and how I victoriously defended myself against them.

In Charms, to get the magical effect you wanted, you needed exactly the right wand movement and you had to be very precise. It was therefore not allowed to swing the wand too violently or too laxly. Do not make the movement too fast or too slow, not too wide but not too short and so on. As I said, that was the art of the whole thing: Sensitivity, tact and an understanding of the magic!

For the normal wizards and witches, it is important to say the spell with the proper intonation and inflexion.

Those like me who had been cramming non-verbal magic like a madman since this year, had to put more power and force into the spells to make them work without words. The more imagination and willpower was required, the harder it became to execute the spell as desired. But for me, the will was the smallest problem. Thus, it wouldn't even have been necessary for me to verbalise the spell in the practical exam on this day in Charms, however, I treasured my secrets way too much to brag about it.

The practical task was the same for everyone.

We should subject the Nifflers in front of us to a colour change. What colour didn't matter, they only had to lose the rich black of their coat and I would have managed that without a sound as well. It was ridiculously easy and I made mine a deep purple so you noticed easily that the spell had succeeded. I glanced around and saw how Harry was doing the wrong wand movement. He made a similar move to the growth spell.

A careless mistake. I rolled my eyes over his nervousness because he recognised his mistake shortly thereafter and then corrected himself properly. Keep your cool, Harry, it's not that hard.

It went blow upon blow. Next was Transfiguration which was taught by McGonagall.

Here we learned to enchant the objects or living beings with spell and wand in such a way that they changed their form or their state of being. So you could turn any animal into any object and vice versa. The poor critters!

Here, too, great care had to be taken in the execution of the spell. In this way, it did not differ from Charms.

The theoretical, as well as the practical exam, didn't cause me any problems, and hence I turned the mouse with a swish of my wand into a beautiful, filigree and lavishly decorated cup.

After that, we had Defense Against the Dark Arts. Really easy. Suddenly a silvery stag galloped across the room and a small, bald-headed examiner named Tofty scribbled happily on his board.

I knew to whom this magnificent Patronus belonged and smiled at how pleased Harry looked!

In this subject, we were taught to defend against dangerous magical threats and attacks. So we should be able to protect ourselves against hinkypunks or vampires, destroy boggarts and learn to resist black magic attacks.

Much to my regret, Dumbledore taught only the defence and not the offence. How should you be able to defend successfully against the Dark Arts if you couldn't understand them? But enough, otherwise I would just get angry again over the narrow-mindedness of the old professor and I should rather focus on my exam.

My test was a Stupefy, which I demonstrated smoothly. I passed on the chance to imitate Harry. Too many people already knew my otter patronus. In that regard, I was a secret-monger, and I had to laugh inwardly, assuming everyone would lose faith if they knew that the over-zealous miss-know-it-all deliberately held back her knowledge and skills in an exam.

This was followed by Potions, the first subject in which we worked without our wands and put them away. There were many important steps that needed to be taken with the utmost accuracy and attention.

But that's what I loved about this subject, to meticulously pay attention to every detail and so I brewed the Shrinking Potion with relish. It was a joke. But alright, you had to be exact here too. This potion had to make the living being that took it younger and younger and reduce their size and appearance accordingly.

The following ingredients had to be prepared: The daisy root, which I had to grate especially fine, shrivelfig that I had to shred well, cut rat spleen, mince the caterpillars and add only one shot of the leech juice.

Adding all ingredients at the right time, brewing it at the right heat, and accurately carrying out the stirring motions, the potion unfolded its magical effect under my swiftly working hands as it took on the proper colour and consistency.

I was outstandingly successful and I handed in my sample very satisfied with myself. Even Harry didn't seem to have trouble brewing this time with Snape breathing down his neck.

Care of magical creatures was only tested in theory.

The trivial questions centred on knarls, bowtruckles, the keeping of fire crabs and the explanation of the correct diet for sick unicorns. This was a test I could answer in my sleep. From that point on, I didn't have to worry about it and was only trying to fight falling asleep.

The Herbology exam was a breeze, only the practical part was a challenge, in my case.

We had to transplant a Fanged Geranium. Exactly my nightmare, because that was the plant that I had so easily killed. But thanks to an unseen non-verbal spell, I put the bloody thing into stasis and worked unimpeded. I know, I cheated but by now I was so bored that I was beyond caring.

Then there was another break and I had to continue alone, too Ancient Runes and Arithmancy.

Ancient Runes at least partially resembled the Muggle runes used since the first century AD. And here my first mistake happened in the whole O.W.L. exams so far.

I mixed up the runes Ehwaz and Eihwaz, which was too annoying. Pride comes before a fall. These two runes were featured in the Futhark row, the first complete transmission of the 3rd-century runic alphabet.

It was too frustrating. I translated the Ehwaz rune as 'partnership' because it could mean either horse or marriage. Eihwaz, however, meant yew, especially derived from the world tree Yggdrasil, since here the old Germanic runic alphabet came to fruition where Eihwaz was called Ihwa. It was a mistake because unfortunately this rune was asked for.

I had to quickly regain my equilibrium after this blunder - which I noticed myself after the test by checking in a book and I was terribly annoyed about it.

Next Arithmancy was on the schedule. It was considered one of the most difficult subjects because it was a combination of arithmetic and divination. More my thing than Divination on its own, a class I had farsightedly dropped out of in third grade.

This though was about predictions with the help of numbers. Many numerical tables and combinations of numbers were created and large numbers were calculated. I don't know, but here I enjoyed predicting the future and working with the mysticism of numbers and did my job with flying colours because here the whole thing was based on logic, not on nebulous delusions!

During this time, Harry and Ron had their exam in Divination. Later, the two told me that they just made something up. Harry said he certainly hadn't passed. I consoled him by saying that it was all humbug anyway.

After that, everyone was so exhausted that we were lying in the common room like discarded dolls. Unfortunately, we were all unable to go to sleep as we had the next exam at 11 pm. Astronomy was unfortunately taught at night since the stars were, of course, observed by telescopes and we marked their position in maps and that was only possible at night.

Really a mammoth task after such a long, tiring day, although I still felt relatively fit. But then no one else completed such a day's quota of work as I demanded it from myself every day.

So Gryffindor's fifth grade dragged itself onto the Astronomy Tower and stared into the dark night sky so that it would reveal its secrets to us. We scrupulously recorded the planetary constellations as I nudged Harry.

"Look…" I pointed to the Hogwarts grounds below and, despite the darkness, we could watch Umbridge, accompanied by four Aurors, heading for Hagrid's cabin in the middle of the night.

"There is Dawlish who was also in Dumbledore's office!" Harry excitedly showed me the man with the crew cut, easy to see thanks to my telescope, adding in a fearful whisper: "What do you think they want from him?"

"No idea. Nothing good," I replied in a low voice. Already Professors Marchbanks and Tofty, who were also supervising this exam, had noticed us.

"What are you whispering there?" Tofty asked sternly.

I didn't even get to answer. I pointed with an outstretched finger to the events happening out on the grounds that finally distracted everyone from the test.

Because now it started: The five attackers shot Stunning Spell after Stunning Spell at Hagrid. They attacked him just like that; the glaring and bright lights of the spells that struck Hagrid flashed through the dark night.

However, since Hagrid had giant blood in him, he was quite immune to these spells and they hit him - if at all - ineffectively. Now we could observe how a single person, in whom we recognized Professor McGonagall, was rushing to this event.

As we all looked through our telescopes at the prevailing chaos, we had to watch shocked and helplessly, as four red Stunning Spells hit the old woman in the middle of her chest and immediately knocked her down. All of us, even the examiners, gasped and flinched back, concerned about this public and very brutal violence.

Hagrid's loud roar could even be heard by us on the highest tower as clear as a bell, whereupon he now threw himself fully into the fray. We all saw through our telescopes how he brutally and ruthlessly knocked three attackers unconscious.

Ouch, they would have to get one or the other broken rib mended, but I didn't feel sorry for them. Served them right! Then he grabbed the unconscious Fang, threw him over his shoulder and disappeared into the dark forest, leaving everyone behind quite flummoxed.

Harry looked at me with big, terrified eyes.

"Do you think McGonagall is alright?" he asked shakily, the horror shimmering in his dark, green eyes.

"No idea. Four stunners… We will see," I said with worry. I handed my test in listlessly since I had already been finished before the drama and everyone else followed my lead, even if many, like Harry, hadn't finished yet. However, everyone just couldn't be bothered doing that after what they had just experienced. What was a grade against a life? Considering what we had seen, it quickly became apparent that real life played out there, and a mark here or there wasn't that important.

The topic of conversation, no matter where, was the nightly happenings. It was a restless night for the Tower, as our Head of House was the injured party and so there was much discussion and talk. With the last exam taking place tomorrow, the agitated minds didn't come to rest.

The next morning, after perhaps three hours of sleep, if at all, Harry appeared completely exhausted. I didn't like how he looked, battered and as if his mental walls were down. He was very much affected by the experience, and as we sat again in the Great Hall for the History of Magic exam, I threw worried glances at his back repeatedly.

It was an extensive scope of questions and I wrote and wrote as if the devil was after me because the topics were wide-ranging. First, the medieval witch hunt, the revolts of the goblins against the supremacy of wizards, and finally the persecution, forced migration and extermination of the giants were tested.

I was making good progress; I had just finished my last paragraph and wanted to start proofreading everything again when I noticed Harry flinching and shifting restlessly right in front of me and I worriedly put the quill aside!

Shit, that had all been too much for Harry's mind. Suddenly, he cramped and cried out in agony. It was a frightening, painful sound and he clapped his hands over his face and slid off his chair in slow motion, impacting hard with the floor of the Hall. Everyone looked up horrified to see what had happened to cause such a loud cry.

"Harry!" I exclaimed in shock, rushing towards him. The scratching of quills on parchment stopped immediately and uneasy whispering and rustling began.

"Make way! What does he have? You cannot interrupt the exam, Miss Granger!" Umbridge shouted at me while I hid Harry's head anxiously in my lap. Fuck, that had certainly been a vision again, but worse and more intense than the last few times.

"I'm finished, Professor, as is Harry. I'll bring him to the infirmary!" I hissed at her with suppressed rage, but waiting, too. Everyone else sat there like bumps on a log and stared at the scene presented to them. Only Draco showed me a flare in his eyes and I returned his intense gaze anxiously, stroking Harry's red hot scar.

"Do that, my dear. The boy isn't even there!" Professor Marchbanks took the lead and ignored Umbridge's artificial and annoying throat-clearing.

"Hem hem," it also accompanied me as I got up and levitated the unconscious Harry in front of me out of the room, feeling once again all eyes on us and also some vicious whispering that Harry once again needed special treatment.

In the next empty classroom, I let Harry float onto a table and tried a Reviving Spell to wake him up again and it actually worked. Harry moaned and whimpered and immediately pressed a hand to his scar.

"Harry, what happened? Did you forget your mental shields?" I asked in agitation but worried nonetheless.

"Hermione, Hermione, ahhh… Does that hurt. My head is bursting!" he held his head in agony, his face twisted into a painful grimace.

"Here, take that," I held the vial of Headache Reliever to his mouth and he swallowed obediently. I tried to calm him gently so that he would become master of his senses again. "Steady, shhh, calm down! What happened? Tell me, if you can."

"Oh god… I fell asleep... All those exams, the stress! ... I nodded off over the test and then... then I was in a black tiled room that was filled with narrow shelves all over and there were small transparent orbs ... Sirius lay on the ground, writhing in pain and Voldemort stood over him and tortured him; it looked awful... He said he wants to kill Sirius! The scar burns like hell!" He pressed his fist roughly to his forehead as if he wanted to fight pain with pain.

After he had finished his story, I stood contemplating in front of Harry, who was still lying on the tabletop, and deliberately pushed my lower lip forward.

"I am sorry that I lowered my walls!" he apologised breathlessly and got up shakily, now sitting sweaty on the table and burying his head in his hands.

"Better again? Well, after the stress and the mental strain and the less than restful night, it is understandable. You're still not good enough to withstand anything and keep your mind constantly closed. That comes with time, we just have to keep working!" I said for the sake of saying something.

"Hermione, why are we reacting so calm, so…? Well, I mean, you believe as well that Sirius is alright, don't you?" he asked very insecurely, blinking uneasily at me.

"Mh-mh. You never know. But yes, I think it is a trap of the Dark Lord, yes!" I agreed with a nod, glad that Harry hadn't immediately dashed off headlessly.

"What should we do? I'd like to check if Sirius is home!" Harry admitted with concern and looked steadfastly into my eyes.

"I'm rather positively surprised that you are not running all over the place like a headless chicken and are actually thinking about it first!" I rubbed my face, voicing my thoughts.

"Alas, you are rubbing off on me. And if he has Sirius, the few minutes to give it some thought won't make a difference." He grimaced painfully.

"Was it that bad what you saw?" I enquired softly. He only nodded and looked at me unhappily and very anxiously. He tried to act deliberately, but was on the verge of a panic attack, as you could glean from his frightened expression. "But well, what do we want to do? Ask the members of the Order?"

"Um. Should we go to McGonagall?" Harry asked and I nodded and helped him to his feet.

"Alright?" I wanted to know and supported him.

"Thanks to you and the potion, yes, it has to be. Come quickly!" Thanks to our daily joint training, we ran through the school corridors, dodging the swamps skilfully via the secret passages and arriving noisily in the hospital wing.

"What kind of noise are you making, Mr Potter, Miss Granger?" The school medi-witch, Madame Pomfrey, gave us an indignant look and frowned at us from under her white, pleated bonnet that was hiding her snow-white hair.

"Professor… we need to get to Professor McGonagall. It's very important," it bubbled out of me breathlessly.

"Always nice and slow, Miss Granger! Professor McGonagall is no longer here, she had to be transferred to St. Mungo's. Unfortunately, she is no longer the youngest, but she will be back, they can just help her better," said the old lady amicably and seemed touched.

"Oh, oh, if that's so, thank you!" Immediately, we left a surprised Pomfrey standing, who gasped outraged by our rudeness and scolded us for so much impoliteness. Harry and I didn't pay attention to it and just moved on quickly. That was too stupid. What now?

"We could go to Snape, Harry," I suggested, even though it was not my dream to meet him again from eye to eye so soon.

"Yes, I know. But - not that I want to accuse him of anything - but I think the longer I ponder the idea that they wouldn't tell us the truth anyway. You know, kinda: 'He's fine! Don't worry,' even if my vision was true, which I don't believe!" Harry made a crystal-clear observation that showed how much his confidence in the Order was already shaken.

"Yes… You could be right. I wouldn't put it past the Order members to do that to protect you. But what do you want to do then? The only other adult we know is Hagrid and he fled! And I don't think the vision is real, too. I mean, it's rush hour in the Ministry; the activities of the Dark Lord fall more into night time!" Harry nodded at my argument.

"You know I broke into Umbridge's office…" Harry blinked at me.

"You want to use her fireplace again?" I asked sufferingly and he nodded.

"Well, let's try it. What do we have to lose?" I decided and Harry shrugged.

"Thanks! Come quickly!" he said and we rushed again when we met a worried-looking at the end of the hallway.

"There you are! Harry, mate, what was wrong? Are you alright?" He rattled off his questions anxiously. We waved away his concern.

"Not now, Ron! We need to check if Sirius is in the hands of Voldemort. For that, we have to get into the bitch's office. Can you distract her?" Harry enquired quickly and clipped.

"What should I tell her?" Ron wondered, willing to help, and seemed to be feverishly thinking before he offered: "I could say that Peeves is devastating the Transfiguration classroom!"

"Why would you say something like that, Ron?" Ginny asked suddenly, rounding the corner together with Luna. Both girls stared at the three of us with curiosity.

"Ginny!" Harry shouted and she looked at him bewildered as his voice had sounded so delighted. "Would you like to help us? We have to get into the toad's office. You could stand sentry, making sure nobody comes and disturbs us."

"Sure… Why?"

"What happened?"

"If you need us." They offered dumbfounded but without hesitation.

"Later," I interjected and got a glare from Ginny when we disregarded her question. "Let us know someone is coming by making noise!"

No sooner said than done. Harry was in a hurry and I ran alongside him. As soon as we closed the classroom door, I dissolved the wards on the office door excitedly with my wand, non-verbally. When Harry put his hand out for the latch, I stopped him, my left hand determinedly closing around his, and showed him with a disapproving shake of the head that he should wait. He stared at me, surprised.

"What?" he asked, bemused.

"Sshh, not now!" I just broke the black and last spell, very practised by now. Hence, I squeezed his hand down the latch and entered the tasteless little girl's office with him.

Harry swallowed down his questions and sprinted to the fireplace. Without hesitation, he threw in the floo powder he had taken from the ledge, dropped to his knees, and thrust his head into the green flames of the blazing hearth.

I was restless. What would be the outcome? I had an uneasy feeling and I had learned to rely on my instincts so I raised my staff and did several detection spells.

I stopped. There were still no additional spells on the desk I had searched, but there was one on the fireplace now! That one was new.

On Harry's last visit, he must have changed something by the fireplace, prompting her to lay a ward on it that would alert her if it got used. Shit, we had to get out of here; we were caught. I was just about to grab for Harry when the door was torn open already.

The Inquisitorial Squad around Draco appeared and led or rather shoved Ron, Ginny and Luna inside and I froze and wanted to fight back when Crabbe came close and tried to grab me.

"Leave the Mudblood to me!" Draco snarled coldly. A certain shake of his head stopped my immediate attempts, but I thought I saw a flash of worry in his eyes. I did as he asked me to and kept still as he took my school wand and then he suddenly grabbed me roughly and wrapped his arms around my body. I would say, he positively enjoyed being so close to me. Each of us was now held by a Slytherin.

Harry still had his butt in the air while his head was stuck into the fireplace and not aware of our little drama.

Neville was also pushed through the door at last, which made me look surprised. He hadn't been involved so far, right?

I was still annoyed that I hadn't checked the fireplace. Then, the toad entered her office with a satisfied and triumphant smile, grabbed Harry's shoulder roughly and pulled him back into the office.

He looked up slightly perplexed from his kneeling position, his gaze travelling around the room, until he realised that we had all been caught and his eyes narrowed angrily while he pressed his lips together moodily.

"Well, well, well. You came into my office, Mr Potter, to use my fireplace... Who did you contact?" she purred sweetly at him and chuckled horribly at the end. She clapped her hands and her cheeks flushed excitedly.

"I won't tell you anything!" Harry, still kneeling, crossed his arms aggressively and dismissively in front of his chest and his facial expression showed his stubbornness.

"Mr Crabbe, go and fetch Professor Snape!" she ordered with a velvet voice. At these words, I tensed as well as Harry did, while Draco kept me in his arms and I could feel his breath on my hair. What should we do?

Only a short time later, the door opened and a visibly ill-tempered professor stormed the office, who didn't show his astonishment to see us all here and find Umbridge office crowded like this. Amazing how much Snape was always in control, since the sight of six Gryffindors, all kept in the Slytherins strong holds in the small circular room, had to catch him unprepared.

But, as always, he showed us his stiff, cold mask and snarled impatiently at the toad:

"You wish?" He looked frostily at Umbridge, who was still leaning over the kneeling Harry.

"Ah, Professor Snape. Lovely that you could come so fast! I need another vial of Veritaserum," she extended her toad fingers towards Snape.

"I just recently gave you the last available serum. My supply of this potion is not unlimited as it is usually never needed here. I can offer to make more; it will be ready in four weeks!" The reply came from him in the best cutting manner. He was great. He liked the old witch as much as I did, even if he seemed very helpful.

"Four weeks!" Umbridge shouted indignantly at once and her face got red spots which didn't go well with her pink dress.

"I'm sorry, this potion in particular needs to heed many phases of the moon, Madame!" He shrugged his shoulders indifferently and asked in his usual could manner: "Was that all?" After Umbridge gave him a tight nod, he turned around as Harry suddenly shouted:

"He's got Padfoot at the place where IT is hidden!"

Snape turned in slow motion and looked at him emotionlessly, while Umbridge watched everything excitedly.

"What does he mean?" she asked excitedly, and Snape didn't show the slightest bit, not even if he understood the message. But well, I understood him. If he did, he'd have to answer Umbridge's questions.

"I have no idea! I have absolutely no idea what kind of nonsense this brat is spouting! I'll take my leave," he declared stroppily, slamming the door behind him. Harry's shoulders sagged forward. It seemed his conversation hadn't gone well, so no Sirius! But what had Harry expected? That Snape would make it clear that he understood him?

When the door slammed shut, Umbridge said:

"Tsk tsk… Too bad, Potter. But well, for the good of the Ministry, I need the information and that means every means should be allowed, right?" She addressed the Squad, looking for confirmation, and the Slytherins nodded obediently.

"Of course, Madam," Pansy Parkinson squeaked. Groaning, I leaned heavily against Draco, who was hugging me as if he wanted to protect me rather than hurt me.

"I mean, it is against the law, however, what Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him. The dementor attack I ordered did please him, after all!" When she announced this dreamily, babbling away like a madman, I opened my eyes wide in horror. That lunatic had set the dementors on Harry? She had risked his life, the loss of his soul, and that made me so angry that I thought I would burst the next moment. It started to boil in me and my decision fell in that second. That woman was evil!

"Now, last chance, Potter. Tell me or I'll have to torture you!" A crazy, eager glow came to her eyes.

"Don't hold your breath!" Harry replied hotly, all tough and stubborn. But given that he knew first-hand how the Cruciatus worked, I could even believe that it was a cold-blooded decision on his side to behave that way.

Then I felt Draco's warm breath on my ear and heard his urgent whisper:

"Do something!"

He sounded distinctly angry. It didn't seem to be to his liking that he wasn't in control of the situation - that's what I thought - and he seemed worried that if Harry didn't talk, then sooner or later I would be next. And Draco certainly disliked _that_ scenario. Now it was time to start the show. I screamed in panic

"Harry, please, you have to tell her!" I shrieked and fought dramatically against Draco's not-so-firm grip. Harry looked at me as if I had lost my marbles, shaking his head in shock at my performance, and shouted:

"Hermione, are you crazy? I won't tell her anything!" Harry jumped to his feet.

"Harry, tell her!" I insisted, sniffling.

"Grab him, Zabini!" The madwoman shrieked and Blaise grabbed Harry and forced him to calm. Umbridge hissed, "Shut up, Potter!"

I sniffed, the tears streaming down my face, and I looked around the room with a panicked expression. The Gryffindors and Luna stared at me in horror, and the Slytherins, except for Blaise, measured me with a heretically satisfied look.

"Please, please, don't hurt Harry! I'll tell you everything, everything you want! Just don't hurt him!" I sobbed theatrically and tried to free my arms. My mind rattled, trying to figure out how to get us out of here. I had to get away from so many witnesses. I had my white wand and my daggers too, and my pure, well-trained physical strength would be enough to disable Umbridge.

"Hermione, no!" Harry protested worriedly, not understanding what I wanted from him, and Umbridge hit him with a Silencio, which made him glare angrily at her and me. Perfect. _Harry, keep it up; if you doubt me like that, she'll think even more that I'm telling her the truth._ On the inside, I was grinning very nastily. Everything was going very well.

"He… he tried to… contact… Dumbledore… We…!" I stuttered, sobbing frantically and saw Harry give up struggling when he heard that I was lying. _Don't, you idiot_ , I thought annoyed and looked at him venomously! And he actually turned on his brain and understood, raging on. Well, at least he had understood the hint.

Umbridge, on the other hand, looked like it was Christmas and she had just gotten a lot of pink gifts with ornate, magenta ribbons. I'd now rub them into her toad face.

"Yes! Where is he?" she pushed excitedly and turned to me eagerly.

"I… No idea. We should contact him when IT was done and you prevented that!" I sniffed less than ladylike, but with outstanding acting.

"What is IT?" she snapped, piqued, wringing her thick sausage-like fingers.

"A weapon that we should forge," I breathed bashfully and lowered my eyes. Harry, however, was learning to play drama in a crash course. He even rolled his eyes so that only the whites were visible and didn't make it easy for Blaise to hold onto him.

"Weapon? What kind of weapon? Where?" Umbridge asked with increasing excitement. She was as stupid as they come, I thought contemptuously. Ron's eyes were trying to pop out of his head and Ginny, Luna and Neville looked completely overwhelmed. I felt Draco slowly relax behind me. He certainly recognised my trick and that I was acting. I sniffed again and then desperately shook my head and looked up at her in disbelief.

"You don't want me to say that in front of everyone, do you? It is too powerful! Everyone wants it!" I whispered fervently, unobtrusively rubbing my butt against Draco, hoping he understood how he should react.

I, on the other hand, saw Umbridge's little eyes flickering at Draco's face and I hoped he showed something like greed in his eyes for once, and, going by the way she twitched, my dear Draco had expressed his feelings to my utter satisfaction.

"Where is the weapon?" she barked at me sharply.

"Outside of the school. It would be much too dangerous to keep it here." I writhed as if in agony at the confession.

"Mh-hm-mh," she tripped her feet restlessly, holding her chin deliberately. Then she made a decision. "You two will come with me and show me the hiding place and if you don't do as you are told, I'll torture Potter here. Understood?" she hissed at me and I jumped as if scared. _Understood, you toad, you just fell into my trap. Amateur,_ I thought sardonically. _You won't like the surprise, not at all._

"Inquisitorial Squad, you guard the prisoners. But you, Mr Malfoy, will go to Professor Snape and inform him that I am ordering two Aurors of the Ministry here to confiscate the weapon!" she delegated gravely and business-like.

"Of course, Professor Umbridge. Might I take Mr Zabini with me?" Draco asked with the expert snarkiness that he had learned from his uncle.

"As you want. One guard per person should be enough. Now come!" The small, stupid woman barged out of the office, impatiently ordering: "Go ahead, Granger. Hurry up!"

Draco released me and she aimed her wand threateningly at Harry because she thought she could control me through him. For what I planned, I needed seclusion and where would that be more complete than in the Forbidden Forest?

I headed for the grounds, followed by the other two and strode purposefully onwards. I knew Harry had no idea what I was planning. On and on, I went deep into the forest, along the rough, arduous path that Hagrid had taken with us, hoping he would slowly understand where I was leading us.

"Where is this weapon now?" she barked at me impatiently after a while.

"Just around the corner!" I pointed to a dark spot. _Soon you are done for,_ I thought coldly and absolutely determined.

I hoped we wouldn't encounter the centaurs. Unobtrusively, I pulled my white wand out of my holster and spoke a non-verbal spell on the roots of a tree I had just passed. It came - as I had wished - to life and attacked Harry, who followed directly after me, assaulting him with its long roots.

He screamed in shock as the roots grabbed him and brought him down. Only you couldn't hear it for he was still silenced. Meanwhile, I took advantage of Umbridge's surprise over Harry's fall and slid right into the darkness, becoming one with it and quickly circling the big tree to stand in her back. This had happened so fast, within a few seconds, that she hadn't noticed where I was. Thus, I silently walked up to her as she watched Harry fighting hard with the root. However, the root wouldn't kill him, just keep him in place.

As if to confirm my bad impression of her, she did nothing, neither did she help Harry nor did she do anything except stand there stupidly. So I slid close to her in her back and roughly rammed my wand into her plump neck and immediately heard her screaming.

"Ahhhhh, who is there?!" She wanted to turn around but I had my arm around her upper body. Before that, I had knocked the wand out of her limp fingers with a hard slap of the edge of my hand. It was just falling unspectacularly to the ground and she whimpered helplessly and screamed in outrage. Annoyed, I quickly cast a Silencing Spell on her.

"Who else would be here? Come along!" I breathed silkily and felt her tense when she identified me in her back. Harry moaned weakly and called softly for me. After disarming her, her spells had also been broken and thus his voice had been given back to him.

Quickly, I pulled her away from Harry and she stumbled awkwardly with me. As soon as we were out of his sight, it was time. I whirled around and slammed her with force against a tree. She collided forcefully and unrestrained with it, causing her head to connect with a thud.

Ooh, headache, I thought pitilessly. Well, it wouldn't be for long! A nasty grin graced my expression.

Now, when she opened her eyes wide after slowly taking in my presence in front of her, my eyes narrowed maliciously.

"If you don't scream, I'll take the spell off of you!" I promised and a swipe later she actually had her voice back.

"How dare you, dirty little Mudblood, raising your wand against me and attacking me, a high-ranking employee of the Ministry!" she snarled at me venomously and condescendingly, infusing every word with her contempt for me.

"Well, how do I dare? … Simple, I just do. And I can!" I sneered and showed her my wand.

"What about the weapon?" She didn't give up her arrogant manner and glared at me. I rolled her eyes in front of her.

"What weapon? You are just too stupid, my dear!" I spat at her feet with disdain.

"As soon as we are back, Azkaban awaits you, you inferior Mudblood!" she flung at me haughtily and hatefully, glaring at me, her face twisting into a furious grimace.

"You flatter me. You're right though, I actually I belong there and when the two of us are through, I'll do even more!" I promised softly, my eyes narrowing threateningly and I knew, I meant that deadly seriously. Only she looked at me rather contemptuously and snorted derogatorily, not believing a word I said!

"You are threatening me!" she replied indignantly. "Child, you'll have to get up earlier for that. You can't do anything to me! Fudge is a close friend of mine... you, on the other hand, are nothing!" The spiteful words dripped contemptuously from her malicious tongue. I really wanted to show her right then that in name only I was more than she would ever be.

"That's what you think; All right, but in a few minutes you'll think differently. Do the names Bole and Derrick mean something to you?" I could watch as she thought hard and then connected the names with the deed. The recalled memory reflected in her eyes while her pupils widened significantly.

"Oh, I see, you know what happened to them. I'll tell you a secret, Dolores, **I** happened to them!" I whispered softly, which gave the whole an eerie aspect and was allowed to witness something like fear entering her expression after this revelation.

"What? You? You did that? You belong in prison!" she shrieked immediately and I rolled my eyes. Hadn't I just said that myself earlier? Dumb, stupid toad.

"Didn't you listen to me? But don't worry, that won't be necessary from now on anyway. You've been holding me up too long, I have to get back to Harry!" I stared coldly and murderously determined at her.

"What are you up to?" she croaked now fearfully, backing away before my look, but unfortunately that was not possible because the trunk was in her way.

"Say your goodbye!" I shot her a mild smile. This would be a first.

I gathered my anger and my icy will and said resolutely:

"Avada Kedavra!"

She tore open her eyes that reflected pure terror in fear and disbelief that it was over and screamed desperately. Then she was hit by the cold, green beam of light in the middle of her chest. The spark of life in her eyes extinguished and her evil spirit broke away from her body, which then sagged seamlessly to the ground, limp and powerless.

* * *

 _Okay. With me participating in the Tomarry Halloween Exchange and my betas not having time immediately we didn't get back to the Thursday schedule and didn't even make Saturday._

 _For the moment, I will update whenever a chapter is ready._


	87. The Mysteries of the DoM

Chapter beta: Olivia

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **The Mysteries of the DoM**

I took a step back and looked contentedly at my work, staring at her lifeless, slumped figure, looking at the woman who was now a corpse, trying to figure out what I was feeling.

I hadn't been sure that I would be able to use this spell immediately against a human being; after all, this was the first planned and executed murder I had just committed. I had done it!

I had murdered someone with an Avada!

Of course, I'd been wanting to try this spell for a long time, and I have to say it was much cleaner and less personal than a knife. But well, that woman deserved it. This absolutely evil, unscrupulous and dangerous woman deserved it. It was not a pity she was dead. No one would shed a tear over her, except maybe Fudge!

My decision that I wouldn't let her live had fallen when she admitted to deliberately setting the dementors on Harry. She had purposely, intentionally, and viciously exposed him to the perilous threat these beings posed. That she had wanted to torture him was bad enough, but the smallest evil. No, really, I was glad that I had done that. Anyone who messed with my family had to suffer my revenge too, I thought with grim satisfaction.

The fact that a curse that was regarded as very difficult easily passed my lips once more was a nice confirmation, but nothing more!

I mean, there were so many evil people running around since he came back, so everyone should be happy that one less vicious woman was among us. I had no qualms and turned around, running anxiously to Harry to free him from the root, leaving my cold-blooded act behind me without care. It didn't affect me, not now, we had more important things to do.

"Harry, are you okay?" I exclaimed, running quickly towards him, and pulled on an arm-thick, greyish-brown root. I had wisely hidden my wand from him again.

"Yes, thanks! Woah, what was that? I thought that thing was going to strangle me. But then I thought of what you said in our first year about the Devil's Snare: Hold still! And tada, this thing stopped choking me too!" he said, visibly proud, while I released him and I was proud, too, and pulled him to his feet. Harry always seemed to find his mind in dangerous situations, drawing good, logical conclusions.

"Where is the bitch," he asked, looking around, "and where have you been?"

"No idea! I lost track of you and then she was suddenly gone. You know how dangerous the forest is!" I tried distracting him and looked into the darkness of the forest.

"Yes, shit, and we don't even have our wands. Why did you lead us in here?" he complained, overwhelmed, rubbing at the spots that had been bruised slightly by the root.

"Why? We got rid of her!" I offered as he massaged his throat.

"Ah, yes, you're right! Only for how long?" he wondered.

Oh, if you knew! I thought. We got rid of the monster forever.

"Now, what happened at Grimmau-" I wanted to continue talking when we could hear the familiar hoofbeats of the centaurs.

"Crap!" Harry and I cursed at the same time. We were already surrounded and once again faced with the weapons of the angry centaurs pointing at us. Those arrows looked really sharp…

Since I had used the most unforgivable of the Unforgivable Curses, I felt astonishingly little. I was very cold inside and surprisingly clear. Something that fit just perfectly, as I calmly and indifferently looked at the arrows aimed at us in threat.

An ill-tempered Magorian trotted toward us thunderously and stopped in front of us, huffing angrily.

"What are you doing here? Did we not make it clear that you are also not welcome here?" he asked imperiously, puffing out his broad, strong, male and naked chest.

"W… We...," Harry stuttered uncertainly and wiped his sweaty forehead.

"Let us finally make an example! They won't understand us otherwise and won't take us seriously!" cried the black centaur named Bane rabidly. You had to be downright afraid that a werewolf had bitten him into the flank - should I say that to him, his arrow would probably stick out of me - however, it must be allowed to amuse oneself about a hothead such as him.

"But we are foals!" Harry called brusquely, looking agitatedly into the circle of bulky horse bodies surrounding us, shuffling uneasily on the spot like horses that didn't want to get in the starting boxes before the start of a race and were ready to buck.

"You have forfeited this right!" The verdict came coldly from Magorian. I noticed how especially I was targeted by the angry looks and the arrows aimed at us. Oh, they must have sent a scout who had been watching and telling on me. They should be glad that Umbridge hadn't gotten a centaur into her small, thick sausage-like fingers because that would have been no pleasure for these hybrids. As I had said, I was even less sorry for this vile person than I had been for Bole.

Harry seemed more than surprised at their stubborn demeanour.

"What do they mean?" he whispered softly next to me and barely moved his lips, noting that for the moment I had come to the centre of attention.

"Don't be so harsh!" We now heard the melodious and melancholy voice of a sorrel, who also had an amazing amount of red hair on his human body and dared to intervene in the discussion by trotting forward, deliberately placing one hoof in front of the other.

"Oh, Ronan, keep out of it!" Bane hissed at him, prancing uneasily and eagerly on the spot. Well, I would never want to ride on him! Very bad thought…

Well, should they attack us, I would retaliate with my gloves off because it seemed they would not spare us and try to kill us. The situation became noticeably worse.

It seemed to me that the time of tolerance, of mutual sympathy, was over, and that had not only to do with my evil, really evil deed towards Umbridge, but also with the fact that the horsies here in front of me were behaving increasingly wilder, more untamed and unruly.

"Yes, Ronan, Bane is right. These two are no longer foals!" Magorian declared sharply.

"You see, Ronan, even Magorian realises that these young people are arrogant and insolent. They view us as dumb livestock and think that they can presume to do anything in our forest!" Bane hissed hatefully, rearing up angrily. Kicking with his front legs, he yelled accusingly: "They even leave behind the likes of them and eliminate it…"

So, now I was getting positively mad at the horsies. I had just spoken my first Avada successfully and if they wanted, I could test it on them, too. They should keep their mouths! Did they have to rub it so ostentatiously in Harry's face?

Like I said, I had nothing against the centaurs and I was respecting half-beings in principle, but their self-righteous nature was just getting dangerously on my tits. The overbearing fuss was just as annoying as Umbridge had been. She had also been sure of herself and her self-righteousness.

"Hermione, what are they talking about?" Harry asked desperately. I just shrugged my shoulders but didn't look at him, keeping a constant eye on the threat in front of us. Unfortunately, they were also in our backs, the way they had closed a circle around us; we were surrounded.

I was just about to draw my wand in that second, as the first arrows were shot at and hurrying past us, whirring and drilling into the forest floor. Harry immediately grabbed my hand and looked at me fearfully under the onslaught. Suddenly, we felt tremors shaking the ground under our feet and the trees snapped like matches.

Grawp's ugly face appeared over the trees and I had never thought that I would be so pleased to see it. The belligerent attention of the herd immediately turned to the giant invader, who kept shouting:

"Hagga… Hagga… Hagga!"

Apparently, he was looking for Hagrid, spotting us little ones on the ground. Then he seemed to recognise me, twisting his crooked mouth even more, and shouted:

"Hermy… Hermy!" I did the only thing that occurred to me, I waved very excitedly.

The giant really seemed to see this as an invitation to come nearer and shocked me as his big, broad hands, more reminiscent of shovels, grabbed for me. The centaurs immediately moved panically and vigorously against the giant. They shot their arrows mercilessly at him in rapid succession, and the pointed metals pierced the skin of Grawp, who whined in torment and began to bleed. He roared angrily as he pulled back his spiked hand and lunged with vengeance for the horses, who now galloped away, a furious giant trudging after them, crushing everything. I had to snort derisively for a short moment. Idiots, to engage a giant with arrows that did not even penetrate as deep as a bee sting in comparison did human skin. But well, we were rid of them.

As a gift, Grawp had a few drops of his blood rain on us and so we looked pretty speckled in scarlet. Harry sighed in relief.

"Bugger, that has been close! Are they nuts? What's happening here? Everybody is going crazy, aren't they?" Harry dragged me frantically onwards, but ranting all the while, keeping his hand tightly interwoven with mine. Testily, he wanted to know: "What was their problem?"

"If I knew, Harry, I would tell you! But I would say that we have been in their bad books since the last time! Centaurs are weird contemporaries... But now tell me, how was... the Floo talk? What did you learn?" I asked quickly as we continued to dash across the uneven ground. I wiped my damp cheek, resulting in a red hand. Great, I'm pretty sure an arrow had grazed me when whirring past my cheek.

"I met Kreacher in the kitchen and he said that Sirius had gone to the Department of Mysteries and would probably never come back. He was very malicious and spiteful! I kept pushing him, but then the toad pulled me back by the shoulder!" Now he tore his hand away from me and ran it desperately through his wayward hair. Desperately, Harry wanted to hear from me how he should react. "What am I supposed to believe? I have such a bad feeling with Kreacher. He was so, so ... I don't know, so gleeful!"

"I don't know, Harry. I still think that it is unlikely that Sirius, the wanted convict, marches into the Ministry at noon. He has more intelligence than that!" I said thoughtfully, trying to lay open the facts and suppress my feelings or even any concern.

"Well, you see, there you are right again; we had exams when I experienced the vision. However, I'm still worried and if we go back now, they won't tell us anything anyway. And that with Snape...!" He gave me an uncomfortable look and wrung his hands unhappily.

"Harry, don't blame him now... What should he have been showing or revealing around Umbridge?" I asked urgently, waving my hands placatingly.

"Did I say something…? I'm not stupid! But what do I know, what I expected? I even tried to open my mind for him and show him what I saw. I don't think it worked. It was clear to me that he couldn't show any signs in Umbridge's presence, though... I don't know," he shrugged unhappily.

"I understand, but I think he is smart enough!" I tried to give Harry hope.

"Hermione, that may be and I know it's a trap! It has to be a trap. However, I would have... I want to grab this chance, otherwise, I'll never know what it's all about. I want to go to the Ministry, not just to check if Sirius is really okay, but also because I finally want to know what that all means. I want to break out! These constant pictures from him, who wants me to go there, that drives me insane! And they'll never tell me what's there... Either I'll find it out on my own, or never... Will you come with me, please? It doesn't matter anyway. Dumbledore isn't here; Umbridge... That's the question," he paused briefly and didn't dare to look me in the eyes, before he went on quickly in an imploring tone of voice, "...the Aurors at school. I don't want to go back now and do nothing!"

I thought about his request, stopping at a tree stump breathlessly.

"You're right and I'll always come with you no matter where the path leads! But be aware of the consequences. Can you live with it if things go awry and something happens to one of us or the Order? Because I think Snape will organise something from out of the castle!" I pointed out rationally as I was, foresightfully.

"No, never! But then I'll have to live with it. It wouldn't be the first time that people die because of me," he replied bitterly. A very serene expression replaced the grief-stricken look.

"Well, then come on!" I was aware of the consequences. I knew I could easily lead him into the Department of Mysteries, that wouldn't be a problem when I started to laugh: "Hahaha... you know we're totally bonkers, right? To deliberately walk into a trap with our eyes wide open!" I laughed loudly, looking forward to the upcoming adventure.

"I know, but it can't go on like that. I'm going to go crazy if I keep seeing that enticing wooden door and I can't open it. I can't stand this anymore! I think that's the problem. I have become so curious that I almost cannot resist. If only they realised that I would handle and understand the truth better than this secrecy on which my curiosity is based! And Voldemort stokes it even further; he is manipulating me mercilessly," Harry discerned very precisely. I could see very well that under these disturbing and uncertain circumstances it was really hard to close his mind.

"And Dumbledore plays into his hands with all that he does!" I drew my disappointed conclusion. We were silent for a moment until suddenly Harry asked:

"What will we do without our wands?" He looked curiously at me now over his shoulder.

"Free our friends!" I told him, and lead the way, prudently omitting that I carried a hidden wand.

We trudged in silence and brooding over our decision through the forest when we suddenly heard voices engaged in an angry discussion. I quickly put a finger to my mouth and Harry nodded in reply. Hence, we crept quietly towards the group which apparently didn't agree and had a fight when we recognised the voices.

"And you really believe that you saw how they got in here? The forest is dangerous!" Ron hissed at Ginny as we burst out of the thicket and stepped into the small clearing.

"Yes, I did!" Ginny replied sharply and then turned to us as we made a lot of noise, the branches snapping loudly as we made our way.

"Harry! Hermione!" The relieved shouts came from many mouths.

"How do you look? What happened to you?" they cried out when they saw our bloody robes.

"Um, long story. Not important, we are alright," Harry waved their concern away with a smile and the tension eased from the worried faces.

"Psst, be quiet!" I ordered since we didn't want to meet the centaurs again, and they were not the only inhabitants of this magical forest. The faces of our friends brightened rapidly for we stood before them unharmed and I raised my eyebrows questioningly.

"Guys, how did you escape?" Harry asked, clearly pleased that everyone else was safe as well.

"Well, that's how it went: I knocked our wands out of Bulstrode's hand with a quick swipe and then there was a little mess and I grabbed mine and threw some Stunners. Neville was also fast and shot a bloody cool paralyzing spell at Goyle, who collapsed, and Luna is wicked good at kicking. Ginny was fantastic with her Bat-Bogey Curse. So we incapacitated everyone from that stupid Inquisitorial Squad! They won't get up again anytime fast…" Ron professed with everyone looking kinda sheepish but proud at the same time.

"What? That's so cool, guys!" Harry exclaimed happily, and Ron handed us our wands with a bashful grin at the praise. I looked at the four and was happy. Good that Draco hadn't been there; I congratulated us that he got out of the way and left. But Malfoys were excellent at getting out at the right time. Had to be in their blood, I thought wryly.

"Of course you would escape those airheads," Harry stated boastfully and Ginny blushed prettily at his praise. "Hermione, are you coming?" Harry suddenly asked me without context for the others and held out his hand. I went up to him and noticed how they all looked funny at as.

"Wait a minute!"

"Stop!"

"Wait!"

"Where is the Bitch? What are you going to do?" Ron asked urgently, while Harry took my hand firmly in his again.

"No idea, she was suddenly gone! I have my doubts that she will come back. And what we are going to do? Well, we decided to go to the Ministry to finally find out what it's all about. Otherwise I'll lose my mind with this uncertainty!" Harry confessed.

"We'll go with you!" Ron declared quick as a shot from a wand.

"No, you won't!" I countered, glaring at all of them.

I had just killed; it was no joke. That was not the right thing for these children, they had no idea what it was like and I felt sick when I looked into their open, honest and friendly eyes. I was sure, would they look intensely into mine, they would realise that something had changed in me again - one more limit gone. But they didn't have to do that, they still had the choice. I had made mine a long time ago.

It was too late for me. Too late to have regrets. Too late to turn back.

"Hermione, that's still my decision to make!" Ron yelled indignantly and Ginny joined in, fiercely tying her long red hair into a ponytail.

"You can't be serious!" Neville whispered.

"Harry, we'll go with you. You need us!" Wrong, sweetheart. Harry needed me, no one else. That would be the most sensible thing to do. But since Harry didn't know everything, he slowed down a bit.

"Harry, I've been part of all our adventures so far!" Ron caught up and put his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"I know. But we'll run into a trap anyway. Ron, I don't want anything to happen to you!" Harry admitted openly.

"And what about Hermione?" Ginny asked defiantly and stood next to us.

"I'm different, Ginny," I told her coldly and with a curt, very appraising look.

"Aha. And why?" she asked, piqued. I was tempted to answer her: 'Because I can kill and because I'm unscrupulous, you stupid cow!' I really started to get annoyed with her.

"Stop it! Ginny, Hermione knows what to expect," Harry was at my side immediately.

"Me too…" Ron interjected accusingly.

"No, you don't. You don't know what it's like to face a Death Eater!" said Harry. I agreed with him; it was no pleasure, and if they were seasoned men like Lucius or Snape, then doubly so.

"Yes, but she doesn't either!" Ginny called heatedly and Ron nodded in agreement. I only thought 'if you knew'. However, I also noticed Harry's short, flickering gaze that contained mild scepticism. _Oh my dear, what do you know about me that you haven't told me yet?_

However, now was not the right time to explore that.

"We'll come with you!" Ron said uncompromisingly and showed a stubborn expression.

"I'll go too, Harry!" Luna hummed dreamily but the seriousness was written in her eyes.

"Yes… Yes, me too," Neville stammered and I rolled my eyes over this annoying gang.

"And how will we get there?" Ginny enquired now as if we were planning to go shopping and not running into a vicious trap.

"The thestrals," Luna proposed dreamily and pointed with a finger to a dark corner and then I noticed the bony, winged horses between the dense shrubs.

Okay, I'll apparate, come what may. I couldn't care less if this one of my secrets got revealed, but I would not ride on that, er, fly, or whatever. No way, no bloody way! I hate flying!

"Where did they come from?" Neville wondered, blinking into nothing.

"I think they smelled the blood," Luna said completely unmoved, pointing to Harry and my dishevelled looks.

"You can't come, it's too dangerous," I whispered very softly and looked at Harry intently. He shrugged and the others watched us and our communication.

"Harry, if something happens to them, can you live with it? Same question as before, can you do that? If something happens to Ron? Live on?" I held him by the arm, interrogating him earnestly.

"Why do you assume that nothing will happen to you?" Neville suddenly asked very smartly.

"I can take care of myself!" It came impatiently from me and I brushed his question aside.

"I can do that too, after all, we escaped the snakes!" Too sweet, Ginny. Do you compare the babies to Lucius?

Wow. I think that Ginny would probably shit herself in fear if Lucius tried to eat her as a steak and buried his teeth in her flesh in delight. But I would always come out alive, one way or the other; Draco had taken care of it.

"You don't know what you are talking about," I informed her coldly.

"I don't, but you do, Miss Know-It-All? Don't pretend to know everything! How could you?" she snapped and put her hands on her hips.

I was about to hex everyone here. I was livid and then Harry gently took my hand in his again.

"If they want to come..." he said pleadingly and I could see in his eyes how he gave in and was maybe even glad about the extra support. Just because I often preferred to roam around on my own did not mean that Harry did as well.

"You want to take the others with you? Then do it!" I groused angrily and wrested my hand from his grip.

"Good!"

"Finally!"

"Let's go!"

"We want to go with you. That's what friends do for each other!"

All four shouted with exuberant energy and far too naively for my taste. In principle, it was really nice of them, but they underestimated the situation.

Already, Harry was pulling me to the horses. No way! I would apparate, I decided, gazing with pure horror at those winged creatures.

"Where are the thestrals?" Ron asked, confused, and Luna grabbed his hand, put it on the black, smooth skin of the animal and Ron jerked back when he touched something he couldn't see.

"Wow, cool, I can't see anything but something is there," he said and then mounted it without much thought. That was probably the notorious Gryffindor temperament.

Luna led Ginny to one of these dragon-headed horses and helped her up, while Neville mounted safely, seeing that he, too, could see these creatures. Harry came up to me and led me to one of the animals, which of course I could very well perceive in all their glory, although he didn't know that.

"C'mon," he encouraged me, being very well aware of my resistance.

"You, Harry, I'll find another way, truly!" I fought against his grip.

"I believe you, but what should I do without you? Please come, stay with me," he asked so softly that I closed my eyes from one second to the next and let him lead me to the creature.

When I felt the smooth, leathery skin, I opened my eyes and saw the thestral turn its head and fix me with its white pupils. I knew this being felt that not only had I seen death but had brought it, too.

"Come, I'll help you up," Harry said, lifting me up so that I came to sit on its back. I was acutely aware of the bones on which I was sitting now and I clawed at the black mane in panic. Meanwhile, Harry had settled on his own mount and called our destination:

"Ministry of Magic in London!"

I couldn't believe that I was really riding on this thing! Why was I so stupid? For now, all thestrals ascended on Harry's command, rising into dizzying heights. I dug my fingers into the mane and pressed my legs tightly against the thin body. They spread their bat-like wings wide, beating them vigorously to rise up into the vast, much-too-high sky and I felt the tendons and muscles working in that bony body as it lost the ground beneath it and rose into the air.

Slightly desperate, I clung to the horse's torso, leaning forward and swallowing the acid in my throat in panic. I wished myself far way away when I noticed to my regret that we were climbing higher and higher into the sky. We got faster and faster. The acceleration they achieved while flying was tremendous, and the tree-covered ground was getting smaller and smaller below us. The wind blew the hair out of my face and the air became really brisk in the heights we now reached.

They finally completed the climb and chose the straight air route to London. During that time, as I desperately quelled my panic and tried to relax convulsively, I prepared myself for a quick tour of the ministry.

Unfortunately, the fast flight still took far too long for my liking and so I didn't look anywhere but at the mane of my flying mount. My thoughts wandered to Umbridge and I quarrelled over whether I really had to kill her.

And the realisation that I certainly hadn't had to kill her, but had wanted it, didn't sit right with me. I didn't want to be the master of death, deciding high-handedly who was allowed to live. Yet, I had done it, but I also knew that this woman would always have been a danger to Harry and also to Muggleborns like me. Although she hadn't been a woman to shed a tear over, what I had done was not 'nice' either.

Groaning, I hid my face against the leathery skin of the thestral and cooled my heated face through the icy mountain air. As long as I didn't lose sight of morality, I hoped to be able to remain a 'normal person'. Much like the Muggle soldiers; they also had to take up arms and take lives during the war, but it wasn't considered a crime or automatically turned them into murderers. It was recognised as legal, as done in defence.

I know, I know, I was finding excuses. It had just been so easy, so shockingly simple. The Invisibility Spell, which had given me some trouble, had been a more difficult task. The Avada, though, had been a piece of cake. It was staggering, and I vowed to use it, if at all, only with great care. But it was a very clean way to kill someone... I chuckled and then jerked back when my mount turned its head to me, looking at me steadily with those weird eyes. Even though the eyes were spooky, I liked the animal and it liked me. These creatures seemed to have a true affinity for death.

Suddenly, when we started our descent and I again was clinging tightly, watching the earth getting closer at a furious pace, I saw London, its streets and alleys filled with the people backlit by an almost finished sunset. The night and the darkness descended on the city along with us. A perfect time to fall into the trap.

I witnessed Harry giving me a doubtful look from the back of his horse, reflecting the concern and uncertainty we were in. I gave him a reassuring look back as I was looking forward to getting another chance to delve into the hidden secrets of the Department of Mysteries. From the joyful feeling that arose in me, I could sense that I loved the prospect of being able to break in again. The landing was bumpy, but I didn't care, as long as we finally had solid ground under our feet again.

We had landed in a deserted, gloomy and run-down alley, right in front of a broken phone booth that smelled really musty.

"Where are we?" Ron asked perplexed and he slid with relief from his - for him - invisible mount. Since he and Ginny were the only ones who couldn't see the creatures, I took my hat off to them for having the courage to ride on 'nothing' through the air. The two loved flying though, so perhaps that's where their bravery came from.

I too jumped down faster than you could blink, and much more successful than Ginny, Luna, and Neville, who also tried to get off the backs of their animals quickly, but thanks to my training I was very agile.

"That's the visitors' entrance," Harry explained while my horse poked me in the back and smooched me with its pointed dragon's snout, licking the blood from my cloak. The other animals investigated the garbage cans of the surrounding area. That was so disgusting! Apparently, the others thought so too, if the grimaces of their faces were anything to go by.

So we headed for the phone booth and squeezed in all together, something that got pretty crowded with six people. Harry unerringly reached for the keypad and I watched intently as he entered the number:

62442!

And since I was obsessed with logic and familiar with keypads, I immediately translated the number combination, spelling out the word M-A-G-I-C in my head.

Out of nowhere, an official woman's tinny-sounding voice gave us instructions and asked for the reason for our visit. After a helpless look to us, Harry replied:

"Rescue mission", and then a ping sounded and the elevator that was the red phone booth dropped abruptly under the ground and we arrived in the entrance hall of the Ministry.

It had not changed in the time since Christmas, except that it was completely deserted.

I mean, well, it was after hours, but I couldn't imagine that no one would be there, no security at all. Even the watchwizard's seat was empty! As our mates gazed admiringly at the hall, I looked at Harry and Harry looked back at me calculatingly, giving me an imperceptible nod that he thought it was very strange indeed that everything was so deserted. We went on, fast and hurried.

The uneasy feeling in my gut increased.

The others didn't notice our exchange but gawked at the magnificent hall. As empty as it was, it was quite impressive, with the dark, polished parquet floor on which our footsteps echoed almost like in a cathedral.

The black that prevailed here was fascinating, highlighting the ornate gold used for decoration, and the ceiling in its peacock blue splendour was truly overwhelming! The others even granted the tasteless, golden Fountain of Magical Brethren an overwhelmed look.

"Wow, wicked!"

"Yes, truly impressive!"

"Such splendour!"

These were their understandable exclamations as they followed us.

"Does it feel as weird to you as it does to me?" Harry whispered worriedly while the others still looked around in admiration.

"Yes, we are running into the trap like rabbits. Do you really want to expose Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna to this danger?" I whispered emphatically.

"No. But you know them, they won't turn around. Are you scared?" he asked worriedly, giving me an uncertain look.

"The truth?" I asked, and he nodded. "No. And you?"

"I'm - curious? That's more like it. Come on, we have to go!" Harry ran like a driven man to the lifts in the adjoining room, opened one of the golden grates in front of the elevators and pushed the button for the ninth floor. Rumbling, the elevator began to move and we slid into the depths. My alertness increased with every second.

Back when I was here for the first time, I had been totally focused on myself, but it found it hard to reach that state with the others in my back, whose nervousness seemed to be reaching new heights.

The filigree grille slid open, revealing the long, windowless corridor I already knew and at the end of which was the plain, dark wooden door that provided access to the Department of Mysteries.

We stepped out of the elevator, hurrying toward the wooden door, while some could not stifle their hectic and nervous breathing, and I cast some non-verbal spells to check for detection or surveillance spells. As I had expected, even the lax spells of last time were gone, which seemed to confirm my and Harry's premonitions.

I tugged at his sleeve and shook my head because I had seen him watch my wand work out of the corner of his eye. Recognition had flashed in his eyes as he tracked the hand movements similar to those I had used for Umbridge's office.

The others followed behind us on soft feet, looking around in apprehension in the gloomy, uncomfortable environment.

And at my permission and request, Harry now opened the door of the Department of Mysteries, which proceeded without problems, as expected. Did the Death Eaters think we were stupid?

Everyone ran into the dark room beyond and stopped in the middle of the circular room illuminated by flickering blue light that cast restless shadows on the black stone of the walls. I hadn't entered yet and held the door open since I knew the pitfalls of the room and smiled. Without me, they would have fallen into the mousetrap of the DoM, but that's what they had me for.

I was just the last, or the second mouse and, as you know, those always get the cheese!

"These doors all look the same," Ron realised as keen as a razor a few crucial seconds too late.

"So many!" Ginny breathed in awe. Luna hummed dreamily and played with her blond curls, while Neville looked around anxiously.

I shook my head, aiming my wand at the door to the corridor that I was holding and spoke a Flagrate, causing the others to turn around as the flaming cross burned into the wood with a hissing sound and marked it.

"What?!" Harry said in wonderment and blinked at me questioningly, perplexed about my deliberate action because he didn't know that I was already familiar with the game we were playing here.

"What? You want to find the right door, don't you?" I replied succinctly and everybody gave me funny looks. With that, I let the door fall close, expecting the room to rotate.

As expected, the walls began to spin almost instantaneously, causing the others to catch their breath and when it ended and my marker showed us which door led back to freedom, I noticed Harry eying me sceptically. I returned his gaze provocatively and shrugged slowly. I sensed he guessed or knew more than he said, but that would have to wait.

I gestured to the doors so Harry would open one and he stepped up to the first door and rattled at it, but it wouldn't open. Hence, I walked up to him and used Alohomora. Now it opened up and I recognised the room that had also revealed itself to me the first time. Was there a system behind it?

"What is that?" Ron pointed to the basin and I answered quickly:

"That's the Room of Thought, also known as the Brain Room," I enlightened them and earned oohs and aahs for my knowledge.

"These are Aquavirius maggots!" Luna said, very determined, and everyone wheeled around in surprise; she was really strange.

"What are those?" Ron asked derogatorily.

"Something secret," she whispered worriedly, looking a little odd and very peculiar.

I had done some research after my break-in here and found out that this room was, as I said, described as the Room of Thought. We looked into the elongated room with the black writing desks on either side and a glass basin located in the centre of the room filled with a dark green liquid and floating, white, wobbly brains that had long tentacles. But all right, Luna, they were maggots, sure!

We were clearly wrong here and so I marked the door to this room, too.

Now came the next one and seeing what was behind it I was sure that the Ministry types had made this too easy for themselves and there really was a system behind it. It was the Death Chamber, which made cold shivers run down my spine. This unreal, sombre hall had access from both sides and an ancient, weathered stone archway with an almost unfathomable, wafting veil on the central pedestal. I saw the others staring into the hall, fascinated, and swung the door shut swiftly after the marking.

"Whoa, what was that? Downright creepy," Ron murmured, rubbing his arms as if he had goosebumps.

"The Death Chamber!" I replied in a whisper.

"Tell me, Hermione, how do you know all this? I mean, I thought, everything is so secret here?" Harry asked, accusation in his voice.

"Well, let's put it this way: I've been interested in this department for a while now."

And again, the round room had turned dizzyingly and Harry resolutely went to the next door. Here the scheme differed for the first time from my last visit and Harry rattled desperately at the door he had chosen.

Even my spells, no matter which, didn't manage to open it, and I mean, no matter which! It refused to open and so Harry pulled out the knife Sirius had given him the year before for Christmas. A magical knife that, when all other forms of magic failed, could cut open the lock and pick any lock. Only when he inserted it, the edge of the magical knife melted with a hissing sound, flowing down the door in a silvery rivulet. Harry pulled the handle back in horror and stared at it in astonishment.

"Woah!"

"Damn!"

"Fierce!"

"Oh well!" I said quite casually after the other astonished exclamations and marked the door.

"What might be behind that door?" Ginny asked uneasily and fearfully while we all just shrugged.

We opened the next door and I stated at once:

"Oh, the Time Room, how fascinating!" and saw how everyone's eyes rolled in reaction to me and my well-read and knowing manner.

"Hold on! Stop, that's it, we have to go through there, I know it from my dreams!" Harry crossed the threshold confidently and we followed without hesitation. I quickly marked the door and then pulled it closed behind me.

We were standing in an extravagant, surreal room full of clocks. The room was full of ticking clocks and timepieces of all sizes and types, including grandfather clocks and small pocket watches. The ticking of the clocks made you doubly aware of the transience of all being.

It sent a strong message: time is running!

We passed sight glasses in which time lapses and evolutions took place, and I also recognised a display case filled with Time-Turners, as I had been allowed to own one for a year myself. It was impressive! From all sides, it shimmered and reflected the light emanating from a strikingly large bell jar. Inside was an egg that evolved into a bird that lived, aged and then became an egg again in quick succession. Wow, I wanted to get to the bottom of it; explore it.

But there was really no time for that! We all walked in amazement through the rather loud room, with the ticking and tocking of countless clocks.

With a pounding heart and a bad feeling, we approached the door at the other side of the room that Harry was aiming for.


	88. The Fight

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **The Fight**

Harry gave me one last questioning and hesitant look. We both knew the show was about to begin and I nodded affirmatively. Then he resolutely took a deep breath and opened the door confidently.

Tense, we went into the Hall of Prophecies. That was the room we entered reverently, and - oh wonder - it was pitch-black inside at first, and the air was very cool. Hundreds of narrow, long rows of shelves lined up which could only be seen due to the shimmering light of the many orbs stored in the stacks.

Just as in the round entrance hall, blue candlelight flickered to life and spread an even more eerie, mystical atmosphere, making our companions noticeably more nervous. On the shelves, we could see neatly lined up and legibly labelled crystal balls that contained prophecy copies. They glowed in a silvery, peculiar light. Other spheres lay dark in their places and seemed extinguished. It seemed very surreal but also spooky.

"Wow, what's that?"

"What are those spheres?"

"Creepy!"

The others whispered softly.

"These are prophecies!" I murmured in reply. The tense atmosphere in this incredible room was impalpable.

"Don't touch them! If you get into contact with one that isn't about you, you will go mad!" Harry explained in a low voice to our companions, prompting everyone to shy away and cringe. They stayed in the middle of the corridor and we kept going further down the hall. I think the others wondered how Harry knew that, but ultimately there was a reason why he was lured here.

"Where are you going, Harry?" Neville breathed anxiously, hurrying along the corridor as swiftly as we did.

"Row ninety-seven. That's our designation," Harry replied quietly and when he arrived there, he looked down at the floor, not really surprised that there was no captive and tortured Sirius lying on the ground.

"And now?" Ginny asked, and then we heard Neville stuttering fearfully:

"Harry, look! The label here has your name and other funny things written on it!" he pointed nervously, with respectful distance, to one of the many orbs.

 _ **S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D**_

 _ **Dark Lord**_

 _ **and (?) Harry Potter**_

"What do you think, Hermione?" Harry asked me doubtfully and I stepped close to him.

"Well, I think the good Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore could have told you everything and decided not to!" I said contemptuously, for I recognised the initials of our valued headmaster.

"So you think S.P.T. is Trelawney?" a worried Harry asked and I nodded.

"Yeah. Her full name is Sybill Patricia Trelawney," I explained swiftly.

"You really know everything!" Harry echoed in disbelief and I chuckled, but there weren't that many teachers in the school that you couldn't read up on them.

"I know. Curious, isn't it?" I coquetted despite the precarious situation.

"And that's Dumbledore? M-hm… I think so too. The man clearly has too many names. But what about the question mark?" he wondered doubtfully.

"We'll only know that when you take it and hear what's said there. But we also know that's what the Death Eaters are waiting for. As soon as you take it, all hell will break loose. Do you really want to risk this?" I whispered softly in Harry's ear while we discussed our options.

"We are here now, right? Go to the others and get close together, wands ready. I won't go without this knowledge, even if we have to fight for it!" Harry declared grimly and I stood by his decision.

"Very well, if that's what you want. I'm game for anything." I stepped back and pulled everyone close.

"What's Harry up to, Hermione?" whispered Ron excitedly and with heavily suppressed nervousness.

"He's going to take the prophecy. Ready your wands and be on high alert!" I nodded to Harry and he took a deep breath, reached out with his hand, stretching to reach the orb, and took the prophecy from its shelf. Awestruck, he looked at the ball now lying in his palm.

Tense because of what was to come, Harry joined us. At that moment, as expected, we became surrounded by - one, two, three... - a total of twelve Death Eaters clad in their combat gear. They were wrapped in their uniform, long, night-black cloaks and wore their frighteningly ugly masks. _Chic_ , I scoffed inwardly.

The man who confronted us as their leader wore a mask that looked like blackened silver. On this slightly matt black silver, gleaming silver ornaments wound around the eyes like another mask. The forehead was dominated by a large, shiny ornament that looked almost like a crown or an antler. It was also noticeable that the mask apparently modelled the face shape of the wearer very closely and suggested high, narrow cheeks. The chin was adorned with an ornament very much like a fleur-de-lis, the symbol of purity of blood and the French monarchy. Although this symbol had nothing to do with the purity of wizarding blood - if anything it alluded to Mary, the mother of Jesus - but maybe someone used it for his own purposes. Or did the wearer want to suggest that their family was just as old and pure and had roots in France?

It was very clear to me who it was because only one man could be so sure of himself. Isn't that so, my Royal Highness, Lucius Malfoy?

Our companions were all frozen, breathing frantically and fearfully, only too aware of the danger we were in after these dark, evil figures had corned us so monumentally. They created a sinister, gruesome sensation with their masks. We were faced with a faceless menace approaching us slowly like a closed black wall.

When I had identified Lucius Malfoy, I stepped resolutely next to Harry who remained surprisingly cool and motionless despite the threat we were up against. He stood upright with the orb in his hand and seemed very collected. I whispered:

"That's Malfoy!" After my words, which were clearly audible due to the soundless silence, the tall black figure detached itself from the group and stepped forward with an air of nobility. With a swipe of his wand in front of his face, the iron mask dissolved into silvery smoke. Truly impressive, that trick.

"How right you are, Miss Granger. As always a pleasure to see you again! Something that unfortunately happens far too rarely! You always seem to slip away from me when I corner you, my dear. Yet, I know so many exciting things we could share with each other!" We could now look at Lucius beautiful, aristocratic face from where his grey eyes stared down at us.

"What?!" Ron, Harry and Ginny exclaimed shocked at the same time. I didn't let myself be impressed and looked at him coldly, cocking my head slightly and was aware that they all listened eagerly, even the Death Eaters.

"Mr Malfoy, I think that there are several people who wouldn't like that. Not that I'm eager to get so close to you again to have you -" I explained very callously and showed that I was not intimidated. However, the conclusion of the statement didn't leave my lips so easily because I didn't know how to explain it to anyone. It turned out I didn't have to as he interrupted me quickly:

"My dear, if I want to bite you again, I will do just that. And I have to say, your blood was a treat!" Now he licked his lips lasciviously and I could hear that my friends were all baffled by the new insights. I also saw that Harry looked at me, distraught and stunned. I found it rather exciting though to play this game and it managed to distract everyone. Sometimes, you had to stand above it and drop your masks if need be.

"Didn't you tell your friends about our ... hmm … so inspiring encounters?" he whispered in a velvety voice, enjoying the shocked faces of my companions. In a theatrical gesture, he pressed his gloved hand to his chest that was hugged snuggly by a tight-fitting leather vest.

"No. Why? I would just have artificially exaggerated something very unimportant!" I retorted spitefully and his dark grey eyes narrowed to angry slits.

"Everything I do is important!" he hissed through his narrow lips and I thought it was so easy to infuriate a Malfoy and gave him a mocking smile. "You belong to me!" he ground out unexpectedly violently while I could only think how right he was. If only he knew how much I belonged to him and his family!

"Lucius, could you stop flirting with the little Mudblood now and cease the courting? It makes me sick, plain and simple! Do you remember our mission to get the prophecy?" A dark, hoarse voice screeched aggressively and coldly as a surprisingly fine-boned, tall and thin person stepped beside Lucius. She had a filigree, pale silver mask adorned with playful decorations. The sharp eyes held a crazy shine, staring at us from the slits, the hood barely concealing her tangled, wiry, curly black hair.

"Bellatrix, my dear. If you dare once again to interrupt me or to reprimand me, I will show you who I am! Don't forget that! I run this mission and when I want to talk to the delightful Miss Granger, all you have to do is keep quiet!" Lucius snarled at the masked figure, who now took off the mask. But honestly, if he snubbed somebody like that, his frigid voice froze everyone and his subordinates clearly knuckled under it.

Now we were face to face with Bellatrix Lestrange. You had to give her credit, half a year in freedom had done wonders for her appearance; she was fetching again and looked well-groomed. Nothing reminded me anymore of the pictures published after the Azkaban escape. She was now so darkly attractive as her sister Narcissa was attractively fair.

"Lestrange!" spat Neville in disgust behind us and abruptly rushed forward. Harry and I responded with lightning speed and just managed to grab him by the shoulders before he could pass us. He was panting like something gone wild while staring hatefully at Bellatrix.

"Neville, calm down!"

"Stop! Watch out!" we shouted in unison, pulling him back sharply by his shoulders. Ron was suddenly there too and lent a hand.

"Oh, who's that?" she suddenly purred, intrigued. She hadn't stepped back a millimetre, peering at Neville.

"That, my dear, is the Longbottoms' son," Lucius said indifferently, but somehow ironically, brushing back a long, silvery blond strand of his smooth, light hair.

"Really? Well, your parents didn't last long!" she viciously mocked Neville and giggled wildly.

"Ahhhhhrrrr, I'll kill her!" Neville yelled hotly, prompting Harry to urgently whisper imploring and reassuring words in his ear.

"Be quiet, Bellatrix!" Lucius hissed irritably through clenched lips and turned to me with a devious smile. The other Death Eaters had only been minor extras until now.

"Miss Granger, what would you think about coming to an agreement? You make Potter give up the prophecy voluntarily, and when you come with me I'll let your friends walk away unscathed!" he offered me generously and let his blasé look wander salaciously and calculatingly over my body clothed in the school uniform.

"Never in a million years!" Harry roared indignantly. I, by contrast, had simply stoically endured Lucius's gaze and rolled my eyes. If I didn't know that Lucius was lying through his teeth, I would even go with him. Nothing more or worse than Snape had already done to me would happen because I had a marvellous protection. A protection that my friends didn't have and which they knew nothing about.

"Calm down, Harry," I chided, before turning to the quite intimidating man in front of me. "Mr Malfoy, as 'pleasant' as our meetings were - and they were quite memorable - I think I should better not-" I was about to answer when the words stuck in my throat.

I swallowed hard and watched as a figure moved smoothly and silently out of the darkness of the passage to our group. Even though he didn't differ from the other figures in terms of appearance, I knew immediately who it was as his mask was a combination of a matte black background and light green ornaments: Snape!

A realisation that managed to make me speechless. What was he doing here? As a Death Eater!

"Lucius, get a move on... and leave the Mudblood alone!" The voice reprimanded Lucius coldly and without any fear of reprisals and I recognised it, too. Harry and the others didn't, thank the goddess. I believe that he had magically altered it, so fortunately, only I knew who had joined us.

To my shame, the casual expression on my previously composed face slipped just a tiny bit. Lucius turned around in surprise at the unexpected disturbance and looked at Snape.

"We have to do something; the situation is getting too precarious. You can't give it to them. Better destroy it rather than handing it over!" I said, giving him an imploring look.

"Yes, definitely… Listen, shoot _Stupefy_ at them and _Reducto_ on the shelves!" Harry decided to act immediately and we all nodded in agreement. A Reductor Curse could dissolve objects. Say, should the curse hit, it would pulverize a table, for example, and all the objects on it would fall to the ground. Poof! The ensuing chaos would be glorious!

Now things went very fast and in rapid succession. We got into position and, at Harry's command, we cried " _Stupefy_ " at lightning speed as if from one mouth and red beams of light shot through the blue-illuminated room. The white beam of the Reducto, which we sent immediately after, flashed brightly through the darkness and smashed into the shelves, which dissolved at once. For a few seconds, it was like the thousands of spheres floated in the air before yielding to Earth's gravity and they rushed towards the ground.

The Death Eaters were astonished and shied back. They were obviously stunned that we dared to fight back! Two, three, and a fourth were incapacitated with the Stunning Spell. The orbs fell clattering and shattering to the floor; it rang loudly. They had underestimated us, but that was what Harry had trained us for and I still had one or two aces up my sleeve.

The onset of confusion and chaos was all-encompassing.

"Go! Run!" Harry shouted and we sprinted off, everyone in a different direction, running for our lives.

"Chase them!" came Lucius answering roar.

Fast as an arrow, I dashed down a dark corridor and heard the crystal balls still falling to the ground and shattering behind me into countless shards. The chaos became complete when ghostly people formed out of the fog and the predicted prophecies were repeated by thousands of voices. The whole hall was one great mess.

Idiots, I thought, because that meant they could have just thrown down the sphere and the prophecy would have been announced loudly and clearly to everyone in hearing distance. Good that the Dark Lord had no hair on his head, it would either turn grey or he would rip it out in anger!

We had started something like a chain reaction and were now destroying the room because all the shelves collapsed and we ran like mad to avoid getting killed by them. I rushed to cast a _Cave Inimicum_ \- a protective spell against enemies - on myself and wisely changed my wands without stopping and hurried on.

In-between, I and the others shot curses everywhere as the Death Eaters pursued us like shadows.

Suddenly, a masked Death Eater barred my way and targeted me with a curse that zoomed in on me in a lush purple colour. I just kept running towards him, instinctively knowing my shield would hold, smiling a grim smile. The expression in his eyes behind the mask looked dumbfounded when I ran so carelessly at him and his magic fizzled out on my strong shield. They clearly underestimated us and me especially.

" _Brackium Emendo_ ," I shouted, still running, and watched as my spell hit and he collapsed weakly as if all the bones had been removed from his body - which was exactly what I had done. His look was priceless when this very 'white' spell struck him.

His body struck the floor covered in shards hard. Ouch, that must have hurt. I jumped over him without hesitation. To top it off, I also heard a shelf falling over and a stifled "Oomph." Alas, he had apparently been hit or rather buried. Poor guy! I heard a startled voice in my back calling out:

"Nott!"

Oh, I suppose I had taken out Theodore's father! One thing was clear: he was incapacitated for good. Nothing and no-one would be able to magick his bones back that quickly.

I reached the door that led to the Time Room and saw no one else waiting for me. However, I didn't stop, running through the door at full tilt and slamming it shut behind me.

There I immediately saw Ginny and Luna desperately trying to fend off a Death Eater. He no longer wore a mask and thus showed his remarkable resemblance to our classmate Crabbe. First, I hexed the door with a non-verbal _Colloportus_ without anyone noticing and hoped that the boys had been faster than us and had had already left the collapsing hall behind.

Then I took aim and shocked the inattentive, beefy man with a _Stupefy_. Immediately, he dropped, unconscious, and fell with his head into the bell jar with the egg that was constantly evolving into a bird and back. The glass didn't splinter upon impact but enveloped his head and from then on exerted a morbid fascination on me. I watched and noticed in amazement how his head first turned into the head of a small, shrunken baby only to age in rapid time, becoming the bearded head of a man and then a wrinkled old man's head to then mutate back to the baby's head. Wow, that was gross!

Crabbe's father had awakened from the Stunning Spell and was desperately trying to pull his head out of the glass as his body always remained the same. It was truly macabre and when he finally made it, it was a grotesque sight. His undamaged, full-grown male body still wore the weird baby skull, so that he staggered around uncoordinated, flailing around with his fists and smashing the clocks around him. He caused great damage to the Time-Turners as well and uttered a high, piercing infant's cry and howling. It was unbearable.

"How disgusting!" Ginny said mercilessly. Grimacing, she got to her feet with difficulty, when she groaned in pain, leaning heavily on Luna.

"Ginny, what happened?" I asked worriedly, hurrying toward her quickly, avoiding the berserker who was destroying the room.

"Oh, a stupid Death Eater hit me by the ankle. I think it's broken, but it'll be alright!" She stubbornly grit her teeth, but she was a little pale around the nose.

"I'll help her. You, look out!" Luna said, astonishingly serious and farsighted. I nodded. They followed me as quickly as possible to the door to the round entrance hall and we left the giant baby to his demolition work.

I had eliminated two Death Eaters by now, so it was only ten plus Snape left. The four Death Eaters we had knocked out with _Stupefys_ in the start had probably been woken up again by their comrades.

I threw open the door ready to attack and stopped just in time when I spotted three exhausted boys looking lost. They also seemed a bit harried and Ron was supported by Neville, while Harry was still holding the orb tightly in his left hand.

"Thank god!" and "Thank Merlin, there you are!" they exclaimed in relief.

Already, the room was spinning, something that almost brought Ron to his knees.

"What's wrong with Ron?" Ginny asked worriedly when she saw the pained expression on his face.

"He got hit," Harry replied hectically and breathlessly.

As soon as the room stopped, we ripped open one of the doors and ran frantically into the room behind it. Screaming, we lost the ground under our feet, immediately rising into the air. We floated freely. What a strange feeling, to glide weightlessly through the room.

We had found the Space Chamber, swimming around and dodging the planets floating around us.

Then the door sprang open again and two Death Eaters stormed in, firing wildly. It was not long before Ron was hit, screaming. Immediately, his face took on a foolish expression. He had been so confounded by a curse that he acted and reacted as if drunk.

We dodged frantically and cursed back. Neville fought hard with Ron who behaved like drunk, confused, and giggled incessantly. An Immobilising Spell struck Neville, causing him to let go of Ron. So Harry grabbed frantically for Ron while Neville was revived by Ginny. Neville caught himself astonishingly fast and now wrestled with one of the two Death Eaters, hurling curse after curse. They drifted closer and closer to each other, thanks to the zero gravity.

"Dolohov, watch out!" called the other Death Eater the name of his companion when the latter almost collided with Neville. Dolohov kicked out with his foot, ramming it with force into Neville's face, hitting his nose.

The crunching of the cartilage was pitifully loud and Neville cried out in agony, dropping his wand. Mindfully, the other Death Eater summoned it with an Accio and broke it in two with a loud crack in front of our eyes.

"Thanks, Jugson," Dolohov yelled back with a wicked grin.

Neville held his bleeding nose and whimpered slightly. I noticed Harry hitting the second guy, Jugson, with a _Stupefy_ and tying him up with an Incarcerous.

Dolohov hit Harry with an Impedimenta but Luna responded quickly and spoke the counter spell on Harry which immediately brought him back with a jolt. Even I just narrowly avoided some curses, managing by a hair's breadth to bring some planets between me and the trajectories of spells.

At that second, Dolohov wanted to alert the other Death Eaters. He started blaring in which room we were in and I didn't hesitate to aim and hit him nonverbally with a Silencio, silencing him at once so that he couldn't betray our location.

It seemed that he was not capable of non-verbal magic, or too surprised at the act, for he showed such a biting expression that he resorted to unfair means. He grabbed the hovering Ginny instantly and with lightning speed and wrestled her from Luna.

He clamped her head roughly in the crook of his arm and strangled her. She shrieked in panic, clawing at his arm, and tried desperately to get away from him.

"Ginny!" Luna cried fearfully and hurled the planet Pluto in the face of Ginny's attacker. Screaming with pain, he let her go, spitting blood, just no sound came over his bewitched lips. Immediately, Luna called Ginny magically to her and grabbed her, pulling her determinedly with her and the other girl rubbed her bruised neck and wept bitterly.

"We have to get out of here, guys," Luna called out over the chaos and I swam to the door which didn't lead to the entrance hall. I held on to the door, holding it open and everyone came to me.

Meanwhile, Harry managed to throw a full-body bind on Dolohov so that he, too, floated defencelessly through the chamber.

Neville came with Ron in his grasp because the redhead was doing nothing but chuckling stupidly and behaving crazily. Luna, holding a coughing, gasping Ginny, and Harry left the room, and then I came last, slamming the door shut with force. Luna copied me quickly and chanted "Colloportus", sealing the door and we took a deep breath.

After a look around, I realised that we were in the Brain Room. I was panting and just wanted to turn to Harry when we heard Neville shouting in alarm.

"Ron, no, don't!" he screamed in outright panic. It was too late, however, as Ron was already shouting, laughing:

"Accio!" He aimed at the brains in the central basin, and immediately three of those pale red, wobbly shapes flew in his general direction. But only one of the brains was racing directly towards him with its long slippery white-grey tentacles. It hit Ron full in the chest and wound itself around him. Thereby, it seemed to cut right into his flesh. A gruesome sight but something that made Ron laugh madly.

"Ron!" we all exclaimed aghast, and I had the presence of mind to send a Petrificus Totalus to the greedy tentacle brain. Neville, whose face was covered in blood, was already at Ron's side and prying off the slippery tentacles that held Ron's arms and hands with difficulty.

The skin of his two arms looked terribly cut and sucked. He was bleeding miserably, meanwhile laughing and giggling as if mad. His head wobbled back and forth. It had affected him pretty hard.

The moment of rest was over when this door also was blasted open. Immediately, an overwhelming number of Death Eaters poured into the Brain Room which instantly became a battleground. Lightning flashed through the room in bright colours. It was a single flashing sea of colour, accompanied by loud crashes.

I jumped aside, behind one of the desks, and decided to resort to wordless fight so no one would know where I was hiding and what kind of spells I was using. It wouldn't be so good right now if the wrong person noticed.

This onslaught was dangerous, and although I'd learned from the previous battle that they were apparently not shooting lethal curses on Lucius's strict command, the fight became more and more dogged because of our resistance.

What motivated Lucius to treat us so 'gently'? No, wrong thought! A curse was crashing into the wall just over my head and wood chips rained down on me.

Macnair was shooting a yellow beam of light at Luna and she flew like a ragdoll into the air and slid across a table, then fell with a loud bang to the floor, unconscious.

"Where are Greengrass and Rookwood?" a gasping Macnair asked a fast-approaching Lestrange brother. He managed to catch Harry with a spell that squeezed his trachea. "Give us the prophecy, Potter!" he demanded viciously but got distracted by Neville.

This allowed Harry to throw off Macnair's curse and cast a non-verbal _Petrificus Totalus_ on the onrushing Mulciber, and he hit his target. Mulciber froze, struck by the full-body bind and, for good measure, I followed up with a Sleeping Spell.

Neville had screamed in alarm at the same time as Luna landed on the floor, unconscious. He rushed like a berserker at Macnair and slammed Ron's wand, which had been forcibly removed from his owner by Neville, right into his eye. He drilled the pointed wood down mercilessly into this yielding soft tissue and Macnair cried out in anguish.

What happened then went lightning fast as Neville was hit in the back by the newly released Jugson who barged into the room and hit him with a spell. Neville went down unspectacularly. Wailing, Macnair covered his bleeding, as-good-as gouged eye. As he pulled out the wand sticking out of his eye, there was a loud smacking sound that was utterly disgusting, and he shrieked piercingly. His scream stopped abruptly when Macnair was completely incapacitated by one of Harry's Stunning Spells.

I could not react fast enough to prevent Ginny, leaning against a desk, getting hit and thrown around by a _Stupefy_ spoken by Rodolphus in passing. She collapsed, unconscious.

He himself went straight to Harry, grabbed him by the throat and squeezed. He seemed very angry and upset and wanted to wrest the orb from him. Before he could succeed, I put a Trance Spell onto Rodolphus that wasn't easily lifted. He slowly let go of Harry and sank to his knees, visibly dizzy, doing nothing but staring blankly into the distance. Still, I magically tied him up with an Incarcerous. Meanwhile, Harry was wheezing pitifully.

Jugson spun around to cast a Killing Curse that just missed me, but still brushed a few of my hair tips and made my heart beat faster. I had been able to get away with a quick dive to safety in the last second. That had been damn close! All of us were out, except for Harry and me, and that idiot Jugson fastened onto me. Apparently, my previous assumption had been wrong, maybe Harry was the only one that shouldn't be killed. After Lucius' earlier advances though, I thought he wouldn't be pleased to learn that I should be the declared fatality.

Just in time, Harry saw the raging Augustus Rookwood, whose face was painfully disfigured and shimmering in different shades of blue, rushing toward him with a determined set to his mouth, and I shot a Confounding Charm at him from behind a console.

Harry managed to throw himself sideways just in time, so Rookwood landed headfirst in one of the basins. Clinking, the glass broke and the tentacle brains flew across the room. One of those things grabbed Rookwood's head and its tentacles immediately wound around him, whereupon he began to fight hectically against them. They snaked around his head and seemed to cut into his skin as they had with Ron's who was sitting confused, giggling and laughing on the floor.

At that second, a _Confringo_ hit the wooden writing desk behind which I had jumped and blasted it away, sending me flying as a result of the blast of detonation. I rammed my front teeth into my lips to forbid any sound of pain from escaping and also pinched my eyes while the wood chips pierced my body and I started to bleed from several wounds. I landed less than soft on the hard ground and the air was pressed from my lungs. Nonetheless, I remained very calm because of the anger pulsing through my veins.

Without hesitation or apprehension, I called " _Avada Kedavra_!" quietly and mercilessly from my now exposed position on the floor and hit Jugson straight in the chest. He had just approached me with a sinister grin full of pleasant anticipation that withered quickly when he got caught by the cold green beam of light and tumbled over like a felled tree. He hadn't expected me to cast that curse.

I allowed myself briefly to lie back and to take a breath. The splinters hurt, but fortunately they had not sunk in deeply and so I mentally called myself to order. This wasn't over yet. I had to get to Harry and help, so up!

One enemy less! I had incapacitated one more. Looking around the ruined and demolished room, I couldn't make out either Harry or Neville. Luna was still on the floor and Ginny too, but she started to stir again. Apparently, the spell Rodolphus had struck her with hadn't been that strong.

Jugson himself lay dead with eyes rolled so that they showed the white. Rookwood was still fighting silently with the tentacles that mercilessly snaked around his head and cut into it. Ron continued to sit in the middle of the room, unnoticed by everyone, chuckling and rocking dizzily back and forth. The one Lestrange brother didn't fare any better, staring impassively into the air. Macnair lay unconscious on the floor with his bleeding eye.

My blood ran down my body, but I didn't feel anything; the adrenaline rushing through my veins did not allow for any pain or bigger sensations.

"Ginny, wake up!" I ordered her, shaking her shoulder, and she opened her eyes, holding her bloody skull with a face twisted with pain.

"Hermione", she whimpered and started to cry.

"Shshsh… listen!" I reassured her and pressed her wand roughly into her limp hand. "Wake Luna and take Ron. Get out, please! And you can do it, grit your teeth, little one! Got that? Afterwards, you can break down, okay?" I spoke grimly and very forcefully with her, grabbing her by the shoulders and squeezing them tightly. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and I stroked her cheek reassuringly.

"What… about… you?" she sobbed, "you… don't look… that well… yourself!"

"I'm fine, I have to get to Harry! Go and do what I said. We're counting on you, Ginny!" I insisted convincingly. Immediately, she nodded and I saw her usual strength return to her light brown eyes. She squared her shoulders in determination and I pulled her up with me. She clenched her jaw when she put her foot on the floor and I turned away quickly.

In my mind, I recalled quickly who else was left: Nott was the first to get incapacitated by my spell and the shelf, then Jugson, who clearly wouldn't get up again and whom I had wiped from the face of the earth with my second _Avada_ in just a few hours.

Rookwood was busy with the brain wound around him, and Mulciber would sleep for a long time before anyone found the right counter-spell. The almost one-eyed Macnair was additionally stunned with a _Stupefy_ and would not be operational anytime soon. The only other one that remained around here was Rodolphus who had also become incapacitated with my Trance Spell. Just then, I remembered Crabbe who had become an abstract giant baby.

So we had effectively eliminated seven of the twelve Death Eaters. A good cut, as I found, but still not good enough!

Hence, I rushed to the door through which the others had left, casting an _Episkey_ on myself in the run, and pushed open the door without hesitation to emerge into the room of my worst fears.

The eerie Death Chamber!

I immediately spotted Harry in this uncanny room resembling a Roman arena and the disembodied whispering of voices reinforced the unworldly impression. The permanently supernatural, ghostly atmosphere here really made me nervous.

He was standing looking lost on the pedestal centred down there in front of the large, free-standing, weathered stone archway with the gently waving veil, and Lucius, who stood out from this darkness with his white hair threatened Harry, positioned in front of him.

I just wanted to hurry on when I was grabbed by the wrist, eliciting a stifled squeak from me. I scolded myself, annoyed that I hadn't taken better care while I got relentlessly pulled into the darkness of an alcove.

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Review feedback

 **1991:** Thank you for your appreciation. I certainly don't plan to give up and should I have to, the WHF community is great and I hope Queenie and I would find someone to carry on.

 **Sinner:** It's great to see you again amongst the reviewers. Hermione's POV certainly doesn't paint Ginny in a good light and I had no symapthy for her on the first or second read-through either. For the Sirius question, I fear you have to wait for next week.

 **Helena. :** Ah, the downside of being up-to-date, waiting for updates. The next chapter is one of the longest ones up until now, but I hope to have it ready for you next Saturday. Thanks for reviewing!


	89. The Death Chamber

Chapter beta: Olivia

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **The Death Chamber**

Panic started to rise in me, but then I suddenly felt a too familiar body pressing hard against me and my resistance was nipped in the bud.

"Sir?" I whispered questioningly into his near ear. He still wore this faceless, scary dark iron mask and hood, skilfully shielding me from what was happening in the arena.

All I heard was Neville screaming inhumanly loud. His cries of agony mixed with the mad laugh of his tormentor; the splendidly amused Lestrange cackled like crazy. The sounds reminded me of the time I tortured Pansy. Poor Neville, the same fate as his parents; and I knew Lestrange's Cruciatus Curse would feel different than mine.

I heard Malfoy barking instructions at the remaining Death Eaters, Greengrass and Rabastan Lestrange, as well as Dolohov, who had emerged from the Space Chamber. Harry continued to stubbornly refuse to give up the orb, despite all the threats.

"Let me pass, I have to-" I rebelled, pressing against Snape's unyielding chest, struggling against his hard, painful grip. He reacted very resolutely, grabbing both my wrists, squeezing violently, and growling furiously.

"Hold still or I'll hurt you!" he whispered threateningly. I looked at him, at a loss for words and breathed heavily. Being so close to him after what had happened back then was hard! Suddenly, I heard the rushing of my blood in my ears and tried to swallow that defenceless feeling when I didn't manage to fend him off. Somehow he made me weak, a condition that worried me!

"What… What do you plan to do, sir?" I breathed resentfully, glaring, and I certainly didn't hold still, causing him to press closer and closer to me until I felt him completely.

"Dammit, hold still… The others are coming soon!" he hissed, quietly commanding me and with a trace of impatience in his voice.

"But I have to!" I didn't listen to him and yanked desperately to get my hands free.

"You do not have to do anything. Bellatrix is out of control. Draco would never forgive me if something happens to you and Lucius probably as well! So stay here, understood? It has cost Lucius enough attention to make sure Potter and the orb are not forcibly attacked by these idiots! Stop resisting, because I will force you if you do not hold still. Stop fidgeting like that!" The words were muffled by his mask, but you could tell he was nearing the end of his patience "Be patient! The others will arrive soon…"

"The others? Why are you here then?" I whispered excitedly and looked at him intently while keeping myself a little more still after this revelation.

"Well, what do you think?" the counter-question dripped venomously from his tongue and I thought I could tell he was rolling his eyes, annoyed. Because of me? He had tagged along with the Death Eaters because of me? Was that the reason why I had encountered only Nott in the Hall of Prophecy? And why only two Death Eaters had come through the shortly open door to the Space Chamber before it had slammed shut?

"The Order? What are they planning?" I asked immediately very controlled, while he didn't away from me even a little bit.

"As soon as the Order arrives, I will be gone!" he prophesied calmly. "What happened up until now? Are you seriously injured?" he asked further and I was too perplexed to answer when he put his hand to my bloody cheek. I had to have small fragments stuck everywhere. Luckily, I had closed my eyes during the explosion; if the slivers had got into my eyes... But what was up with Snape? He was so tender, that was just not his style!

"Yes, a bit - but not much! Jugson did that, or whatever the guy's name is ... or rather 'was'," I admitted with a stammer to then lose my voice as I thought that Jugson was now already the third death to my name. I shouldn't even start to count; in the end, I would surely not like the number!

"What did you do to him?" Snape wanted to know. I bit my lip and then looked into the slits of the mask and into the dark ravines behind it which were his eyes. The noise in the room grew louder and louder, but he didn't let it disturb him and continued to look me straight in the eye, not saying anything further. It was more like he was looking deeply, very deeply into my soul. This stoic eye contact broke when we suddenly heard noisy kerfuffle when reinforcements came in and loud calls echoed through the room.

The Order had arrived to help us!

Immediately, Snape reacted. He took his hand from my cheek, straightened up smoothly and pushed away from me. Then, as usual, he vanished quietly, walking quickly through the door that led to the Brain Room. He made it and disappeared, unseen and unheard.

Scary, that was scary because I bet none of the members of the Order, who were all invading the room through the doors and hurrying inside, had registered that Snape had been here and now disappeared into the darkness.

I seized the opportunity as I stood so unrestricted from one second to the next but remained well hidden in the shadows, watching the action in the stone arena that formed this hall, and looked at the fray.

Roaring curses whizzed wildly and aimlessly back and forth. It was quite a bloody affair; it turned into an outright battle. I was just eying Harry anxiously and saw him still holding the crystal ball, looking battered and supporting a heavily injured and blood-smeared Neville with difficulty. The two were trying to climb the weathered, steep stone steps carefully.

This was very difficult because Neville had been hit by a Tarantallegra courtesy of Greengrass and couldn't get any further as his legs wriggled unnaturally fast and he was unable to control them. Since Harry was busy with Neville, it happened as it was bound to happen and I observed, as if in slow motion, when the crystal ball suddenly slipped from Harry's fingers, shattering into thousands of small pieces.

Fog poured out and formed the ghostly form of a young Trelawney. She spoke, her mouth moving and repeating the prophecy, only because of the loud noise and the roar of the battle did her words remain unheard.

Harry and Neville looked, horrified, at each other. Meanwhile, I hastily cast Finite Incantatem on Neville and he collapsed briefly in Harry's arms when his legs finally stopped performing their crazy dance.

In those fractions of seconds, the battle of the Order's members against the Death Eaters raged on relentlessly. I recognised Tonks, Remus, Moody, Shacklebolt, and Sirius, who were all enthusiastically engaged in the fighting.

I hadn't moved from my spot and watched as Shacklebolt struggled simultaneously with Greengrass and Rabastan Lestrange as the Order member was hit by a beam of light from Bellatrix' wand from behind. He went down screaming and bleeding due to a malicious, perfidiously executed Cutting Curse.

Moody immediately took on Dolohov, jumping in light-footed despite his handicap. An impressive and fast fight unfolded from which both didn't come away unscathed. Moody lost his magic eye and it tumbled to the floor. He was so perplexed that Dolohov managed to strike him down, bleeding.

A Stunning Spell hit Tonks after she had immediately begun to rain spells down on Lucius from the top that he dodged skillfully or blocked them with shield spells. You had to give it to him, he looked still good even in an exhausting fight and was still acting as elegant, confident and superior as usual.

As focused as Tonks was on Lucius, she lost sight of her surroundings and Bellatrix took advantage of Tonks' carelessness and didn't hesitate for a second. She hit, making Tonks instantly tumble down the stairs, unconscious, and coming to rest at the foot of the stairs in a slightly twisted position.

Remus jumped forward when he noticed all this, as he had been protecting Harry and Ron primarily until now. He put Rabastan out of action with a deliberate blow to the temple. There had to be really more power behind a punch with werewolves than with normal people because the head of his victim flew backwards and he remained down, totally knocked out, and already Remus rushed to help elsewhere.

Moody, who had recovered by himself, now crawled over to Tonks and tried to revive her magically.

Meanwhile, in the chaos, Harry tried to protect himself and Neville who was barely conscious after the torture with a Protego. He defended himself quite well, now that he no longer had a crystal ball to consider and protect. He was dealing with a somewhat reserved Greengrass, who evidently adhered to Lucius's policy regarding Harry.

Enjoying to finally be able to let off some steam and grinning joyfully while the curses darted around his ears, Sirius was fighting a dogfight with Dolohov. The battle was cut short when Harry managed to hit Dolohov from further behind with an Impedimenta which froze Dolohov in the middle of the movement and made sure that he fell down the stone steps, incapacitating the Death Eater.

Sirius turned around indignantly and immediately threw himself into the next fight. Watching Lucius take on Sirius and Remus with Bellatrix and duel them was wonderful, so powerful, so supple and so vicious.

But the individual couples seemed to complement each other well and one curse after the other bounced off or was elegantly parried; their bodies moved like they were performing a dance, stunningly beautiful but also highly dangerous.

I noticed how the atmosphere changed for me because Dumbledore walked slowly over the threshold as cool as a cucumber and I grimaced, at the same time sliding back into the shadows so he wouldn't notice me immediately. Just then, it happened that Remus and Harry and Sirius disarmed Lucius with an Expelliarmus and he stared in disbelief at the werewolf. But I noticed somehow that Lucius seemed not actually worried.

At that moment, Bella fired a wicked black curse at Sirius who had just rejoiced over Lucius getting hit and thus not been attentive for a second and he was struck right in the middle of his chest. An incredulous, understanding expression flickered in his wide-open eyes as he gazed into the malicious face of his cousin, who grinned malevolently and gleefully. The light of life in his bright eyes flickered and finally faded as he fell backwards.

He fell limply and - as he stood unfavourably on the pedestal - through the eerie archway behind him, silent, as in slow motion. He fell and fell into the wafting veil, brushing it and falling farther and farther into the infinite darkness beyond. He was enveloped by the dreariness of the archway and then disappeared completely into the void.

Sirius was gone!

My breath caught... Sirius was dead! Even before passing the veil, I had read it in his eyes, even if Lestrange had not used the Avada.

"Siiiriiiuuuuus," Harry howled with a bloodcurdling scream and headed headlong towards the archway, chasing after Sirius. A deeply shocked Remus quickly grabbed Harry's cloak though, roughly holding him back, embracing him and consoling him as the boy struggled desperately to free himself. At the same time, I heard Remus calling out loud:

"He is gone… stay… calm down, Harry!"

Dumbledore watched the scene in front of me impassively but had gasped in horror when Sirius died.

Now, in the very quiet arena, Lestrange's mad, insane laughter echoed from the stone walls and Harry ceased his resistance in Remus' arms, instead choosing to lock up his emotions deep inside himself. A strongly embittered expression entered his eyes as he abruptly pulled away from Remus to follow a giggling and laughing Lestrange who was heading for one of the exits to flee.

"I killed Sirius, I killed Sirius!" she trilled in a crazy chant to herself. Harry took up the chase.

I was deeply shaken. I had seen Sirius die before my eyes. Why always me?

The second man with whom I had felt more deeply connected had now found death; only this time I had been there to see it. No matter that we had quarrels and had not parted in a good way, I had never wanted Sirius's death. It would also deeply affect Harry that his only family member from his parents' era was dead!

Now he had only me left! I had to get to him quickly, not that something happened to him. As Snape had said earlier, Bellatrix was out of control; she had just killed her cousin in cold blood and was positively happy about it.

Dumbledore glanced at the battlefield below us, only to turn around indifferently and quickly follow Harry and Lestrange, who had taken another door. A bit perplexed, I stepped out of the shadows that had swallowed me earlier to prevent Dumbledore from noticing me.

Neville was with Shacklebolt and tried to help him. Moody, himself more unconscious than anything else, assisted the slowly awakening Tonks. Dolohov, Rabastan and Greengrass were hit and tied tightly.

A grieving Remus stared with a furious, resentful visage at Lucius who stood still very relaxed. They were still on the podium in the arena-like environment and right now Lucius was looking annoyed, his lips pressed tightly together while he scowled at the mess and chaos that lay before his feet. It was not over yet and I doubted that Lucius would acknowledge defeat!

Everyone except him was bruised and battered - except for Remus, but he was too much wrapped up in his pain - and I knew what I had to do.

I murmured "Stupefy" under my breath and the purple flash of light shot out of my white wand, striking Remus' back in a sneak attack. He immediately fell forward onto his knees and then unconscious to the floor, right in front of Lucius' feet.

Lucius was completely taken by surprise, looking horrified and hectic into the direction the light had come from. He opened his eyes wide in disbelief when he spotted and identified me, realising that I had just enabled him to escape, that I had knocked out an ally for him.

His usually expressionless, mask-like face showed several expressions now, ranging from surprise to incomprehension. For him, it might be an inexplicable choice of action, but he was the head of my family.

He was Draco's father, I couldn't let him go to Azkaban. Although I did not believe that, I guessed that I had just saved the others from a bloodthirsty monster before it awoke. He just seemed too untouched, too indifferent and too quiet. Therefore, I had decided to forestall this decision so that the Order wouldn't have another member to mourn.

I bowed my head to him and made an inviting gesture towards the door so that he would finally leave. He caught himself amazingly fast, shaking his head irritably, but typically Malfoy he took his chance to escape. In a fast run, he summoned his wand non-verbally into his hand, skillfully plucking it out of the air.

And that was the confirmation I had needed to realise I'd done the right thing. He could have summoned his wand at any time! There was a lot more to Lucius than he had shown us thus far. The other injured fighters hadn't noticed the spectacle and so only I saw Lucius' light hair disappear quickly in the darkness of the hall.

Only a moment later, I also left the Death Chamber behind, which now bore this name quite rightly in more than one respect. I hurried after Lucius, Bellatrix, Dumbledore, and Harry, heading for the Ministry's entrance hall.

I came skidding and breathless to a halt in the atrium of the Ministry. It had changed extremely in the short time since we last passed it. I had stopped because of the noise to peek around the corner.

The golden fountain in the middle was not really existent anymore. In the background on the floor laid the wizard's golden head and an arm of the centaur. The figures were apparently directed by Dumbledore, as the house-elf at the other end of the great hall pinned Lestrange to the ground and didn't let her escape.

Harry, on the other hand, was shielded from stray curses by the headless wizard and I couldn't spot the goblin anywhere. I was captivated by the picture in front of me.

From the corner of my eye, I could catch sight of Malfoy's white-blond hair and his fluttering black cloak disappearing when he swiftly threw himself onto his knees and slid over the smooth and polished black floor into one of the innumerable fireplaces. The green flames around his body flared up immediately and he vanished for good.

At the centre of the action, Dumbledore and the Dark Lord faced each other grimly. I was floored at the sight of the Dark One. I froze as I was face to face with him for the first time, timidly pressing myself against one of the pillars that abounded in the atrium, watching the event intrigued, downright banned.

The Dark Lord looked terribly inhuman, with his white, bald head and flat, snake-like nose, his tight-lipped, mockingly grinning mouth, and the red and unreal eyes staring out of his face. All this came together to make him look incredibly sinister. His night-black robes which fluttered and billowed around him added to that ominous impression.

The power he agglomerated around himself was gigantic and his adversary was a fiercely fighting Dumbledore in his typical powder blue flowing robe and cloak. The long snow-white hair wafted around the old professor as his power manifested itself almost visibly around him.

Here I was a live witness as the two strongest and most powerful wizards of our time fought a duel for life and death, both with dogged facial expressions.

To my astonishment, I noticed that the Dark Lord actually showed respect for Dumbledore and his power. It was like this old wizard was 'the only one he had ever feared'!

Harry had been detained by Dumbledore. The one-armed centaur from the fountain protected him from the green-glowing _Avadas_ of the Dark Lord that were darting rampantly through the hall.

I had wisely protected myself again with black magic shields. Well, they wouldn't withstand the _Avada_ , but better than nothing, since all sorts of curses and spells flew unsaid through the room and hit everywhere.

Just now, a spell crashed above me into the wall and plaster trickled down on my head. Yes, it was dangerous around here!

The many upstairs floors were robbed off their windows by a curse from the Dark Lord. The glasses exploded outwards and shards rained relentlessly down on us. I put my hands protectively over my head. It rang awfully loud.

Dumbledore pulverized the shards over himself and Harry with a soft wipe of his wand. The movements were so fast, precise and concise in their execution that they passed quickly by my eyes.

I was impressed that almost nothing was said during the fight; the spells were all performed non-verbally. They danced around each other and waved their wands infinitely elegantly. It was fascinating, with a morbid beauty. All of a sudden, two Killing Curses raced towards the very calm-looking Dumbledore in quick succession. He dodged the first one expertly, vanishing silently and abruptly reappearing in the Dark Lord's back.

The dark wizard whirled around and cast the second spell, so, suddenly and coming out of nowhere, Dumbledore's phoenix opened his beak wide and swallowed the deadly curse. The jet went straight into his mouth; the bird shrieked in distress and died, crumbling into ashes. I watched intently as Fawkes raised his wrinkled baby head out of the pile. Amazing creatures, these phoenixes.

The concentrated power behind the spells and curses was gigantic. How the two moved smoothly and acted was also captivating. I couldn't avert my gaze when the Dark Lord utilised fire, wordlessly fabricating it with terrific force and power. Dumbledore responded to the stable wall of fire with the water from the fountain and controlled the element to his will. It hissed loudly when fire and water met, steam wafting through the ruined atrium.

It was a very balanced fight, considering that Dumbledore faithfully used only 'light' magic in conformance with his current conviction and thus should actually be at a magical disadvantage. To my surprise, however, he was a tiny bit ahead, and the Dark Lord noticed that too, making him shriek in frustration when Dumbledore managed to lock and trap his opponent with an invisible force field that gathered around him. Suddenly, the Dark Lord disappeared from one second to the next, dissipating in front of us.

I still looked shocked at Dumbledore. Was that it?

He did not drop his cover though because he was still wary of an ambush. Rightly, as it turned out.

Suddenly, Harry began to writhe on the ground beneath the golden centaur, emitting animalistic sounds of pain. This croaking pierced my heart. It was a pitiful sight, his body twisting and turning; it looked like 'The Exorcist'. He rolled his eyes so that only the white in them could be seen, then he closed them, tormented, and then it truly happened: Harry was possessed.

When he opened his eyes again they were glowing red!

Thanks to his connection, the Dark Lord had truly and completely taken possession of Harry's mind and was now guiding Harry's body. In Harry's face, those richly red-glowing eyes looked so wrong that a cold shiver ran down my back. I shuddered when he started talking or rather begging and pleading:

"Please kill me! Put an end to my suffering. I don't want to live anymore... oh, the pain!"

The words came out of Harry's mouth in a voice that didn't sound like him and he stared hatefully at Dumbledore with those unnatural eyes. It was a scary demonstration of what the Dark Lord could do. I got goosebumps all over my body as I watched Harry fighting for his life on another, spiritual level, with Dumbledore looking worriedly at Harry, who was writhing on the floor, talking to him gently and soothingly. He let the headless wizard step away and so Harry flailed around unrestrained.

Harry's body reared up - he almost stood upright - only to sag again. He had screamed so loudly that I thought my eardrums were going to burst and his vocal cords could have been damaged permanently. Suddenly, he collapsed motionlessly on the floor, his previously tense body tense going limp and a visibly worn out Dark Lord appeared again in front of us and stared venomously at the harried-looking young man.

All of a sudden, from one second to the next, all the fireplaces flared up and a pompous Minister of Magic, Fudge, appeared in the formerly magnificent atrium, accompanied by many Aurors and other ministry employees.

They all stopped thunderstruck when they saw the three adversaries in front of their eyes, spread out in the heavily damaged hall, that had nothing left of its previous beauty, and stared in horror at the Dark Lord!

This was the affirmation, for now everyone saw him in all his ugly splendour, becoming aware that he had truly returned.

"What is that?" exclaimed Fudge, stunned, downright horrified.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the Dark Lord, who narrowed his red eyes into furious slits. With a wipe of his pale hand, he swept the golden fountain house-elf away from Bellatrix and grabbed her roughly, then tossed a death glare at the crowd and disapparated silently like a breeze.

"That's him!"

"He is really back!"

"He was in the Ministry!"

"He has returned!"

"That can't be true!"

"Help!"

That were the largely panicked, scared, and fearful cries of the people who were crowding into the demolished atrium.

"What is going on here? I demand answers, Dumbledore," Fudge quickly caught himself, and turned, still unsettled, to the old professor who seemed to be an island of calm in this turmoil.

I quickly left my cover and ran anxiously to Harry, who was still lying as if knocked out on the ground but had moved. Now he cradled his head in his arms as if he had a terrible headache, which wasn't really surprising. I could also imagine that when he thought about the death of Sirius, he had to feel very anguished. I, too, immediately felt a very thick lump in my throat and had to force it down violently, but I called myself resolutely to order. _Hey, Hermione, you knew that could happen. It cannot always only be the 'bad guys' who bite the dust!_

Suddenly, I heard Dumbledore quietly and deliberately talking to Fudge in front of all the curious and shocked wizards and witches.

"Well, Cornelius, this is what I've been trying to tell you for a year. Voldemort has returned and you let him act in peace for one year!" He let his accusatory statement sink in with an artful pause, evidently enjoying the stunned expressions, then proceeded poker-faced.

"Please send Aurors to the Death Chamber. There are some Death Eaters to be found and in other areas of the Department as well! They can be transferred to Azkaban," he explained calmly. The mass of the curious gasped and shrieked, screeching cries and shouts intersecting the explanation.

I gently touched Harry's shoulder. He flinched, as expected, and buried his face a bit deeper in his arms. I retrieved a pain potion out of my school robes, grabbed Harry gingerly by his hair and pulled, which made him yell.

"Owwww! Hermione?!" he shouted in pain and blinked as he recognised me. Luckily, this time he looked at me with big, bright, emerald-green eyes and I gave a relieved sigh.

"Take this, Harry," I requested harshly, noticing the tears in his eyes. He obediently pulled himself into a sitting position, moving as though sore, and drank my vial, looking at me lost, unhappy and sad.

"Hermione… Sirius… Sirius… is… is…" He suppressed sobs but appeared worn down.

"Shhh… Harry, I know. I saw it happen; I was there. Please, calm down," I asked gently, taking his hand reassuringly in mine. I didn't want to hug him among all these nosy people. "Harry, are you listening to me? Fudge is here! Do you want to show everyone what you feel?" I enquired urgently, looking into his infinitely sad eyes, but I could also see a trace of coldness leaching into those beautiful eyes and he began to shake his head. He struggled hard with himself.

And his guilt weighed particularly heavily since he had deliberately walked into the trap. For that very reason though, I found that he shouldn't show this self-pity; he had known about the consequences, as did I... And I, too, had lost someone who had once meant more for me!

He confidently reached for my hand, showing me his determination. Gently, he touched my injured cheek and I knew, I had some scratches there. Already, the white flash of a camera taking our photo in this intimate moment flared up.

We turned our heads to the gaping crowd and saw Dumbledore, who - important, important - collaborated with Fudge. But the proceedings had turned his attention as well back to Harry and now, after the photo had been taken, he called to the head of the golden wizard from the destroyed fountain blown off by a Blasting Curse to himself. After that, he calmly turned it into a ministerially unapproved Portkey under the eyes of the huge crowd of Ministry workers. The object flashed blue for a moment, then he held it out to Harry in a clear request while Harry blinked at without understanding.

"Here, Harry, my boy, It will take you safely to my office in Hogwarts," The professor smiled his grandfatherly, smarmy smile. Harry got to his feet and pulled me up with him, not letting go of my hand. Harry tried to grab the head this way but Dumbledore quickly pulled it out of reach. "You should let Miss Granger go otherwise she will be swept along," he explained softly.

Harry looked at him, flabbergasted, and I, too, wondered what the old man was on about.

"I think Miss Granger will come along with the others. I would like to talk to you as soon as I can leave here... which should not take too long," he declared deliberately with a gentle, understanding smile.

I felt how Harry slowly but surely struggled with his self-restraint. He began to tremble under my hand, although not because of the shock of what he had experienced but rather because of repressed anger.

"Shhh, Harry, that's not that bad, we'll see each other soon back in Hogwarts," I said soothingly and attempted to pull my hand back and free it from its grip, which he didn't allow, as he held it very tightly. Harry started to speak in a low-pitched tone, but since everyone was just whispering softly, it was easy to understand.

"Dumbledore, I couldn't care less what you want! Hermione is going to come with me or I'm not going anywhere…" he whispered very coldly, very threateningly, in a way I had never before heard him speak.

Well, who said you're still normal after the Dark Lord re-enacted part of the 'The Exorcist' with you? Right, nobody! Everyone had drawn shocked and indignant breaths when the boy-who-lived spoke so harshly, not to say stroppily, with the newly rehabilitated icon of the Light.

"But, Harry, you're in shock, I have important things to ta-" Dumbledore said sensibly and sensitively, though his eyes showed an indefinite concern. He got interrupted by an enraged Harry Potter.

"I don't know if you don't want to understand me... Anything you have to tell me, she can hear, too! She comes with me, or I don't want to hear it at all!" he snapped now angrily and showed both stubbornness and an unwillingness to compromise. Oho, he was really upset and furious, apparently very much so at Dumbledore and I knew why!

I agreed with him that the headmaster had incurred much guilt in this drama. The old man now looked around covertly, registered the shocked looks of the audience that he was so publicly contradicted, looks which didn't suit him in the least, and he deliberately reconsidered.

The fact that Harry's rebellion against his authority took place so publicly bothered him enormously and so he nodded curtly and offered the head, the Portkey, wordlessly a second time. Harry, who stubbornly refused to hold my hand less tightly, touched it without hesitation, and we were immediately drawn into a vortex that swept us away from the overcrowded atrium that released us after a short time into the headmaster's round, quaint office. We staggered and had trouble to stay on our feet, but we managed.

Then we looked deeply, intensely, and piercingly into each other's eyes. We held up the fervent eye contact, searching each other's souls as deeply as possible without words, and then we just fell into each other's arms, seeking comfort, sank exhausted on the ground, holding each other tightly enough to make it difficult to breathe. Both of us saw their own terrible visions replaying repeatedly in their mind's eye as if in a cinema show in a seemingly endless loop.

We tried to cling to each other even more firmly, seeking mutual support, comfort and protection. Harry just did something that was not possible for me by starting to cry. I could feel suppressed sobs shaking him again and again. We swayed back and forth in a rhythm that evolved into something reassuring.

That's how we stayed for a long time. It was also very comforting for me to hold on to Harry. As often happens when I did something inhumane, I felt like I was losing some of my humanity, losing sight of myself, and that always scared me! Always!

Only after some time of contemplation and reflection, I could come to grips with it and analyse my actions with cold calculation. That wasn't a pleasant thing most of the time because I tried to be bluntly open and honest with myself. Most of the time, I just didn't like what I had to acknowledge.

Two Killing Curses in one day? Wow, I had outdone myself!

Okay, Jugson would have killed me if I hadn't beaten him to it, that was clear. And the other... I lost the thread of thought when Harry gave a sudden, loud sob. I gently broke away from him and combed through his tangled strands of hair.

"Harry, what…? We..." What should I say? It's not so bad? Sirius was dead! That was bad, dammit! So the reassuring words got stuck in my throat.

"I… Sirius… I truly bring only death!" he lamented, grief-stricken. I swiftly conjured a handkerchief.

"Bullshit!" I declared and dried his tears.

"Bullshit? He is dead, isn't he?!" he exclaimed, spitting angrily.

"He was an Order member. They all know that they risk their lives! And you too were aware that we were walking into a trap. But you are not to blame. They knew what they were doing!" I qualified realistically when he interrupted me with a harsh gesture.

"Oh, and that should make it easier for me? Sometimes, Hermione, are you an insufferable know-it-all!" he snapped, interrupted by sobs.

Stoically, I let him insult me. After all, he had lost his godfather. I had only lost an ex-lover, though I'd probably been closer to Sirius for a few weeks than Harry had been to him the last two years! To know that I would never see that mischievous smile again hurt. The knowledge of such a miserable life that had begun so promisingly and now had ended so tragically always hurt.

"And don't say that I'm not at fault! If I hadn't consciously decided to go today, Sirius would still be alive! I'm guilty! You are guilty! We are guilty! Our friends... they're hurt, if not worse! ... And we are to blame!" he wailed and moaned. That was enough now! I was getting angry and so I broke away from the pit of misery drowning in self-pity, standing in front of him and looking down at him reprimandingly.

He knelt there and had resumed that soothing rocking rhythm. He was just wrapping his arms around his torso, as I raised my hand abruptly and gave him a resounding slap that made his head flew to the side. His hand moved to his reddened cheek. Incredulously, he covered the bright red, swelling area which reflected the fingerprints of my hand quite well, looking at me with horrified shock clearly visible in his widened eyes.

"Whaaa…?" he sputtered indignantly.

"Harry! Now get your act together, you're almost an adult and no longer a little kid as everybody likes to treat us. Bloody hell! I asked you again and again: 'Will you be able to live with the consequences?' And you said yes! Now take it like a man! Sirius knew that every fight could end like this. I know that too... Don't tell me you didn't know that! Since Cedric, you especially should be aware that... that it's about living or dying... But excuse me, I forgot, I'm a know-it-all!" I shouted, enraged, and gave him a furious dressing-down. When he grew smaller and smaller and wanted to lift his hands cautiously, I didn't let him speak, hissing viciously instead, assessing coldly and accusingly: "And now just be honest with yourself. If it wasn't Sirius... you wouldn't even care...!"

"Never!" he shouted in a righteous way, shaking his head and I groaned because of his stubborn nature, for I thought he would have been less upset with another victim. However, I snorted and relented.

"Well, if you think so. It would not affect you as much as it does now though, at least admit that to yourself!" I said insistently and looked at him reproachfully, whereupon he fell silent and bowed his head in defeat, staring attentively at the round carpet on which he knelt. Resolutely, I pulled him up and put him in the chair in front of the desk, while I explained sombrely: "My advice: Come to terms with it as soon as possible. We will not get him back, unfortunately! Preserve his memory, but get over it quickly; we live in times too troubled for long periods of mourning. Mourn, yes, but don't let the mourning define you!"

Of course, I noticed how demolished, battered and hurt Harry looked. His appearance was disastrous and I was sure I didn't look any better. Ignoring the many sleep-faking portraits in the office, I stood patiently in front of him and waited, as Harry was silent for a long time before he took a deep breath and started to speak.

"When he fell through the veil, it was so terrible and then he was gone…" he breathed in disbelief, but beginning to accept what had happened.

"He was dead before he fell…" I supplied coldly.

"What makes you think that? No, I can't believe it! Maybe he's still alive... There were voices behind the curtain... Maybe?" A spark of hope flashed in his eyes and I intervened immediately.

"No, Harry, Sirius is dead! I saw it in his eyes. He was dead when Lestrange's curse hit him. I could positively watch the light of life leave his eyes," I said, shaking my head sorrowfully.

"Of course," he stated bitterly, "Lestrange!"

He fell back into brooding silence for a while.

"I followed her after... I cast the Cruciatus on her," he whispered fearfully. I stared at him with wide eyes and was flabbergasted.

Harry had carried an Unforgivable Curse on his lips! Gosh, I felt incredibly proud of him at that moment. Crazy, I know, but I was really glad he was not above using them. Very well! Fortunately, he didn't notice the small, contented grin that spread across my battle-marked face.

"And, how did it go?" I enquired carefully.

"What? You are not shocked or repulsed?" he asked suspiciously and eyed me appraisingly.

"Why? She murdered Sirius. I would like to send her an Avada," I confessed, shrugging, as he stared at me, his eyes unnaturally widened by shock.

"I already thought that I wouldn't be able to shock you. I tried... really seriously, but, unfortunately, I did something wrong. She laughed... laughed at me for not doing it right. Oh ... I hate this disgusting madwoman!" He hissed furiously and clenched his hands into furious fists.

"Yes, she is probably not quite right in the head. Too bad you didn't hurt her!" I summed up, deadly serious and very hard-hearted.

"Yes, I think so too. Isn't that bad?" he asked very confused by his vindictive feelings.

"I don't think that my thoughts are of any importance at the moment," I tried to play it down.

"So shocking for me?" he asked very perceptively and I raised an eyebrow in astonishment that, despite the tragic situation, Harry was able to recognise that it touched me very little let alone gave me a guilty conscience.

"Maybe," I made a concession. "Would you tell me what led to the fight in the atrium?" I steered him now in a different direction. I realised that he knew it and went along only because of the circumstances. However, his eyes held a promise which I accepted with a slight nod, and he indicated with a slight, affirmative lift of the corner of his mouth that we would postpone this intimate conversation.

"Mh-mh... I 'tickled' her," he fumed again. "Then, then, she mocked me and I told her sod off and that the prophecy is gone, shattered, unheard...

"Suddenly he stood there as I remembered him from the cemetery, when a crazy, skull-splitting pain shot through my scar. He really didn't like that the orb had broken. He was screaming and it was all a bit confusing because Bellatrix was pitifully begging him to forgive her failure. But he didn't pay attention to her, ramping and raging instead. Finally, he threw the Killing Curse at me, and then the golden wizard came leaping from the fountain to divert the curse away from me. All of a sudden all the golden statues came alive and then... the battle...!" He waved his hands through the air, showing his excitement.

"I saw the battle. Impressive, what the two can do. What happened during the time when you had red eyes?" I interrupted him curiously.

"What!? I, I had red eyes?" he shouted shrilly. In a desperate gesture, he gripped his hair and buried his head in his arms. Then fell silent for a moment to breath only to groan quietly.

"I... Suddenly it was like two souls were sharing my body and he had control over every aspect of me. It was frightening, scary! I was too weak, much too weak and he was soooooo strong. Eventually, I resigned myself to his call for my death, accepted it and comforted myself with the thought of seeing all the dead again... He wasn't amused that I was happy. He screamed loudly in my skull, raging over my nasty, useless feelings and then he was gone, poof... After that, I don't remember anything," he whispered softly and seemed exhausted through and through.

"Apparently, you instinctively did the right thing!" I said encouragingly.

"Sirius is dead, that's the only thing I can really think about right now. Why? What did he give his life for? For what? We still don't know anything...! Why?" he yelled now and working himself into a frenzy and in that moment two things happened at once:

Dumbledore suddenly appeared in his office and Harry's magic was directly palpable as he released it and it swept like a wave through the office, smashing everything to bits. I ducked away quickly, noticing out of the corner of my eye that the professor had to do that, too, to avoid getting hit by any splinters. The office didn't look better than the Ministry's atrium when I straightened up again because there was also nothing left here, every last thing devastated and smashed to pieces.

When Harry saw Dumbledore, however, the magical storm didn't stop, it only really started. Harry yelped angrily and let his anger run wild. Dumbledore just stood there and looked at him sadly.

He stoically allowed Harry to rave and burn himself out for good. He blew the office to smithereens, the whole inventory was no longer existent and all that without a wand. By the goddess, that was great. _Show him, Harry_ , I thought in my covered pose. The magical storm rushed and roared over us at a thunderous volume.

Thanks to being right next to Harry, I was in relative safety and the old professor was able to protect himself. Harry stared at Dumbledore as if hypnotised, unable to calm down, so I slapped Harry repeatedly to stop him and his anger. Now both cheeks glowed in a rich red, but it worked and that was what counted. The magic outburst ebbed only slowly. The professor gave me an irritated look about my approach and I shrugged. The result was important.

"Well, let us take a seat!" Dumbledore said. He seemed a bit overwhelmed. When it finally was all over, he spelled the sitting area whole again, skillfully ignoring the chaos. I pulled Harry to the couch - he was still beside himself - and the professor sunk into his armchair like the old man that he was.

Harry firmly refused to lift his head or even his eyes and stared fixedly at the tattered carpet and so we fell into an awkward silence. I especially didn't plan to say something since Dumbledore didn't even want me there. Thus, I just grabbed Harry's hand reassuringly and he immediately squeezed it tightly. All this happened under the attentive and observant eyes of the headmaster.

"Harry, please, let me explain…" Dumbledore now began to tell his story of events in earnest to present our fifth year from his point of view.

He openly confessed his faults, stood by them, shared responsibility for Sirius' death because of the secrets that had contributed to it. He defended himself by referring to his old age which blinded him to many things, important things, because he had forgotten the impatient nature of youth. In a calm, deliberate and apologetic tone, he gave Harry his point of view. From time to time he desperately kneaded his hands, and the twinkle in his bright blue eyes seemed more like the subdued glinting and gleaming of oncoming tears.

He acknowledged himself:

"Harry, only I am to blame for the events of last night, especially Sirius' death as I kept you, Harry, in ignorance and in the dark about all the important facts until now!" He paused briefly and visibly swallowed heavily as his gaze shifted to me - he didn't like the fact that I was present for that - before he continued. "I thought this would be the best and the wisest decision ... I do not know where to start... In the beginning, yes in the beginning!"

Now he told us about the Halloween night of October 31, 1981, and we learned that he suspected immediately that the lightning-shaped curse scar that Harry had received on his forehead had created a direct link between him and Voldemort.

When he described it so calmly an ice-cold shiver ran down my spine. It was incomprehensible to me that Dumbledore had suspected this for such a long time and had never found it necessary to begin Occlumency even a few years earlier. He could no longer justify this with his age; I would only accept Alzheimer's as an explanation and nothing else. Harry's hand in mine trembled with this revelation; but it was only the beginning and that scared me.

He now stated that his concern about a spiritual connection between the two of them had been confirmed since the Dark Lord's return and that it had become more intense over the years. Do tell! Really? I didn't have to be a senile old man to recognize that. I started seething ever so slightly.

"Harry, I know that I behaved in a way towards you this year that was incomprehensible to you by shunning you and avoiding any personal contact. This had a good reason!"

Oh well, I knew that Dumbledore never did anything without a reason, though most times nobody could comprehend it. Consequently, I was curious, very much so, what he would now reveal to us.

He had known, or rather assumed, that not only could he, Harry, feel the Dark Lord's emotions, but Voldemort could also use the connection to spy on him, Dumbledore, or others, or manipulate Harry's mind.

"That is why I kept my distance and avoided any direct eye contact, my boy. Unfortunately, you seem to have misinterpreted that I wanted to punish you, or distrusted you," the headmaster explained further.

Aha. What else should he think? The old man had just declared that Harry could have been misused as an unintentional spy and that he deliberately kept him away from all relevant information; ergo, he had distrusted Harry. What bunch of bullshit was that?

But worst of all, how could Harry and I have reacted differently to the dismissive way of Dumbledore without explanation? _Oh, now he doesn't even want to look at us anymore? Well, that doesn't matter, it will be nothing?_ Okay, he was senile, there was no another, nicer explanation. I could feel that my hand got squeezed so tightly that I no longer had any feeling in my fingertips, but please, if it helped Harry to maintain his composure, I would gladly sacrifice the sense of touch in my hand.

Now, Dumbledore took off his little half-moon spectacles, ran his fingers over his tired old eyes.

"As it stands, Harry, Tom did not realise that there is a connection until the attack on Arthur. Afterwards, he started using it deliberately!" He took a deep breath and continued, sounding very exhausted.

From Christmas on, Harry's lessons in Occlumency with the technically very competent Snape had begun, where the beginning had been very difficult and not very promising. That was also his mistake as he had forgotten the hatred that hindered Snape, or rather, he hadn't taken it seriously enough!

Hello? Every blind person could see that Snape loved Harry like a son! I was about to hit my head against the wall with force. It hurt!

Although I was grateful, as the relationship had steadily improved since Harry's and Snape's mental collision when Snape's memories of his difficult school days had been revealed. Well, Snape was as snappy, mean, and spiteful as ever, but Harry was courtesy and correctness personified since the unfortunate incident. The professor didn't perceive it as an attempt to make fun of his person - which it wasn't - so he just paid less attention to Harry and hence their relationship had improved remarkably. It was almost as if they accepted and respected each other's existence.

An enormous step for both of them, and I was glad for I knew how hard it was for the professor to accept Harry's new and very correct behaviour towards him. For Harry, it pleased me as he left behind a part of his past and was no longer deterred by Snape's rough exterior. It meant that he tried to look behind the masks of people who didn't wear them for the joy of it.

And Dumbledore, who didn't have the faintest idea about all this? He fabulated about the hatred of Harry's father which had led to Snape becoming an unfit teacher in the area and Harry's failure to learn successfully. And he explained that Harry hadn't understood why Snape had been giving him this lesson, and so the Dark Lord had had a chance to manipulate Harry's mind with the visions.

Aha, very well thought out, Professor Dumbledore. Harry and Snape were to blame that Dumbledore's clever plan to make Harry a master in Occlumency in such a short time - and although he had suspected the connection for fourteen years - didn't work out. Very surprising that this project had failed, my sarcasm got the better of me.

Yeah, right. That had to be it.

By his standard, Harry had made amazing progress over the last few weeks under the tutelage of Snape and me, given that his mind was under fire every night, and it absolutely should be acknowledged. You just couldn't expect miracles. Harry didn't have the cold, structured mind of Professor Snape or me. His mind worked very differently and so this field of magic was not easy for Harry to learn. That made it all the more incomprehensible that Harry hadn't been taught this subject by Dumbledore since his very first year.

He didn't even consider that Harry had been in such a pent-up emotional state through this all, all the dreams and vision; that he had been so curious, so incited by the Lord, that he could no longer defend himself without having to worry about going crazy. With the background knowledge that anyone who knew anything would tell him nothing, absolutely nothing at all, the circumstances could drive such a spirited mind as Harry's to the verge of despair. It would have done that to me too, I, who had to get to the bottom of all secrets.

"I know by now that you talked to Kreacher through the Floo. He lied to you, Harry, and he did so on behalf of Narcissa Malfoy. Sirius was in the attic at this time with Buckbeak," Dumbledore disclosed. Well, that was only new insofar that I now knew that I would take revenge on someone very specific and that I certainly would never regard that someone as family, come what may. Delivering his own relative to the knife was despicable.

After this confession, we three sat quietly in silence and digested what had been said. We kept back the information that we had made the decision to go to the Ministry knowing that it was most likely a trap in best Dumbledore fashion. Harry and I agreed on that in silence, though he still held his head lowered like a penitent.

We heard a painful sigh emanating from Dumbledore's chest and he continued talking.

"Harry, now I come to why this all happened. There was a good reason why Voldemort came to your home on Halloween in 1981. My boy, a prophecy was made that led to Voldemort hunting you down! Since he was reborn, he has been trying to get it but as you know by now, Harry, only someone affected by the prophecy can take the orb off the shelf and he, Tom, did not want to reveal himself for that, hence his plan!" He paused for effect but when he didn't get a reaction he went on. "It's like that, Harry, back in 1981, he was only aware of part of the prediction. Now he wants to hear the rest so there would be no further, grave mistakes for him to make. He learned from his mistakes!"

If he expected Harry to react when he made his famous dramatic pause then he was wrong. My best friend was sitting there doing nothing but listening, though he did that very attentively as I could make out by his tense posture.

"Well, I've planned your life, many years ago, Harry. Your mother wove a strong protection for you out of her love for you when she died so consciously for you. I have been able to extend it and therefore, as long as you call the house of your maternal blood relatives home, you are protected by the blood protection until your seventeenth birthday because your aunt sealed the pact at that time. That's why you always have to go there for a while during the holidays!" he announced self-importantly. I didn't think that Harry was especially caring for those details right now. What was the wording of the prophecy?! He was just making a dangerous egg dance. But we both said nothing, waited quietly.

What came next was so bad that you wanted to vomit. He really was senile!

"Harry, I have to admit that, as I said, I am to blame for everything because I have made many mistakes, including the fact that I have always been reluctant to reveal the contents of the cruel prophecy to you and to burden you... with it… I wanted you to remain a child as long as you possibly could," said Dumbledore.

Um, what nonsense! When the Lord was reborn last year, Harry had been fourteen and certainly no longer a child since the night in the cemetery and ready to endure the truth. It might have helped him to find the will to successfully shield his mind. But as it was?

All right, Dumbledore wanted to leave a child its childhood when it had never had one to begin with. But well, we moved on, because now Dumbledore pulled a silvery thread from his mind, quietly working his magic with it, and before us, a scene set itself up. Harry raised his head for the first time since the conversation had started, glancing at the memory of the young Trelawney ominously proclaiming in a harsh, croaking voice:

 _"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." [*]_

The memory dissolved and Dumbledore intently watched Harry's reaction. I just sat there and maintained my indifferent mask, pondering the information I had just learned. It was staggering that it was only Harry who would able to destroy the Dark Lord. Somewhat expected but nonetheless staggering, so I also dared a side glance at Harry who had now lowered his head again and looked at the carpet with a blank expression.

Well, that was one way to react to such a dramatic prophecy about yourself... The professor did not seem pleased with Harry's apparent indifference, urgently addressing Harry:

"Well, Harry, this is the prophecy, and I hope you are ready to forgive me for not wanting to place that burden on you too early. You must know that the first two points would apply to Neville Longbottom as well. However, the spy of Voldemort who overheard this prophecy was thrown out of the Hog's Head after the first few sentences. He immediately reported them to his master who acted immediately, validating the prophecy by marking you as his equal ... Harry, you're the only one who can face him successfully!

Wow, Harry would have to become a murderer! Would he be able to do that?

Now Harry started to scare me too because he still didn't stir at this revelation of his fate and so Dumbledore spoke on desperately. It seemed like he wanted to get rid of everything he had been holding back for the last few years.

"Harry, you have a chance. You know a power Tom doesn't know, never knew and will never learn! You also unconsciously applied it today when he took possession of your mind. You are capable of positive, loving feelings, compassion and worry, which has made him unable to endure possessing you for long; it caused him physical and mental pain. You have chances against him because he won't be able to fight against it.

"Please, Harry, say something!" Dumbledore said desperately, now pleading with Harry who now raised his head very slowly and looked at the headmaster with a severe lack of emotion. No more tears, no anger, no feeling marred the young man's face.

"Well, Professor, it looks like I'm going to be either Voldemort's killer or his victim. What is there to say?" He sounded very controlled while I felt him beginning to caress the back of my hand with rough brushes of his thumb. It seemed as though it truly didn't affect Harry what his destiny was going to be.

We saw tears well up in the professor's eyes at Harry's cold demeanour and he began to cry. Man, I was uncomfortable, but I had no sympathy; he had only himself to blame. Additionally, I had my knowledge of his past. I just found it embarrassing and wasn't overly touched by his emotional outburst.

Harry had to feel the same because he suddenly got up, pulling me up alongside him. I stood next to him and looked piqued at the sobbing Dumbledore.

"If there is nothing else, Professor, we would like to retire," he informed the headmaster and pulled me to the door. We had just reached it when Dumbledore spoke hoarsely:

"Harry, please forgive an old man his mistakes ... I did not make you a Prefect this year because I did not want to impose any more responsibility on you than you had to carry already!"

Ouch, very bad choice of topic. What did he want to achieve with the statement? Harry had been heartstricken at the time. Dumbledore had been making his decisions as if Harry had known of his fate and responsibilities back then, which he didn't. It was not a good idea to remind Harry of that now.

Hence, Harry nodded brusquely and opened the door, pulled me out of the ruined office and left a grieving Dumbledore behind. Silently holding my hand, he hurried through the dark hallways and corridors of Hogwarts.

* * *

 _Don't worry, Hermione, you don't have to count the kills. We'll do that for you ;)_

 _There is an official WHF death list and at the moment, Hermione is leading with three kills, followed by a Devil's Snare (offscreen) and Bellatrix with one kill respectively._

 _If we missed any deaths up until now, please let us know!_

 _[*] cited directly from the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 37 (The Lost Prophecy)_

 _Review feedback_

 ** _1991:_** _Lucius and Hermione have a very unique dynamic. We will see more of that in the future ;) He has yet to meet her as a family member.  
_

 _Sinner: I have it on good authority that fighting scenes are difficult to write, so thank you for your appreciation :)_


	90. A Night with Harry

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **A Night with Harry**

Harry led me purposefully to the Room of Requirement. Surprisingly, when he opened the door, it revealed only a large bed inside, but Harry stepped inside with determination and downright tore his clothes off. A small door opened to the right of him which led to a tiled bathroom. He disappeared into it, not having said a word yet. I shrugged and did the same, wishing for a bath and going inside.

Under the rushing, soothing shower, I could do nothing against the tremors that invaded my body and sank to the floor, exhausted, embracing my knees with my arms and pressing my face against them. The water constantly dripped down on me and warmed me as I was so unimaginably cold, inside and out. So much had happened - almost too much in the short length of time - that I could hardly believe it. All these impressions and this mass of disturbing information made me shiver as I sat there in the shower like a lost little child with the water drumming down on me... On the other hand, how was Harry doing?

Groaning, I closed my tired, burning eyes and immediately remembered Umbridge's eyes, the eyes of Jugson, the eyes of Bole, and also the wide, disbelieving eyes of Sirius that I had been able to see so well despite the distance between us. That was what you never forgot, the eyes and the look in them. It was the final, incredulous wonderment of what they experienced when they died; the realisation, the disbelief, the alarm, the fear, and the resignation as well, and finally the acceptance of the inevitable end.

I felt no sorrow, except for Sirius. I didn't feel sorry for the others, they all deserved it. Furthermore, you saw how effective Stunning Spells had been against the Death Eaters. Their comrades-in-arms had simply revived them. Those that I had eliminated had been out of the fight for good, so it was no-one's fault but their own…

Our friends, too, had performed well considering that we had faced grown-up, determined men. Although I still doubted that they hadn't held back!

These were idle thoughts though as nobody would answer them for me.

The way it looked, Snape had actually understood Harry's hint, informed the Order, and then had come to check on us. Thinking about the way he had kept me from the fight in the Death Chamber put a confused smile on my face. In such a situation, he had seemed to have forgotten our dispute. I'd have to tell Draco; normally Snape wasn't quite so touchingly concerned.

And then Lucius! I couldn't believe it and was still a bit astonished about myself. I had stunned Remus in cold blood to save Lucius. What was wrong with me?

That was the question here. Just for the stupid face he'd made when he had realised I'd saved him, it had been worth it. He would have food for thought for a while. Although, I was sure I had distinguished that he had been waiting for the right time to spring into action and might have meant even more casualties!

What would he think had prompted me, the Mudblood, to rescue him? Him, who was hunting me - and openly confessed it to my friends, too - to spare him Azkaban and even attack Remus? _Well, my dear Lucius, I am curious to see your face when you eventually get the answer!_

And those abstruse thoughts cheered me up despite the deaths I had witnessed. Thus, I found the strength to go on. I loosened my cramped arms and stretched them, then pulled myself up and got back to my feet with new courage. _The game continues, so get a move on, Harry is waiting,_ I reminded myself _._

We survived and there was still a lot to do. We had a war to win!

My self-pity had no business here. I should rather be glad to have come out of the battle relatively unhurt. Also, I could be very proud of my achievements in the fight.

I stepped out of the bathroom into the small room in a short nightgown that I had transfigured from my cleaned clothes and saw that Harry was already lying on the big bed, staring at the ceiling without his glasses. He gave no recognisable sign that he had noticed I was approaching and seemed to be very far away with his thoughts.

It was weird that I was going to share a bed with him like that, all alone in a room. He didn't seem to want to be alone, looking for closeness, and neither did I, and I was ready to give him what he needed. It was much more intimate without the other boys in the dormitory but, oh well. I walked to the bed, pulled back the thick blanket, and snuggled into the sheets. I had healed myself in the bathroom; there were no serious injuries for which I would need a healer. I had also treated myself to one or two potions and now held two vials out for Harry which earned me his attention.

"What's that? I won't take Dreamless Sleep!" Oh ho! Since today there seemed to be a new Harry James Potter. Sounding so harsh, everything soft and childlike seemed to be banished from his voice. He gave me a cold, assessing look.

"Pain Reliever and Strengthening Potion. You see? Look at the colours, yellow and green," I said sweetly, dismissing the accusation. "Dreamless Sleep would be red."

He looked me straight in the eye as if he wanted to check if I wanted to deceive him. I didn't and he seemed to come to the same conclusion for he decided to take the vials from me. He grimaced in disgust when he gulped them down valiantly. The potions really didn't taste pleasant.

"Do you still have injuries that need healing? It's not a hassle, only one or two spells…" I asked resolutely. I was still sitting upright while he was already lying there propped against many pillows. I knew him too well; you had to lure him because he hated it like the plague to go to a healer. However, he too hadn't emerged from the fighting without injury after all.

"Oh no, nevermind!" he said dismissively and tried to wave me off. Thereupon, I pressed my lips together aggressively and when he saw that, he sighed in annoyance but got up and stripped off his T-shirt. It was impossible to imagine something less erotic. There couldn't be any less sexual tension between us.

I just looked worried at his back first, as he had leaned forward while stripping off the shirt, and I had noticed that some Cutting Curses had probably grazed him. Nothing bad, but uncomfortable. Therefore, I cast the pinching and twinging healing spells and observed the cuts slowly mending as desired.

After a nudge against his shoulder, he sank back and presented me his battered, black-and-blue rib cage, which made me moan. Again, I went to work and healed him quite well. I couldn't do more because, unfortunately, I didn't have my salves with me. All this, I did under his watchful eyes.

As far as physical pain was concerned, Harry was like me and could probably teach me a thing or two. Barely noticing or unwilling to acknowledge it, he, too, seemed to be used to pain, not just mental, but physical pain as well. That earned my respect, just like his endurance of Umbridge's blood quill. He would never have gone to Pomfrey for the abuse. In that regard, Harry was tough and very stubborn.

"You're done. Unfortunately, I have no salves at hand."

"That doesn't matter. It will be fine, thank you!" Harry replied. He flopped back into the pillows without putting his white shirt back on and I laid back as well and pulled the cover over us.

We laid in silence for a long time in the Room of Requirement which was lit only by the fire of the small hearth and it seemed as if each of us was caught in their own gloomy thoughts. I waited fatefully for the questions that would await me probably sooner rather than later.

Again and again, I heard the rustling of the sheets when Harry twisted or turned. He was restless. I was relatively calm and still trapped in Dumbledore's stories and revelations. Above all, I recited the prophecy over and over in my mind. Poor Harry! Murderer or victim. Murderer or victim!

I repeated it in my head again and again, and, finally, came to the decision that I would do anything so that Harry would not become the helpless victim. I would make sure that he was ready to become the murderer, with all the consequences entailed.

His rough, hoarse voice rose in the silence of the small room and I knew he wasn't looking at me.

"Sirius is dead." The statement was softly spoken while his voice trembled with suppressed emotions.

"Yes, Harry, he is with your parents now," I tried to cheer him up with this admittedly not very comforting perspective.

"Um… he briefly called me James during the battle," Harry mentioned, heartbroken.

"Really? Well, he always saw your father in you," I explained rather sparingly and briefly angered by Sirius' inability to see Harry for himself and not only as a bad substitute for James.

"Yeah, that must be it. I ... Do you think he's... up there somewhere?" He waved his hand through the air as if he couldn't grasp the word he was looking for.

"Harry, I think he's with your parents; finally reunited with his friends. His life had been botched for years!" I said harshly and very pragmatic. He groaned.

"Yes, you're right. Twelve years of Azkaban leave its mark. But I'll miss him, I... it hurts even more if you lose your family so consciously!" he exclaimed and held his breath.

"Oh yes, Harry, I believe you, I believe you very much!" I agreed full of sympathy. I meant my words very seriously and honestly, thinking immediately of what I would do to my parents on our first day of holidays. As Harry had said, to lose one's family so consciously... It probably couldn't get more consciously than how I planned to handle the matter and oh yes, that would hurt, but it had to be done so I would do it, the decision had been made.

"Now there's only you left Hermione," he announced sadly, but also with something like hope in his voice. I felt him turn his head slowly to look at me and I mirrored his action without hurry. In the faint glow of the fire, I registered the tired, unhappy expression in his eyes and gazed at him sadly.

"Oh Harry! It means a lot to me to hear you say that! I belong to you and you belong to me... yes... and I think you have many questions," I nibbled nervously at my lower lip after this admission that we were family for each other.

"Thank… thank you for saying that. It means a lot to me, too! And yes, you guessed right. I just don't know whether I could bear to hear it right now. That was a bit much today, unbelievably so…" he said, slightly shaky, but he valiantly fought back his sobs and put his arm over his eyes so he didn't have to see anything anymore.

"Do you want to talk about the most important topic? Dumbledore and the prophecy?" I offered gently and would be grateful for the breather.

"Hm, I don't know. What's there to talk about the bloody orb? Now we know it! But honestly, I don't need a prophecy to realise that Voldemort has been after me for years. Haven't I opposed him year after year?! I think it's all a lot of nonsense and it makes me mad that Sirius lost his life over that. He is dead, dammit!" He breathed heavily, ramming his fists into the mattress on both sides of his body in a fit of rage.

"Alright, Harry, ask something else! What do you want to know?" I offered quickly. I wanted to distract him urgently; not that he conjured another magical storm. One per day was enough. It wasn't good for his magic to get so thoroughly depleted.

"Malfoy! What was that about? What did he mean by biting and blood? It looked like you knew each other and let's say... It was pretty obvious what he wanted from you!" His voice had assumed a distinctly suspicious tone.

"Well, what he alluded to happened at the Ministry during the Christmas Ball," I began cautiously and slightly despondent but could read in Harry's face, which he had turned to me, that this wasn't really a surprise to him. That, however, was one for me and so I straightened up slightly, blinking at him in consternation. "You knew that I was at the ball? How?"

"Yes, I did and I always wondered why you didn't tell me. What's so secret about it?" he asked urgently, leaving me with my mouth open. There was so much more to Harry than everyone thought and even I seemed to make the mistake of underestimating him sometimes. Because he had been patient for a surprisingly long time.

"I'll tell you in a second. But please tell me first, how did you know?" I asked curiously which elicited a soft smile over my impatience.

"How? That bothers you, doesn't it? Well, love, Viktor and I, we write to each other from time to time. He told me about your visit and that you were suddenly gone without a trace! And that you apologised to him by owl only two days later, that there had been an emergency and, unfortunately, you had had to leave immediately."

"Viktor!" I breathed in realisation. I had actually lost sight of him. If I had continued to have a great deal of contact with him, Draco would have probably thrown a fit. Not good, not good at all! "Uhm… Yes, right. The scene that Lu… Malfoy described took place at the ball. He hunted me down and backed me into a corner. He…" I mauled my lip again, sinking back into the pillows and instinctively grabbing my shoulder.

"And? He… bit you, really? Was he serious about that?" Harry looked at me incredulously.

"Yes, he bit my shoulder. That hurt a lot, but that's about it. Then, he had to give a speech and I got out of there as soon as possible!"

"He's sick. I can't believe that. Why did he bite you?" Harry had propped himself up onto his arm and now looked intently into my face, grimacing in disgust. "I mean, that's disgusting!"

Wasn't he cute? Harry really did know so little about sexuality that it hurt! But how was he supposed to know that this was a purely sexual, erotic game of cat-and-mouse Lucius had started here? A painful and extremely daring game. Harry didn't understand that though and I stayed silent for a moment. How should I explain that to him? Should I get started with the birds and the bees now?

No, certainly not. Sirius had just died; it would be irreverent to talk about sex right now.

I examined Harry's face hovering above me. He looked down at me with an expression both questioning and demanding.

"Well, you're seriously asking me why he bit me?" I made sure.

"Yes, I am. Why and what blood did he refer to?" he nagged me further, his interest clear to me.

"Geesh, Harry," I squirmed and then turned completely, facing him. He also sank back into the pillows so that we now lay face to face to each other.

"Well, it was pure ... sex. Harry, it should provoke, humiliate, degrade and he bit hard enough to break the skin! He is a Death Eater, what do you expect? It's an erotic, devious game for him!" I attempted to explain.

Harry looked at me wide-eyed and shook his head, his features twisting in disgust.

"Really sick. How do you know? You stay so cool... Do you have experience with something like that?" The lack of understanding almost jumped out of his innocent green eyes.

"Harry, not today, please. I don't want to talk about a topic like that, not right now," I requested deadly seriously, believing that if I talked about sex now I would have to think about Sirius and about Cedric and then I would get a stomachache. Not today, during the holidays, yes! But today, I didn't want to think about sex and so I slid closer to Harry, snuggled up to his bare chest and enjoyed his warmth and he granted my request for closeness and didn't force the subject, for now.

"You wanted to know what I did in the Ministry. I was where we went today. There is a… hall, the Hall of Archives and-" I said quietly and broke off when he yelled into my ear all of a sudden:

"You broke in!"

Startled, I pulled my head back to look at him in surprise and to get my sense of hearing to safety.

"What did we all do together today?" I silenced him and reminded him accusingly that we had all broken into the Ministry together today. "Although, if I'm not mistaken, you suspected that already when you eyed me so weirdly in the round entrance hall, didn't you?"

"That's right. I thought it strange that you obviously knew all the pitfalls already and mastered them so easily, without thinking. You usually only act like that if you are familiar with something, otherwise, you would have approached the matter much more carefully, would have checked and tested a lot more diligently!" he confessed. I had known for a long time that his talent for observation was pretty well developed, which he confirmed here and, apparently, he knew me just too well.

"Yes, exactly and that's why I was already familiar with the premises. What did I want there? Well, I wanted information and some of it you can only get in the archives. Quite simple!"

"Do you want me to pester you for more details? What kind of information could have been so important that you dared to go alone? Breaking into the Ministry! If they had caught you, you would have landed in Azkaban. Are you crazy? Did you stop to think about what could have happened to you?!" He was very upset and glared at me angrily.

"It certainly wasn't free of danger, but I got in and out without anybody knowing, so everything went perfectly. I'm good, very good at things like that!" I admitted not without pride.

"That sounds like it wasn't your first exploit in this regard." Suspicious, he raised an eyebrow.

"You remember the potion in our second year?" I whispered, calling the Polyjuice incident to mind.

"Of course, but it sounds much more practised from your mouth," he questioned suspiciously. Gosh, since when was Harry so keen-eared and far-sighted? That would make everything a lot harder. Where was my old Harry? He had probably disappeared last night together with Sirius and left behind this suspicious, but very grown-up young man.

"Mhm... let's just say cracking Snape's door as a second year and not getting busted was much more difficult and time-consuming than storming the Department of Mysteries!" I summed up soberly and pronounced my crushing verdict on the Ministry.

"I take your word for that! Don't keep me in suspense any longer. What were you searching for?" he begged with open curiosity.

"Dumbledore, I've collected a lot of information about Dumbledore. Unfortunately, I don't have the evidence and documents at hand, but I went there just because of him and his past!" I revealed quietly and nibbled again on my lower lip.

"Whaaaat?! Why?" Harry hissed in astonishment.

"That's a long story. Sure you want to hear that now?" I enquired tiredly.

"Sure, everything that occupies my mind and distracts me is good," he affirmed fervently and I conceded with a huff as he wanted answers now.

"Well, then... My search was successful, I found…" I started my long monologue about the family trees. That Albus' mother, Kendra, was a Muggleborn, that his father Percival was pure-blooded, that he had a brother, Aberforth, who was the owner of Hog's Head, and that there had also been a sister, Ariana.

I told him what Bathilda Bagshot had told me and revealed to me about the life of the Dumbledores.

I summarised what happened to Ariana at the tender age of six, what his father did, how the family kept everything silent. How everyone died, except for Albus and his brother... about the friendship and relationship with Gellert Grindelwald. That they had lived together for a year in the house, that they had planned a lot; about the book that I still had to work through, about the recurrent, outlandish sign on the coats and the spine and in the handwritten notes of the book! Questions about questions; and that after Arianna's mysterious death, Albus and Gellert went to Europe together.

I admitted that I hadn't been able to dig up any more elemental information; also that Dumbledore had successfully erased all traces of the family. All this knowledge I relayed to him, without ever being interrupted by Harry. He kept quiet and listened, remaining very calm and listening to everything until the end, when I fell silent, took a deep breath and waited for his opinion, for his reaction.

And waited and waited.

I was breathing hard, not knowing how he would react. I hoped he understood.

"Say, Hermione, what got into you that you didn't tell me something important like this before now! That you didn't trust me from the beginning! What came over you?" he shouted at me, enraged, straightening up. He now sat upright in the bed, fuming mad, glaring at me. He looked downright impressive as he loomed above me with a bare chest that was no longer that of a child, giving free rein to his anger and his wrath which was almost palpable, if not to say, tangible.

"What did I do that you don't trust me?!" he shouted loudly and I didn't even try to answer. "Bloody answer, dammit!" He got threateningly close, his lips pinched in anger.

"Tell, would you have let me go?" I whispered softly and pushed back into my pillow. The strength to keep upright had left me after this long day.

"Bloody hell, no! That was all much too dangerous!" He was still raging and beating his fist aggressively into the soft mattress from time to time.

"It wasn't. Please calm down. I'm much too good for that and don't forget the knowledge we gained…" I tried to placate him.

"Yes, great! Today is a day I learn things I never wanted to learn and experience! Great. What should one think about Dumbledore now? You really believe that he is gay and had a relationship with Grindelwald? The Grindelwald? And that he sent his lover to prison? Great, just great!" he gasped out, sinking his hands into his shaggy hair to tear at it. I groaned.

"Yes, I think so. As soon as you see the photo you will believe it, too," I prophesied earnestly.

"Nah, I believe you anyway... But what's the point to his whole behaviour? I don't understand him and I think that I never did!" He was rubbing his face desperately, tired and disappointed.

"I also don't know what's going on in his brain. I think he has radically renounced the Dark side and is now very Light. However, he overlooks the fact that he cannot win this new war by Light means alone. Just look at the prophecy concerning you!" I shared my views with him.

"You mean the part that I have to become Voldemort's murderer to eliminate him?" he asked timidly and thus we suddenly changed the subject.

"Yes!" I stated harshly and with determination.

"Too right. How would I do this with purely Light means? With love? Please, please, dear Voldemort, I love you and now do me the favour and drop dead? He would rather kill himself laughing and I would make a fool out of myself," the words came so drily over Harry's lips that despite the horribly tragic circumstances I got a laughing fit over his cynicism.

Sorry, but he had said it so ironically, it was just too glorious and he, too, had to smirk when he noticed my amusement about his sarcastic words. It was as if the ice of his annoyance was breaking and then he also was laughing aloud. Yes, picturing this scene had something hilarious!

He fell back into the pillows and chuckled hysterically, just like me, until slowly the silence returned and Harry returned to letting the new information sink in. I also tried to reconcile my insights into Dumbledore's past with his present-day revelations about Harry.

I have to say, I believed Dumbledore that he had planned everything as he had said. Only, what I absolutely couldn't understand was his unwillingness to counteract the fate. Why the hell hadn't he prepared Harry much earlier? With the knowledge of the prophecy, Harry should have gotten prepared for war from the very first moment!

The excuse of wanting to leave him his childhood didn't do much for me. First, what childhood? The Dursleys hadn't given him anything resembling a youth worth living in and when school started we were exposed to the Dark Lord's attacks from the first day. At least since then, after the first year, Dumbledore should have taken action and trained Harry in general, but above all his mind, to protect himself effectively. Why did he do it so late? Why with so much delay?

We both shared our thoughts, discussing them intensively. We neither found rest nor sleep, hence we lay in bed and talked about Dumbledore. Harry was still a little miffed about my solitary ways but also pleased with the information I had found out because of them, so he was very divided, but at least he was no longer openly angry with me. The rest would subside with time, I hoped.

"Hermione, as I said, you are the only one I would still call family. Although I expect complete openness and honesty from now on, otherwise, I'll have to react accordingly," Harry threatened me frankly, eying me both crossly and sternly while at the same time delicately brushing a strand of my curly hair out of my face.

"I know, Harry, and as you can imagine I still have a lot to confess, a great lot, but do you really want me to start now? It's going to be extensive. Do you have the strength to handle that right now?" I offered him. If he wanted to know everything straight away, I would tell him without reservation, even if I had planned it differently.

"No, definitely not! Cold shivers run down my spine when you say it that way. At a moment like this, I don't even know if I want to know, believe me. But we have seen with Dumbledore where silence leads to and therefore I won't run from your truths. Just not today. I would like to take your offer and have you tell me everything during the holidays. I have to think about so much and if all your news are so world-shaking for me, that would really be too much and I want to make sensible, well-thought-out decisions; Which I'm not able to do right now. Do you think you can really get me out of the house?" he explained unusually grown-up and patiently. He, apparently, just wanted to assure himself that I really would be able to do what I had promised.

"You have truly grown up a lot, Harry!" I said proudly and cupped his cheek with my hand.. "Hey, and sure, of course! I can get inside and out of pretty much everywhere, believe me!" He gave me a disarming smile.

"Oh yes, unfortunately. Anything childlike left in me died tonight, Hermione. So dead, just like Sirius! I am no longer a child. How would I? I realised that this past year, after Cedric's death, I have been desperately trying to cling to the childhood, the joyous childish school days that Hogwarts promised me. But I now understand very clearly that this was an elusive tactic, one that won't help me anything here. This is war! In the Ministry, I felt briefly like on a battlefield ... I left the room with the basins because I wanted them to follow me, me and the bloody orb, so you and everyone else would stay unhurt. And already, I start to break my new principles as I don't dare to ask you about the others: Ron, Ginny ... Luna and Neville!" he sighed deeply and sounded very lost, but also moved in his hurtful openness.

"Well, then I'll answer you: Nothing happened to Ron, he just sat there and laughed. Ginny woke up again from the stunner, only her ankle was causing her problems, but she grit her teeth amazingly. She cried but I told her to revive Luna, who collided quite unfortunately with a table and fell to the floor and will have a bump to show for it, and then to leave the Department of Mysteries. Neville was doing relatively well, he even tried to help Shacklebolt... And I - well, you saw it, not much happened to me!" I summarised.

"Thank god, nothing too bad happened to our friends thanks to our, to my decision. I couldn't bear to lose another one because of a bloody prophecy that the old crock knew anyway!" His eyes began to glow ominously in the darkness of the room as if there was a fire burning inside him.

"Harry, calm down!" I said sternly and nudged him.

"Bloody how? When I think what all wouldn't have happened if the oh-so-great Dumbledore had just gotten his mouth open earlier. Sirius could still live! Oh, everything's crap. My life was never different; I should have died back then!" he declared bitterly.

"No, don't say that!" I yelped and launched myself at him, clutching him like a monkey, holding tight and not letting go.

"But it is true! Do you know what makes me really angry? I think he didn't really fight for Sirius at the time... because he wanted to leave me at the Dursleys, for the greater good and his stupid blood protection!" Harry said accusingly. "If Sirius hadn't been incarcerated in Azkaban, he would have taken me in and that didn't fit into Dumbledore's great plan. He himself said that he had planned my life after that fateful Halloween and he seems to sacrifice everything to the great good. I feel like one of Ron's pawns on the chessboard!" he ranted into my hair, pressing my face to his chest.

"Rather like a king," I added dryly.

"Or that. Still a chess piece, though. I'm fed up with everything going over my head and you too don't come away favourably!"

I put my head back to look at him after these accusing words and got another glare.

"Sorry. But accept that you know that I was right to keep silent in the beginning. How could I have told you that? Ron, Ginny, the Weasleys, alas, everyone wouldn't understand my actions and why I'm doing this, no matter what I found out, and until recently you wouldn't either; you would have damned me!" I explained myself forcefully. Harry was silent for a moment, thinking.

"Mm-hm... when I think about it ... Yeah, you're right, I'd have judged you and not for the better! Burglary... running away, keeping so much to yourself. That with Malfoy on the ball, that's also difficult to swallow - and I'll want more detail on that later - but I can promise you one thing: I'll never act rashly anymore. I'd rather sleep one more night on a decision. I can understand that in your ingenious super brain you'd already come to the realisation that something's wrong with Dumbledore," he laughed with little humour, "and it has also been confirmed, so I'll always give you the chance to justify yourself. I can also understand why you wanted to tell me later. I wouldn't have believed you at the beginning of the year, and even with evidence, I would have struggled to see in him the Dumbledore you described and depicted. However, as I said, nothing is the same as it was yesterday and so I believe you. Why should a person make so much effort to shroud his past in the fog of oblivion if there is not something fishy going on?" Harry concluded with an absolute conviction.

"You don't trust him anymore?" I dared to ask.

"Conditionally, I don't trust him because he doesn't tell everything as he is such a secret monger, so I am very restrained and careful. But what I surely am is angry, unspeakably angry, that he has the arrogance to decide about my life since I was a little child and even now. We see what came out of it, a fucked childhood and now every year a fiasco, one bigger than the last." he replied, agitated, and I realised that he was right. Harry was amazingly clear-sighted while we talked and reconciled. "Unlike you ... you also didn't tell me everything but you were always at my side, every year, always very close. Without you and your research I wouldn't have survived the first and second year, the third year for sure, and the fourth year, without your support. And the incident in the Department of Mysteries as well because I wouldn't even have escaped from Umbridge's sausage-like fingers. He always arrives only when everything has already happened, but you, you are always there when it happens!"

For a while, we lay in the protective embrace of each other's arms.

"We should get up, what time is it?" I mumbled and checked, jerking up when I saw the time. "What? It's ten o'clock?! We should get started and make our way to the hospital wing soon."

"Hm? Why soon?" he wanted to know and yawned heartily.

"If Pomfrey has given them a potion they'll sleep until noon so we should try to catch some breakfast, or what do you think?"

"Yes, you are right. Come on, let's go," he groaned and you could see that he would have prefered to never go out of that room again. Thus, we got up after a sleepless night, went to our respective bathrooms and got ready. It was always nice to experience what magic made possible, otherwise, we would have had to go to the dorm first. This way, we were able to make do without.

When we saw each other face to face in the daylight of the Room, I swallowed hard. Harry looked different from yesterday, his facial features much more mature and grown-up; a bitter expression seemed to have chiselled itself into his face. Sirius' death affected him deeply. The glow of his green eyes seemed subdued and a hitherto unknown hardness had taken residence in their depths. And when I looked at him, smiling sadly, he held out his hand to me in a silent promise and when I took it with a firm conscience and squeezed determinedly, I also gave him a promise that from the summer onwards there should be nothing between us. Right now, as knackered and exhausted as he seemed, he wouldn't be able to bear any more shocking news. He looked like he was carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders.

"Come, the world is waiting for us. Let's show them what it means to tangle with us!" were Harry's definite words. His voice, too, seemed deeper and more mature than before.

Thus, we crossed the threshold together and faced the day after!

* * *

 _Review feedback:_

 _ **1991:** That's the problem with having hundreds of chapters already there, you just can't read them... And Google translate really doesn't do it justice. Let me know if you decide to actually learn German for us :D_

 _ **Sinner:** Is it bad when I say that I'm happy you are afraid?_


	91. The Day After

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy

* * *

 **The Day After**

We were standing in front of the tapestry and the door was just disappearing in our backs as we saw a petite person with hectic red spots on her cheeks and a hand clapped over her mouth, running desperately through the corridor, sobbing.

Her long, light-brown hair wafted after her and when she saw us, her green eyes twitched fearfully and became wide. Her gaze fell on our clasped hands and her expression got a tad more hurt and sad. She quickened her pace even more, seeming very confused when she rushed towards the Astronomy Tower. It was strange that she was so far away from her territory, especially alone. I glanced carefully at Harry who wistfully followed the female student with his eyes.

"What is wrong with her?" he asked me worriedly and with a frown.

"Well, the Daily Prophet must have arrived and there probably is an article about Death Eaters getting arrested at the Ministry and as far as I know, her father was in the D-" I swallowed the rest, not wanting to remind Harry of Sirius, but he understood my allusion regardless.

"Yes, right. I heard Malfoy screaming 'Greengrass'. But what's the matter with her? She looked down," he said cluelessly. Nice to see that not everything changed overnight, I thought slightly spiteful and I was sorry for myself.

"Well Harry, I don't know what you would feel if your father's name is recognised as a Death Eater, plus everybody at school knowing it, and he's now rotting in Azkaban? Harry, not all are used to being the focus of everyone's attention as much as you!" I explained matter-of-factly and his eyes grew big.

"Oh, the poor girl. Do you think she's supporting… well, you know, Voldemort?" He looked at me in anxious anticipation of my assessment of Daphne because, as he said that night, he trusted my judgment. Well, I would be able to make him happy. Hopefully, this helped him a little to get over Sirius' loss.

"No, I don't think so. She doesn't appear to have the same stance as other Slytherins. Why don't you ask her?" I advised him encouragingly, patting his cheek.

"Um, how?!" he asked with uncertainty and looked in the direction where she had disappeared.

"Well," I visibly rolled my eyes, "there is no better moment than right now. Get your butt to the Astronomy Tower and hold a bloody handkerchief in front of her running nose. You'll be able to conjure one, right? And then you'll tell her that you're sorry and that you know that Azkaban is horrible but she should be happy that he's alive - after all, you lost someone yesterday and it would do you good to talk about it with some uninvolved who didn't know Siri... who didn't know him but is also struggling with a loss after that night. Maybe you will become closer. Be cool, Harry! Yesterday, when you faced the Dark Lord, you weren't scared, and believe me, Fudge shit himself when he saw Him for a very short moment! So go for it!" I pushed him resolutely in her direction.

"No, I can't do this; I don't even know her!" he protested, running a hand desperately through his shaggy hair.

"Yeah, and if you don't get a move on, you never will, Harry! We'll meet at noon at the hospital wing. I'll bring sandwiches. And now gather your lion courage and charge into battle! Comfort her, I'm serious. Ask her what she has to expect at home; others can also have difficult family situations! And there won't be a better chance to get her alone, far away from the other snakes. Take your chance. You like her!" I continued to implore him.

"Oh-oh, Hermione, why does it feel like you once again know more than you are telling me? As if you are trying to steer me gently into a certain direction?" That suspicious glimmer reappeared in his green eyes.

"Because maybe I am? She is a nice girl and now go!" I admitted quite briskly but also readily, pushing him forcefully, and watched as he gave up, striding first slowly and then faster and faster towards the tower. He also straightened up before turning the corner. Finally! I crossed my fingers. They would be so cute together.

Phew, that took some doing. Hopefully, dear Harry won't cock it up. I really hoped so; the little girl was genuinely likeable.

I walked on in high spirits. Due to the fact that I wanted the best for Harry, I realised that life had to go on, no matter how dramatic and difficult everything was, it always kept going.

I approached the noisy Great Hall and thanks to my very late arrival I saw myself once again, only this time I was alone in the centre of attention. At the very start of our table, I ripped the Prophet out of the hand of a little second year of my House and stared at the photo on the front page. How did Snape always phrase it so lovely? You wanted to vomit. Yes, that was the feeling I had to suppress heroically when I looked at the picture accompanying the headline.

Harry and I, both of us in the totally ruined atrium with the destroyed fountain and the completely demolished, once glorious hall. There wasn't much left. Although we looked terrible too. My face was all scratched up, decorated with a lot of dried blood, while Harry looked even more desolate and our clothes were tattered rags. We knelt in front of each other and Harry held my hand in one of his and with the other, he gently touched and caressed my injured cheek with a spaced-out expression. It would be a poignant photo in itself because we knew what we had just overcome. It was also a very intimate photo as it revealed our solidarity in this trying situation and the Wizarding World had no bloody business intruding on that moment.

But I also knew it looked like more than it was, much like in our fourth year. However, now I understood Daphne's look when she saw me and Harry in the corridor. I was sure, though, that Harry could clear up this misunderstanding.

I was more worried about a certain fair-haired Highness who could misunderstand that and I wasn't even talking about Harry and myself now, rather about the danger I had gotten myself into. I looked very battered and I knew he wouldn't like that at all. I looked up quickly, casting a cautious glance at the Slytherins, but to my bewilderment, I saw no white-blond head. Hence, I moved my gaze down the line until I reached Blaise who gave me a look that said that Draco had yet to show his face today.

Since my brain was still a little foggy from lack of sleep and coffee and only slowly began to work properly, I just now got the brilliant thought that Lucius would have certainly summoned his son. Draco probably wouldn't come back until later. So, unobtrusively, I signalled my understanding to Blaise with a nod who replied with a slight lifting of the corners of his mouth. Wasn't it nice that our wordless communication worked so smoothly? I was still facing the staring crowd who didn't take its eyes off my face and watched my every reaction while reading the article for I was the only one of us who had come to the Great Hall. The others who had gone on this adventure with us were still in the infirmary.

I watched as the students stared at the newspaper and then focused on me again, very incredulous that I had been to the Ministry in London last night and was now back here. The excited whispering was evident and I swiftly sat down, poured myself my essential cup of coffee and quickly ate a sandwich, all while everyone at my table watched me curiously. They didn't actually dare to talk to me while I started to prepare sandwiches for Harry. I wanted to get out of here, the gawking was annoying and I felt uncomfortable. I wanted to get away, far away from this ignorant bunch.

The Prophet finally wrote that the Dark Lord was back and that this was officially confirmed by all sides and that we - therefore the dramatic photo - had successfully captured several Death Eaters in the Ministry. Then the list of prisoners followed, and I also noticed now the many hostile looks students were occasionally throwing at the Slytherin table since the prisoners had, if any, all their children in this House. Poor Daphne! I also felt sorry for Nott. Crabbe, however, had too thick a skin for him to care.

It was also widely proclaimed that Dumbledore was rehabilitated and reinstated in all his offices, thus he would also get officially re-appointed as Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Hermione, is it true?" Dean had apparently taken a heart and asked me bravely, rising to his feet. Suddenly, there was a ghostly silence in the Great Hall and everyone looked at me with greed in their eyes, craving for sensation.

I looked up slowly and gazed into Dean's curious but also anxious-looking eyes which were almost threatening to jump out of his dark-skinned face. With a sigh, I brushed back a strand of my hair that bothered me, like so many things.

"Yeah, Dean, the Prophet writes the truth. It has been proven that he is back," I said coldly and emotionlessly in a crazily bad mood.

"That's not what I meant. Is it true that you captured Death Eaters? Here is written that one is dead! Was that one of you? I mean, you took Ginny, my girlfriend, along with you; I want to know more!" he demanded rather aggressively. If he knew he was talking to Jugson's killer. The article said that only Jugson had died, that means Nott and Crabbe senior had survived. Unfortunately, the article didn't elaborate what had happened to them all.

It started to seethe inside me. The events had left a mark on me as well. I had performed my first two murders with an _Avada_ and then so shortly after each other. This wasn't easy for me and then the misfortune of Sirius death... I, too, reached my limits and with one more person thinking they could spout stupidities at me, I struggled to hold onto my carefully maintained composure. Hence, I turned around very slowly, now sitting with my face to the aisle and had my elbows propped on the table behind me with provocative nonchalance. It was a challenging posture. He should really reconsider to make a go at me. I didn't have to do anything! I hated to justify myself.

I cocked my head and was aware that everyone was watching us. Even the teachers seemed to watch eagerly from their dais. Only Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape were missing. We all eyed each other, everyone curious about how I would react, what I would say.

"What do you want to know? Doesn't the photo say enough already? We fought and... hm ... Can we say 'won' if two people lost their lives? I don't think so. Ginny is fine; I sent her away. And now stop bothering me, my mood hasn't been the best since yesterday!" I demanded in a controlled but icy voice and looked around coldly.

"Why? Because you thought you had to shove your weights around again? There are Aurors for that, but you had to get back into the press!" he asked angrily and I was close to a mental blackout and there was no one there who usually grounded me.

No Harry, Ron, Ginny, the Twins, nor Draco! Especially Draco, or even Snape.

So I got up like a feline predator with a blank expression on my face and I could see everyone moving away with their bodies and drawing back, the professors also getting restless as I moved so threateningly, dangerously slowly towards Dean. I was about to pounce on him.

"You should be careful what you say, Dean! Just a well-intended piece of advice, maybe you're just now talking to the one who performed the murders!" I breathed icily into the oh-so-quiet Hall. For the first time, I spoke the truth and heard hectic gasping in reply. I watched Dean's eyes grow wide when I provoked him like that.

Suddenly, I heard a loud noise. Someone had banged on the table and pulled me out of my trance. It was Blaise who looked at me with a furious face and proclaimed:

"Granger, don't be ridiculous. You, the perfect Mudblood, as if you could bring another spell than _Stupefy_ over your law-abiding lips. Don't make yourself out to be more important than you are. The press is going to your head!" He imitated Draco's manner of speaking.

I was positively dumbfounded and understood only later that he had tried to ground me, to anchor me. To be the anchor that the others used to be for me, but they were absent right then. I think he had felt that I was about to do some ill-considered action and though he glared at me evilly, I could see his concern for me in the depths of his dark eyes.

Blaise was the best. It was nice to see that he knew me so well by now and I him; that we had become such good friends in the time between Christmas and now.

"Oh, you are one to speak, Zabini, because you know me so well? I don't care about the press!" I hissed. Everyone stared at us and, covertly, I gave him a grateful look for having me brought back from my tunnel vision.

His Slytherins, too, stared at him in bewilderment. They didn't know Blaise to behave like that, who was mostly calm and prudent, and rather had a take-it-easy attitude, hence the snakes were more than surprised even if they would never say anything to him. Thanks to Draco, he had an undisputed position within their hierarchy as the right hand of my fair-haired beau. As the latter was far away from Hogwarts at the moment, Draco's right hand led the house, and in this case, that was Blaise.

"How dare you use that foul word, Mr Zabini?!" Professor Sprout snapped, interrupting our drama.

"I apologise, Professor!" we replied in unison. We didn't get any further, because at that moment the three missing professors stepped through the wide-open doors of the Great Hall with very pale, tired faces and looked around the room. McGonagall still didn't look fully recovered from the stunners she'd been on the receiving end on. Her cheeks seemed downright gaunt.

Dean and I were still in the aisle, and Blaise standing upright at his House table when Dumbledore first showed himself to the students as the re-appointed headmaster. He stopped, lifting his white brow deliberately, and looked at us quizzically as our attitude to each other was still aggressive. Outwardly, I didn't do anything, just returned his gaze, but I fortified my Occlumency shields while I stared back, recalling yesterday's scenes when he had wept so openly in front of Harry and me.

Dumbledore had returned, as it seemed, to his former strength and confidence as he controlled the Great Hall with his aura. However, I was not afraid of his assessing gaze and remained quite relaxed in the face of it. Then I could feel Snape's searching and scrutinizing look on me, which gave me a slight case of goosebumps, and I suppressed the tremor of my body as I knew those dark observant eyes on me.

A storm of voices erupted as Dumbledore stopped in the middle of the Hall, flanked by McGonagall and Snape, until he raised both his hands and asked for silence.

"Dear students, as you are bound to have read in today's newspaper, yesterday events came thick and fast and I have been reinstated as Headmaster of Hogwarts," he let this information, which everybody already knew on the basis of the article, sink in. Then he cleared his throat to continue.

"And that brings me to the next tragic event: Today, our colleague, Dolores Jane Umbridge, was retrieved dead from the Forbidden Forest by me and my two colleagues here. The circumstances of her death will have to be investigated. I ask you to rise and commemorate her at this minute with the respect that is her due!" he requested solemnly and when he explained that there was another fatality here on Hogwarts grounds, many of the students jumped in shock and some girls clapped their hands over their mouths in surprise.

Another death. Just last year Cedric, now a professor, even if it was the hated toad. Everyone acted duly shocked and appalled, even the professors at the table had screamed in outrage.

Not with me!

I would do nothing for the tart that had deserved to die, and as her killer, I would have found it more macabre to behave as if I were mourning or paying her the final respect. What respect?

She had had none for us, so I had none left for her even in death. I had already paid her tribute by sending her gently to the afterlife, so completely without revenge or pain. That's why my eyes became very hard when I saw Dumbledore play-acting so good-naturedly in his forgiveness. I quietly turned to my prepared sandwiches, grabbed them, and started walking. I didn't care that my footsteps sounded twice as loud on the floor in the dead silence. I was nearing the next explosion and thus I kept walking. Many looked at me with open mouths, gasping for air in the face of my impiety.

"Miss Granger!" an angry Snape hissed and I raised my eyebrow. What did he want? Oh ... I forgot. Always maintain the mask, right?

"Miss Granger, we wanted to spend a minute in reverence!" Dumbledore reprimanded me with a benevolent look and I looked at him with severe scepticism, like yesterday in his office.

"Practice your remembrance, but without me, Sir," I told him as cold as yesterday, walking past him, leaving him behind me, and sensed McGonagall turning around quickly.

"Miss Granger, what do you allow yourself to talk to the headmaster like that?! How do you actually allow yourself to behave? What is your justification?" she raged and pressed her thin lips together angrily, and I stopped with the sandwiches in my hand. She stared at me, outraged. Professor Dumbledore gave me a despondent look and said nothing.

"Professor, you should always consider carefully whether you want to hold me accountable in front of the public. Things could come up that you never wanted to hear, and because of this knowledge, I will silently retire and leave you all to your grief... Grant me mine, too, for people that deserve it!" I insisted firmly and rather venomously. Also, I kept very straight and refused to acknowledge the horrified faces all around me.

I fixed my stare at the old man when I pronounced my warning. My Head of House wanted to start giving me an earful when Dumbledore deeply shocked and surprised everyone - the entire Great Hall - when he put his hand on the arm of McGonagall who was trembling with anger and shook his white, old head in defeat. Something that made the professor look appalled and disbelieving as it said that he left me my opinion. Everyone could see how he lowered his head slightly, thus dismissing me and I simply took note of this without showing any trace of surprise, as I did not feel any.

I had known that I was holding all the aces and started moving to leave the hall and all the curious gossipers behind me. I could feel Snape's indifferent look right between my shoulder blades until I turned the corner and headed for the hospital wing.

I knew Dumbledore had understood my threat. However, I would like to assume that he didn't even begin to suspect a fraction of the blackmail that I had against him. Hence, I showed a profoundly malicious smile while I walked down the corridors as what he thought I knew was enough to have a hold over him. With all the knowledge that I truly possessed he belonged to me lock, stock, and barrel.

He seemed to think only of the things that had slipped from his grasp in front of Harry and the fight, but never, ever, that I knew his past. It was a pleasure to hold the reins in my hands, I thought happily. Even if my latest performance would provide fodder for conversation for the whole school, although I was well-used to it now. However, I was no longer a child who swallowed everything. And to commemorate the toad? Seriously, I didn't need to do that. I could act when it was necessary. Tears, dismay, joy, just about everything, but why should I do that here?

When I turned into the corridor with access to the hospital wing, I spotted Harry standing with Daphne at the white door to the infirmary and watched as he conversed with her in a whisper. He held her hand and she beamed at him - for heaven's sake - like he had hung the moon and stars. As it seemed, the two were getting a bit carried away as Harry didn't look really bright either. It was too sweet and distracted me, thank the goddess, from the hypocrisy happening in the Great Hall. Everybody would rather have seen Umbridge dead when she still lived and now to pretend it was the other way around was simply weak in character.

After they heard my footsteps clattering on the stone and broke apart, she quickly said goodbye to him with a slight smile and a bashful wave. When she came up to me and looked at me boldly, her eyes were still slightly misty with tears, but you could see a spark of happiness as well. I gave her an encouraging smile which seemed to astound her. She acknowledged my gesture with a visibly relieved, grateful grin as we passed each other wordlessly.

I stepped up to Harry, who followed her progress with a slightly dreamy expression. When he finally focussed his gaze on me, a beaming smile appeared on his face.

"And, did it go well? Have your fears been-" I started to ask as he interrupted me with a laugh.

"Nah! She is such a poor, strong girl. I like her, Hermione," he announced. Oh, really, I thought cynically, I didn't notice that at all.

"You don't say? Does she feel similarly?" I enquired, amused.

"Yeah, I think so, too. It was so beautiful! Come along," he pulled me to the window niche. We sat down on the windowsill and I handed him his sandwiches, which he eagerly took.

"Now, tell me," I urged him expectantly.

"Well, you were right. I approached her cautiously; the idea with the handkerchief was good. She was quite dismissive at first and said, I should go to you, my girlfriend! So I thought, I should first explain my... um, our game. She listened to me with wide eyes and then asked - quite incredulously that we're not a couple - if only I saw it that way or if you did, too!" a hungrily chewing Harry reported quick as a wand shot.

"That's good that she asks after me. And what did you say? I hope you were not mean to me and said that I was completely unattractive to you," I said jokingly.

"Eh, are you mad? No, I told her what I would tell everyone that asks: That you are the sister of my heart and will forever be, so every woman that I'll find will know that you will always be around. I also tried to hint to her in this way that you sent me to her, which she must have understood because she asked me, exactly that, very incredulously."

I found his manner dangerously touching and I patted his thigh.

"She's a Slytherin, Harry, they are very quick in the uptake," I passed on my experiences generously.

"Yeah, she is, isn't she? In any case, she told me about the Prophet, about our photo. So I told her that Vol... that He was inside me. That wasn't easy, I was really scared that she would flee from me at once. Who wants a boyfriend who shares that," here he tapped his forehead less than gently with his knuckles, "with someone else. But she only took my hand and said that defending my mind against him had to be a great achievement! Really, I thought, I'd fall over. At that time, she was clear-eyed again.

"And then I said that I felt sorry for her father... She suddenly looked angry and said that I shouldn't, that he was old enough to make his own decisions and if they brought him to Azkaban, it was his own fault! He would only think of himself and her stepmother, but wouldn't care for her or Astoria for a millisecond. She was really upset! After she got so worked up, she smiled shyly and apologised; I didn't quite understand that," he explained slightly confused.

"Pureblood upbringing. Show no emotions, especially in front of others," was my simple answer.

"Where did you learn all that? She said that too!" he eyed me in astonishment, bearing a remarkable resemblance to an owl.

"Mostly from books, beyond other things," I informed misleadingly.

"Of course. Where was I? ... Oh well, she said the Great Hall had been bad with all the vicious gossip-mongers. As a Slytherin, it would be hard enough, but now, in the focus of the contemptuous interest, she had a small nervous breakdown. She is also scared to spend the holidays at home with only her crazy Death Eater-slut of a stepmother and is afraid of the characters that will be coming and going," he told me very much affected and I thought about it. The little girl was not wrong, if the stepmother put so little value on her daughters by marriage, they were certainly not safe in this environment.

I pondered and pulled my lower lip through my teeth, as the gears rattled quite nicely in my head. The Dark Lord wouldn't be out of sorts with the failures of the venture either... I would think of something.

"She's scared, terrified, about herself and her sister... You know, I never thought that a snake might be worried about someone else, but she means that seriously, honestly, I feel that!" It gleamed suspiciously in his eyes.

"I'll think of something," I reassured him.

"Sometimes, you can be scary," he admitted quickly and pushed the last slice of bread into his mouth.

"Why?" I asked, perplexed.

"You never say 'No, that's impossible', you always say 'I'll think of something' or 'I'll take care of that.' Did you ever notice?" he wanted to know curiously, and a smile crossed my face.

"Well, Harry. Every problem has a solution, I firmly believe that. Just let me take care of it. You trust me, don't you?" I assured myself, grinning slyly.

"Yeah, and even more when you finally tell me everything. But I think that will happen in the right time. That situation with Daphne has upset me some more. On the one hand, I'm so sad because of Sirius and on the other... I almost feel guilty about what I'm feeling in my gut," he was torn and uneasily kneaded the hands in his lap.

"Oh, Harry! Sirius never would've wanted that. He would rather have said: search and find oblivion between the willing legs of a woman," I shamelessly spouted. I was sure though, that Sirius would truly think that!

"What? Now you make me speechless. So frivolous, Hermione!" Harry shouted aghast and his jaw dropped in indignation about me.

"Well, but I'm right, that's what he would've said... However, now I have another question: 'Daphne'?" I deflected him skillfully. He got slightly red around the ears, very sweet.

"Um, yeah, we… So, I offered her to call me, well, Harry…" he stuttered, embarrassed.

"So you are on first-name terms," I helped him out. "Did you tell her about Sirius?"

"Mhmhm, yes, I have, and then the unbelievable happened! One tear escaped me, just one and she gently dabbed it away and then kissed me, very tenderly and lightly. It was beautiful. She then said that I had every right to be sad. At least her father would still be alive. Even if he was an idiot, but he would still be there and that she was sorry that I lost my godfather. Then she simply held me, without shyness. That was nice!"

 _Great girl,_ I thought, _that comforts Harry._

"That's good; she seems to like you."

"Yes, we have an appointment in front of the tapestry tonight. We want to talk... to get to know each other in the Room of Requirement; I want to show it to her, so she can retire there next year, too, if everything gets too much for her!" he explained, proud of his idea.

"Wow, what a pace, Harry!" I teased him and wiggled my eyebrows cockily while he grinned at me cheekily.

"Yeah, I realised that I should pick up the pace. I want to give her a chance and she seems to want to give me one in return, despite Gryffindor and Slytherin," he elaborated. He seemed quite collected and I was astonished how grown-up he acted.

"That's a good thing. You shouldn't let that stop you, that would be childish," I admonished. He got up and held out his hand to me.

"Shall we?" He pointed towards the infirmary.

"Wait a second. There was trouble-" I began, but he interrupted me immediately.

"Isn't there always?" The rhetorical question came very worldly-wise from Harry.

"Where you are right, you are right. So, the Prophet, the article, the picture… I hope you can vividly imagine what the Great Hall was like when I entered," I let out annoyed and he nodded deliberately. Yes, he could imagine that. "So ... Dean turned on me because we allegedly endangered Ginny and I'm sensationalist and there was a dead Death Eater! ... Don't go spare, Harry, let me finish. I lost it and said he could be talking to the killer right then…"

Disconcerted, he closed his mouth he had already opened to protest and looked at me very calculatingly. As yesterday with Dumbledore, he decided to say nothing at all, just listened quietly and attentively.

"The argument would have continued, but Dumbledore arrived with McGonagall and Snape. He announced..." At this point, I swallowed hard. If Harry was as far-sighted as he had presented himself yesterday, he would only have to put two and two together, and would then know a big, important and dangerous secret of mine. I swallowed the uneasy feeling forcefully and continued. "They had found Umbridge in the forest... dead... and that we should all commemorate her! I had had enough at that point and just left.

"I know, you think that maybe I shouldn't have done that, but honestly, Harry, I cannot act so hypocritical. I'm glad she's dead! She would've always been a danger to you but also to everyone else who didn't think like she did," I justified myself after all, while Harry still looked at me intently and I continued to talk quickly. "Then McGonagall came onto me, asking what I would think what I was doing and I fired Dumbledore up for a bit. I warned that one should always think twice about interrogating me publicly as it may be that one wouldn't like what I had to say. He stopped her from detaining me, touching her arm, letting me leave unhindered after my threat."

I started when Harry broke into laughter. It sounded slightly hysterical, but he laughed heartily.

"And... and... you pull off such a show when I'm not there... Brilliant! I would have liked to see the faces of them all," he admitted breathlessly, holding his stitching side and I just stared at him in surprise.

"Uhm, nice that it amuses you," I whispered, completely flabbergasted.

"What did you expect? I agree with you and why should we continue to put up with anyone? The students are always hiding behind somebody. Sometimes I'm the hero, sometimes the anti-hero. Pah! And Dumbledore... What you're telling me about the commemoration for the death of the toad - which I'm actually not sorry about - I'm about to have another tantrum right now. Since it all really gets too much and much too emotional for me, let's visit our injured friends instead. Come on!" he declared decidedly and grabbed my hand.

We entered and I had to think about Harry for a moment. I thought he guessed and suspected that I was the killer and he hadn't wanted to hear it. Presumably, he just wanted to hear it outside of Hogwarts but from the look in his eyes and his behaviour, I surmised that he was speculating about it. At least with the dead wizard in the Ministry; considering Umbridge he seemed to be certain, otherwise he wouldn't have assured me at once so firmly that he didn't think her death was bad.

"Harry, Hermione, here you are, finally!" Ginny shouted in relief, appearing pleased. She looked pretty good if you ignored the dark circles under her eyes.

"How is your ankle?" I asked immediately and we hurried towards the group.

"It is going to be alright. They magically smashed it, but it'll work. I managed to get everyone out, taking refuge with them in dad's office," she explained visibly proud of her achievement.

"You did well, Ginny!" Harry praised, making Ginny beam. "How are the others?"

"Luna has a minor concussion from the fall, that's why she's still sleeping," she reported. We all looked at Luna and saw her blond hair spilling over her pillow while she slept blissfully.

Then Ginny's voice turned very quiet and hold a note of sadness.

"Ron isn't well. The curse that made him so crazy wasn't easy to break, so he is asleep, too. The tentacle brains left scars on his arms that'll never go away," she explained, eyeing Ron's bed which was beside her own and where he was lying very pale on the white sheet. She added affirmatively as if this was the most important aspect: "But he will recover!"

Harry stepped to Ron's bed, grabbed his shoulder and squeezed it, breathing hard.

"And I'm fine if anyone is interested," Neville let himself be heard, showing a scratched face but otherwise well.

"Neville, how are you feeling after experiencing the Cruciatus?" I asked with concern.

"Quite well, only my nerve endings are still twitching... But it's okay, I'll be fine again," he cheerfully announced.

"Oh, Neville, don't lie to them! You'll also keep the scar on your throat," Ginny declared hotly and we looked perplexed from one to the other.

"Um, yeah, the cut that Lestrange gave me will stay. But please, did you see the cuts on Ron's arms? This here is nothing against that... A clean cut," he waved it off. Harry and I looked at each other, then shrugged. We all could be happy to have come out alive.

"What else happened? We only got the Prophet; the atrium looked like a mess," Ginny enquired curiously.

"A lot, unfortunately. The atrium got smashed to pieces by Dumbledore and Voldemort. It was terrifying to watch," Harry replied hoarsely.

"Really hard, what happened to Sirius… We are s-" Ginny wanted to start when Harry raised a hand and interrupted her.

"It's okay, Ginny, there's nothing you can do…" Harry's voice cracked and I looked around with clenched lips. Ginny nodded guiltily and now also pressed her lips together.

"Guys, we'll be back. Hopefully, you will all be doing well enough so that you can be discharged because we all have to pack tomorrow evening."

"Pomfrey said we'll be out tomorrow afternoon, more precisely when it's time for dinner," Neville informed us quickly.

"That's good. We'll go now, we had a short night," I said and pushed Harry to the door, who apparently had a mood swing after his high with Daphne and was sinking into the deep hole of depression. Good thing he had a meeting with her tonight because I had to go to a very specific place.

Later, as I repeatedly walked along the dark, damp dungeon corridors, I remembered how elated Harry had been when he said goodbye to me. He had introduced me to Daphne. She might have looked dumbfounded when she arrived and a beaming Harry introduced her to me, Hermione. Harry was really delightsome in that regard.

After his mourning all afternoon, I was so pleased with his relaxed behaviour that I had said nothing and winked at Daphne, wishing her a pleasant long night. I could see her breathe a sigh of relief that Harry hadn't lied to her and we were just friends and not what we showed the school.

I took the shortcut, pulled up my hood in the short secret passage, and flitted to the entrance of the snake pit.

* * *

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 _ **1991:** You summarised that pretty well ;) Lucius' reaction will be alluded to in next weeks chapter. _

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	92. In the Snake Pit

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Aivy & our new team member, Nik

* * *

 **In the Snake Pit**

I walked into the, as per usual, greenly-lit room and noticed the atmosphere of departure. They couldn't wait for the holidays to start. I stopped when I saw a tall, impressive figure leaning casually against the hearth.

I stopped short in my motion. Snape. What was he doing here?

I watched him speak to a few seventh and sixth years, with Blaise amongst this illustrious circle. It has always been amazing to see what kind of regime Snape led down here in his dungeons. Unlike McGonagall who insisted on order and enforced it too, Snape gave his snakes a great deal of freedom.

He didn't care if Slytherin had quarrels, duelled and were injured here inside the House. He had taught them enough so that they could usually heal themselves. Nonetheless, he was often there, conducting his monthly rapports, and demanding that the face and reputation of the House to the outside be kept intact under all circumstances.

Otherwise, though, he always relied on the House leader holding the reins tightly in his hand and that he wouldn't be bothered with unimportant children's stuff. His system worked surprisingly well. Even the youngest were receiving tutoring from the elders so that the House's performance was always consistently good. Failures were met with loathing.

Even if we Gryffindors didn't want to admit it or see it - of course, we'd won the House Cup for years, but only because Dumbledore, year after year, awarded us the crucial and missing points thanks to Harry's and our daring actions - looking purely at the academic side of things, the Slytherins should dictate the colour scheme for the consistency of their achievements. Just as they had for years before we had arrived. But who said that the world was fair? That was something that the Slytherins learned from their first year at school. They were the unloved House of the Serpent, regarded with mistrust and suspicion!

Snape was talking more intensely to some of the Slytherins than McGonagall had ever done to their lions. He was very good at what he did; probably always was and with everything. I could literally feel how he noticed me and didn't really seem surprised that I showed up here so carefully cloaked. Thus, I stepped confidently into the circled that had congregated around Snape and devoutly listened to his words.

"How nice to see you, even if it is no surprise," Snape sneered and interrupted his previous conversation with a N.E.W.T student brusquely, his dark, uninterpretable gaze focussed on me.

"Sir, what do you mean by that?" Once again we caused a sensation, because the professor spoke with me, the Untouchable, in such a familiar way. It showed that we knew each other intimately and if they knew how intimately they would all succumb to a heart attack, I was sure.

"That means that I want to talk to you and there is no Draco here to rescue you so you will come with me," he bit out in his usual lovely way, revealing that he had only gone to the Slytherin common room in the hope to intercept me. I was almost speechless.

"Who says that I have to get rescued? … And what, he's not back from Lucius yet? Mh-hm, then it's good that I didn't come for him," I said dryly, coquettishly, watching as he raised his dark eyebrows doubtfully.

"Blaise, I have to talk to you," I turned to the handsome, young man who had stood proudly in the circle and could now see his eyes growing big as if he were ... afraid?

Afraid because he had 'attacked' me at breakfast this morning? Maybe, but he didn't need to be, I was much too thankful for that. The others around us silently observed everything and tried rather badly to feign disinterest, only partially succeeding.

"As you wish! Where?" Blaise asked bravely and visibly squared his shoulders. He was a proud, haughty pureblood Slytherin to the tips of his fingers.

"Draco's room," I decreed and turned around.

"Miss…!" Snape sounded angry that I wanted to leave him standing like that and my name almost escaped him. The snakes would notice that and I whirled around.

"I haven't forgotten you, sir. It is very important that I speak with Blaise. Have I ever disappointed you or tried to weasel out of facing you? Either you wait ten minutes or you await me in your quarters, but I promise I will come to you, sir," I announced resolutely because my capacity for patience left much to be desired today and Snape seemed to think the same way. Instead of getting angry, he smiled sarcastically and arrogantly down at my small, dark figure.

"I will wait," he snarled generously.

"As if I would try to run away," I snorted.

"You would not manage to get away either way," he explained silkily, even allowing a small smirk. A gesture that was so world-shaking for his House that the Slytherins stared at him which he, in turn, ignored expertly.

"I'm aware of that," I stated as I walked and saw the snakes staring at their Head of House talking so casually with me. It was different than when he talked to his students, more like he would - if that - talk to Draco. Snape really seemed to see me as a fully integrated member of the family. Whether that should make me happy, or rather scared, I hadn't decided yet.

In Draco's room, I pulled the hood away from my face. Blaise eyed me anxiously.

"Hermione, I… This morning, that was supposed, well…" he stammered, waving his hands around.

"Relax, Blaise, that's not what I wanted to talk about with you; if anything, I would like to thank you for what you did. It was very nice of you and exactly what I needed. I don't know what I would have done, but I feel it's quite possible I could have given myself away. In any case, I was quite peeved!" I confessed earnestly.

"You're not upset with me?" The hope was evident in his voice.

"No, Blaise, just thankful for your presence of mind. Draco will also be quite pleased," I assured him and this praise seemed to please him.

"I hope you know that your departure caused quite the sensation. After you passed through the door, it was as if a powder keg exploded and even the professors made themselves sparse pretty darn quickly! Your threat was received as such by our classmates, so be careful that the snakes don't reconcile today's performance as Hermione with your performance as 'Abraxina' because if there is one thing you shouldn't do, it is underestimating us snakes," he warned me urgently.

"I know, Blaise. You're right but I was so livid. It's too late to change it now. There's just no way I could have paid any respect to the toad. I know, I'm usually the perfect actress but here I just couldn't; I despised this woman," I hissed fiercely and turned around.

"And you killed her," Blaise announced a fact, completely composed and indifferent about the deed. Once again, he had figured something out with absolute accuracy once, yet he looked at me curiously, assessing me and searching for confirmation in my eyes.

"Yes, I did. How do you know?" I confirmed openly without reservation.

"Because you were so agitated and so completely unsurprised, not even a little bit, while everyone else, myself included, was astonished at the revelation. You didn't even bat an eyelid. You only sprang to life when Dumbledore called for a moment of silence. Also, your remark that you only grieve for persons who deserve it. Now, that at least showed what you think about Umbridge's death… On the other hand, I know you and I am well aware of what you are capable of. I'm right, aren't I?" At the conclusion of his explanation, he grinned charmingly.

"Yes, about everything you said. But then you always were an amazing observer," I admitted sardonically.

"Just be careful with threatening Dumbledore so openly!" Blaise seemed worried.

"Thank you for your well-meaning advice and I know to be careful, but believe me, with the knowledge I have, he belongs to me!" I couldn't stop myself from grinning nastily.

"Yes, that was quite something to behold. The old man almost admitted that you know a lot that shouldn't be public knowledge. That was a topic of discussion as soon as you all had left. What you could know, Hermione: I think your house is eyeing you quite distrustfully; they were the loudest in their guesses and speculations and were quite upset that you were so incredibly rude to your Head of House and Dumbledore," he reported verbosely.

"Now, that I can believe. However, our conduct concerning Dumbledore has a reason and is justified. Harry and I are in agreement that from now on we will always be reserved and sceptic, regardless of what Dumbledore wants us to do!" I emphasised my statement with a gruff gesture of my hand.

"What? That's extreme! You mean to tell me that this is not only your opinion but also that of Potter?" Blaise was following my revelation with wide eyes.

"Oh Blaise, much has happened and much has yet to be told, but I think everyone should find out at the same time. Which reminds me, I wanted to ask you something. You wanted to spend the summer break at the cottage, right?" I now asked almost rhetorically and waited in anticipation.

"I would love to if I am allowed!" he intoned with an endearing, impish laugh. Though, now that I had asked him, relief was evident in his dark eyes.

"Blaise, you know that I've always said that you are welcome. Now, please take a seat!" I seated myself in an armchair by the fireplace and he did the same. The upbringing of the Slytherins was completely different to students of other Houses for he would never take a seat unless I offered him to, as this was solely my right to decide.

"If that is the case, I would be happy to. Mother is currently in Italy, so…" He seated himself and shrugged his shoulders.

"That's perfect. You need to do me another favour. It needs to be done quickly, but I think that if anyone can do it, it's you!" I began to explain and wanted to elaborate as he said with a dazzling smile:

"How do the Twins always put it so nicely: Whatever you want, most beautiful!"

"You… you charmer. Don't let Draco know!" I giggled. Then I cleared my throat: "Your assignment would be as follows: Daphne and Astoria should not go back to their stepmother, this Warrington-sister. I want that they officially spend the break with you. They shouldn't even step foot in their home. I want them to go directly to you and then you all can come to the cottage. Since they live there regularly, the Twins will receive you!"

"Wow, you left me speechless! If I may ask, why do you want me to do that?" He was really surprised and curious.

"Their step-mother is a Death Eater and Daphne is afraid for herself and her sister. On top of that, the Dark Lord may not be happy with the family, and her stepmother would not protect the girls. Not to mention, that Daphne and Harry are going to spend their first 'get-to-know-each-other night' in the Room of Requirements. I don't want anything to happen to her! So, can you do it?" With this, I revealed quite a few things, but then Blaise was one of ours, after all.

"Wow, is Potter finally getting a move on? About time. Whenever Daphne is seeing Potter, she's positively drooling out of the corner of her mouth. Of course, I can do it; that should be no problem. I'm acquainted pretty well with the Warringtons, thanks to Mother, so that shouldn't be a problem even given the short notice. How am I going to convince Daphne, though?". He stroked his chin, thinking. I could see the wheels turning in his head.

"I'll leave that to you, convince her however you want. I can only tell you that I'll bring Harry as soon as possible to the cottage. Just don't let too much slip as I have yet to put my binding spell on her and her sister and I won't manage that before we get to the cottage. I think she'll trust you to a certain extent and should be so happy to escape her stepmother that she won't ask too many questions." He would accomplish it, of that I was sure, and I knew he wouldn't disappoint me.

"Uh huh, I'll make it work. I should go and start writing a couple of letters. If you would excuse me?" He was suddenly full of vim and vigour.

"Of course, Blaise. I shouldn't make Snape wait any longer, too, otherwise, I'll get in trouble," I remembered the Professor who was waiting far too patiently out there.

"What if Draco comes back and asks for you?" Blaise threw me a quick questioning look.

"Then tell him where I am. I don't think Snape will let me go anytime soon! Good luck and thanks again; it's nice to have you with us!" I declared sincerely. He was truly a gift and I made him one with my statement. Thus, we stood up, him teeming with excitement and me pulling the heavy fabric once again over my face.

Blaise then rushed to his desk, happy to have something to do. I entered the common room by myself and noticed that he was still waiting for me. He immediately excused himself from his students and walked over to me, holding out his arm as if he were worried that I would ditch him. Wow, what was the meaning of this, him being so respectful?

This promised to become rather uncomfortable once we reached his quarters. He would be bound to want to question me thoroughly. We left the excited whispering of the snakes behind us, paying it no heed.

He led me to his rooms, more chivalrous than ever before, and as the wall of books closed behind us, he had managed to induce an uneasy feeling in my gut with his deliberate calmness. I felt how he released my arm in perfect form from his, and glided silently behind me. I breathed in deeply with unease through my nose, as I felt him approach me from behind, getting close, very close. His hands moved over my shoulders forwards to my clasp, opening it skillfully with nimble hands.

He gently took off my hooded cloak. Very slowly, very lasciviously, he removed the fabric from me and I heard it rustling as he tossed it away without moving away from my backside; if anything he came closer after the bothersome heavy cloak was gone.

I didn't move, as if petrified, and tried to stay completely calm and to appear so as well; I tried to dictate my heartbeat, to not let it beat any faster.

I could sense how he placed his mouth to my ear and, with a freezingly chilly timbre in his voice, breathed out the following words:

"What was that today in the Great Hall?" He actually managed to instil profound goosebumps in me as his hot breath spread across my sensitive skin.

"I got slightly unsettled." The words came out raw through my dry lips which I wet them with my tongue.

"And why is that? What was going on with Umbridge after you left her office together?" he asked me, ever quietly, from my back. When I wanted to take a step forward to bring some distance between us, his hands were already on my shoulders and stopped me in my tracks. I swallowed hard.

"We went into the forest!" I closed my eyes and tried to think of nothing.

"And…?" he prompted insistently, taking his hands off. He wasn't touching me anymore. He was only pressuring me with his closeby body.

"We went ever deeper… then Harry and I lost sight of her…" I said and then I was suddenly sent flying into the shelf.

I hadn't been able to raise my hands fast enough to cushion my fall and crashed into it with force. My shoulder collided brutally with the wood and I yelped in pain. There was a loud crash accompanying my hard collision and I could hear the wood burst and splinter under the impact.

I dropped to the floor and the books fell on top of me. I instinctively tried to provide them as little a target as possible, curling up as they fell painfully on my back and forced the air out of my lungs. My arms, with which I tried to protect my head, were also hit by them. These were heavy, massive, thick folios that buried me under them and I lay crushed under the load. Pain was omnipresent.

Did he want to kill me?

That was the first thought to which I was capable after the attack. I could not only feel but also hear the constant throbbing in my skull as I had also hit my head on the shelf before I went to my knees.

Ouch ... Why did I always have to have luck on my side that brought me together with men who clearly suffered from violent mood swings? Had I earned that, after yesterday? I'd say no. Gosh, I felt sorry for myself.

He was angry because I had lied to him, but he couldn't know that, right? Well, maybe I underestimated him here, but honestly, should I say: "I tested the _Avada_ on the old hag?"

The heavy books magically rose from atop me and floated back into what I recognised as a repaired bookshelf when I looked up furtively. I was still protectively curled around myself but being relieved of that burden eased my breathing immensely.

Great, my big, bad Death Eater wanted to show me again who wore the trousers in our relationship.

Carefully pulling my shielding hands from my face, I gingerly raised my eyes and saw that he had settled in a casually relaxed pose into his armchair with his black robes billowing around him, his legs crossed, a crystal glass in his hand and his distant gaze focussed on me. I dared very carefully to prop myself up on my hands and to stretch my - thanks to him - now aching limbs.

Ouch, my back hurt. Those books were really not light reading. With my right hand, I touched my temple. Just above, it throbbed dangerously and I immediately felt the wetness when I reached the smarting spot. A small laceration. The sticky blood ran down my cheek and down my neck. I wiped the blood from my hand onto the jeans that I wore with a deep sigh. Why always me?

The sound of someone clearing his throat made me raise my slightly throbbing head.

"So that you understand one thing right: You belong to us now. It is best to start immediately to learn that you do not have to dish out lies to family..." The words dripped strongly accentuated from his evil mouth. The voice clinked dangerously, like ice, managing to make me feel cold, and I had to suppress the slight shiver that was trying to escape me. I sat bleeding in front of him and he was in his armchair, lording over me. I suspected that the Malfoys would demonstrate their power over me even more.

"... because that will always be punished and not accepted!" the Professor lectured arrogantly. "But as I know you, you should not find it difficult to learn quickly!" he said judiciously and shrugged his shoulders in a gesture of superiority. "And now come on, get up and sit down. I want to know everything!"

Deliberately, he moved his gaze with provocative slowness away from me and to the roaring flames of the fireplace fire, which blazed brightly in the dungeons despite the beginning of summer as it was always cold, damp and drafty here. That probably meant that he would not help me.

I did as required and got back on my feet with difficulty, stifling a groan. Pah, I wouldn't allow such a little nudge to hold me back. A quick check of my body revealed that my bruised right side where I had hit the wood and the laceration were everything I had taken away from it.

Well, it wasn't bad, only the blood started to annoy me. Hence, I sat down on the couch and treated myself quickly. First, I healed the laceration above my temple which was made a bit more difficult by my inability to see it. However, I made it work, evidenced by the twinging of the closing wound. Then, I cleaned the mess my blood had made. All the while, he pretended not to see anything.

When I reclined and looked at him challengingly, I noticed that he had fixed his gaze on me again and I raised my eyebrow provokingly and contemplatively. He shook his hand that held the glass, the golden liquid sloshing from side to side, and I understood the invitation and nodded in confirmation. At once, a drink stood before me on the table and I picked up the glass and took a deep, calming sip.

That the first calm conversation with him would not be easy for me in several respects had been clear to me. Deep down inside I felt... something I had buried relatively well: that he made me insecure because I could not completely shake off the fear that he would just grab me and throw me on his bed. I had to work hard suppress the fear for I thought I could see the lust shining in his eyes from time to time, in very rare glimpses.

But I could also be mistaken, after all, there wasn't a person in the world who was as complex and absolutely, completely impossible to judge as Snape.

The only thing that still bothered me was the violence I had to put up with all around me over and over again. The only good thing was that I was made of really tough material, otherwise I would have long since collapsed under the physical violence I was exposed to everywhere, sometimes willingly exposing myself to it. Shit, why I had decided on such a life? I gave another deep sigh, resigned to my fate.

"Well, get started!" he barked at me impatiently and interrupted my thoughts which had been just so beautifully bathed in self-pity.

"Uhm, Harry and I went with her into the woods, but I'm sure you already knew that," I picked up my explanation. He nodded arrogantly to me and drank a sip.

"And then you killed her," he vocalised what I hadn't been able to say in front of him earlier.

"Yes, I thought I would practice the _Avada_ ," I said cheekily and flashed a provocative grin at him.

"As it seems, you had no trouble casting it," he replied in frightening indifference to my confession.

"Yes, it was no problem." I remained very cool and raised my head arrogantly.

"Then you will be interested to know that it is not clear how she died..." I gave him a look of incomprehension and he smiled, sneering slightly.

"Yes, you heard right. Some animals seemed to have taken a liking to her, she doesn't look... pretty, but due to this fact it is unfortunately not clear what caused her death," he elaborated, showing a mean grin. It seemed that he had not liked the old toad either and did not shed a tear for her.

"That's good," I answered breathlessly as my brain was immediately running at full speed again. I knew that the story that we had lost her out of sight and hadn't been able to find her again was more believable this way than if it had become known that she had been struck down by an Unforgivable Curse. I hoped the toad had been a delightful feast for the Acromantulas and the other creatures of the forest. I could only give them a silent thanks as this would save me many unpleasant questions.

"I knew that you would see the positive aspects of this fact," he told me with piercing black eyes. "You are improving very quickly. I saw Jugson as I was leaving the ministry. Good, clean work, my congratulations; I also found your performance with Nott thoroughly admirable, very well done. Our training is yielding results and I enjoy witnessing when my lessons show such visible success," he praised me openly and showed himself impressed by my atrocities, all while not showing any emotions. I was stunned. "What else have you done?"

"Crabbe, but that was more an accident than intentionally, even if the result was absolutely fascinating..." I confessed analytically, and he nodded benevolently.

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore spoke of the phenomenon, interesting! What happened after I left? That Black is dead, I know, what else was there?" he pursued with interest and I began to chew my lips. Yes, Sirius was dead.

"Harry tried to _Crucio_ Lestrange," I pushed out slightly breathlessly and played with the glass in my hands.

"An endeavour, In which he presumably failed miserably." His facial expressions distorted disdainfully with his statement.

"Correct, but nevertheless... he tried!" I defended Harry's failure vehemently and got a sharp look in return.

"What was next? Don't make me pull every word out of you like that...", he ordered crossly and looked at me impatiently.

Just as I was about to confess my deed of Lucius' rescue, the door opened abruptly and Draco came in like a thunderstorm. He seemed to be in a grandiose mood. The storm in his grey eyes raged, which was easy to spot as coolly as he eyed us.

I was happy that Snape and I sat at some distance. The way Draco was currently acting, we would have had to reckon with his wrath if we had a more intimate get-together. He had pinched his lips and was now heading for me, sat on the couch next to me without a greeting and ripped my drink out of my hand.

Even Snape just looked at him, waiting silently, trying to assess his mood and fathoming what had happened. Eventually, Draco set the empty glass down onto the table with a clank, leaned back and turned to me, raising his hand and grasping my neck possessively. His cold fingers closed around my neck and my body was visibly trembling, and then he drew me closer and closer to him, smoothly and dominating.

It was clear to me what Draco wanted. Not like this, though in front of Snape, who also, well... I mean, he and I, we... Ohhhhhh, heavens, I had done something very intimate with both of them. However, the firm grip of Draco's hand on my neck gave me the impression that he would leave me no choice and so I consciously loosened my muscles, following how my face approached his and then I already felt his hungry lips on mine. And even though they had seemed so hard and unyielding a minute ago, they were now very soft and gentle as they locked so passionately with mine. I had placed my hands on his chest.

He was very dominating today, he wouldn't let himself be deterred. He also didn't loosen his grip, kissing me impetuously. With so much vehemence in a kiss, I couldn't help but moan slightly; and yet, I couldn't block out the awareness that Snape was sitting opposite us in his armchair and was watching us very closely.

When Draco bit down lightly on my lip, I wanted to move back but he wouldn't let me do it and pressed his mouth back on mine, pushing his way through my lips to completely conquer my mouth, all the while I tried to shake off the pressure of his hand on my neck. That was when I heard a noise. It was clearly made by Snape clearing his throat audibly and I felt Draco finally giving in. He pulled his head back slightly and stared intensely into my eyes with a fiery look that made me melt. When he saw this emotion, which was probably visible in my eyes, the corner of his mouth twitched upwards with satisfaction and he breathed a concluding, gentle kiss on my closed lips.

"What is it, Severus?" Draco asked provocatively, turning his head.

"I don't have to look at that, do I? You have a room for that", Snape sneered oilily.

Draco let go of me, releasing his vice-like grip, and leaned back, crossing his arms and regarding Snape calmly.

"Oh, don't be like that..." Draco wiggled his eyebrows.

"Why are you in such a bad mood?" I dared to ask.

"Tonight, I received an urgent owl. Father wanted to see me immediately. Let me put it this way: I have rarely experienced him as agitated as I have tonight... this will also interest you, Severus", he told us and explained further: "You, my darling, have shocked Father to the core. As I said, I have rarely experienced him being so flustered." With a gesture, he asked for something to drink.

"What have you done this time? Did I not keep you back, so that you would not take part in the fight in the hall?" An annoyed Snape groaned sufferingly.

"Yes, Father was also surprised by your appearance, but for him, that faded into the background, for now." Draco now grabbed my hand and breathed a kiss on it and gave me a warm look, which, when I gave Snape a quick glance, made the Professor frown.

"I must thank you, Hermione, for saving my father from Azkaban," the declaration came fervently from my boyfriend's lips and Snape allowed himself to gasp for air. Wow, this expression of respect just because I had saved Lucius from prison! That was nice to experience. I gave Draco a mischievous smile as I thought to myself that Lucius would certainly have made his way out even without my help. Only the question remained: With how much harm?

"How?" Snape said perplexed.

"Father told me that when Bella and Potter left the hall, the werewolf was still threatening him and Father was unarmed. Suddenly, a red beam of light came out of the darkness and crashed into Lupin's back, who collapsed immediately. Father continued to tell me that he himself had been totally taken by surprise at first and when he recognised Hermione, the only one around far and wide, she bowed her head in front of him and signified for him to escape. He thought he was losing his mind!" An almost wistful smile adorned Draco's features. "In this respect, Father is completely lost. He has no idea why and for what reason such a behaviour would be expected from our sweet Mudblood here.

"You, Severus, would have quite some fun with Father and his guesses. It will be very amusing, when we introduce him to Hermione," Draco laughed meanly. Even Snape was grinning wolfishly. It seemed to cheer them up enormously to imagine Lucius' astonishment, imbuing them with pleasant anticipation that they knew more than Lucius.

"My dear, you really manage to amaze me again and again. I would not have thought that you would attack a member of the Order to free Lucius. Truly surprising! And inherently unnecessary... Lucius usually does not need any help..." Snape conceded, raising his glass to me before he continued. His words confirmed what I had thought myself already. He tilted his head and showed me that he was more than satisfied with my decision. "However, it shows, considering that you have already gotten well-enough used to your new, unchangeable situation to help Lucius in the fight by your own choice, my previous demonstration was not actually necessary..."

"What do you mean? What does he mean?" Draco looked at both of us questioningly, demandingly raising up his oh-so pale, elegant eyebrow. Since it didn't look as if the man in the armchair wanted to answer, I began.

"I made my acquaintance with the bookshelf." I could watch my dry, ironic formulation make Snape smile.

"What, why, Severus?" Draco said with a hard voice.

"Our dear addition to the family thought she had to lie to me and that's unacceptable," Snape replied readily.

"Where he's right, he's right, Hermione. You can and must always be honest with us," Draco whole-heartedly took my side, I thought cynically. "About what did you lie?"

Since now I refused to say anything, Snape took over.

"That she had struck down Jugson in battle and Umbridge in the forest with the Killing Curse," Snape explained very succinctly and raised his glass again.

"Oh, well... Are you alright, my darling?" Draco asked rather worriedly, and I nodded and showed him, by lifting my head, the indifference in my eyes and he nodded satisfied.

"Blaise quickly informed me what was going on in the Great Hall this morning... it's a pity I wasn't there. Another question, do we have to worry about Umbridge, that they're going to figure out it was Hermione?" Wasn't that sweet? Draco was only worried about me escaping justice - if that isn't affection, I don't know what is.

"Do not worry, Draco, there is so little left of the annoying bitch that her manner of her death cannot be determined and Jugson could also have been killed by a stray Killing Curse from one of his companions. I do not think she has anything to fear here," he said with complete conviction, convincing me that he had already thought everything out and put everything together for my defence. Snape amazed me again and again.

"Well, that's good," Draco was very satisfied and absolutely not shocked, rather completely indifferent.

"Now comes the question of what Lucius wanted from you all day and almost all night," Snape enquired.

"Of course. Father, after he escaped, knowing that there would be trouble with the Dark Lord, wanted to take immediate action and needed my help. Let's put it this way, we were able to recapture part of the Dark Lord's goodwill with our action and satisfy him to some extent! Look forward to the Prophet tomorrow morning...", Draco explained very hardened as he lifted the corner of his mouth, seeming very satisfied.

"What did you do?" Snape asked with curiosity.

"The seven of us - yes, Bella was also part of our little squad - after having spent all day planning, broke into Azkaban under the protection of the coming darkness and got out all of the Death Eaters. Not only those who were caught in the ministry the night before, but as many as possible... and Father then negotiated with the dementors, as requested by the Dark Lord, and they have now said to Fudge that they refuse to guard Azkaban any longer. That was glorious! If Father can do anything it is pulling of something like that. I almost died of laughter when they negotiated like that" he chuckled viciously.

"What, wasn't that a bit hasty?" Snape shouted, and I interrupted him and shook my head.

"No, not in itself, since it reveals the Dark Lord's readiness to act to the outside world, now that it is known that he is back and it shows how quickly he can act successfully. At the same time, he snubs the Ministry and Dumbledore. It was a brilliant move by the Malfoys to strike back so quickly," I explained very pragmatically.

"Exactly, Hermione, those were also my arguments to strike right away when we discussed it... it was just not so easy to get in...!" He visibly shut himself off and I took his hand.

"How many?" I had noticed the shadow in his storm-grey eyes and now knew that Draco, too, had probably gotten his first time behind him.

"Five," he breathed softly.

"Damn," Snape cursed in a whisper.

"Well, look on the bright side, Draco, with that you definitely beat me for a single night's work. I only managed three in total over the last year," I said calmly, and both men looked at me first and then at each other with understanding, and a diabolical smile spread hesitantly on their faces.

"You were right, Draco, she fits right in with us," was the last thing Snape graciously said.

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 _ **gentledove2** & **szaboalexandra1991:** You are very welcome!_


	93. A Reward

Chapter beta: Livy

Chapter translator: Nik (& Aivy)

* * *

 **A Reward**

 _Draco's POV_

In a possessive gesture, I wrapped her heavy cloak around her and conscientiously closed the buckle. I pulled the hood deep into her face, but not before I kissed her tenderly on her forehead. My courageous little Mudblood.

I grabbed her hand and we said goodbye to Severus. It was time, it had become rather late again.

I pulled her slightly behind me, out of his quarters, and headed purposefully for the Slytherin dungeons. I noticed that she was confused as to why I suddenly had set such a pace but I wanted to get back to my rooms as quickly as possible. When I had learned that she had gone to the Ministry alone, without telling me anything - with Potter, of all people - I had been really angry at her and worried too.

I hadn't been worried because of my father or Bellatrix as they couldn't touch her anyway. However, there were enough other Death Eaters to worry about. Like last time, feelings of anger and worry had alternated within me but when Father told me what had happened, I had been incredibly relieved and proud of my Hermione. She really befitted us. I had chosen well and made a brilliant decision when I took her into our family. That she had more or less saved Father in the Department of Mysteries proved me right.

My rather self-congratulating thoughts made me grin a little. We entered the Slytherins' common room where a lot of activity was still going on despite the hour and many still had to pack.

I didn't pay any attention to any of them, heading for my rooms. Hermione had managed to catch up and kept pace beside me. My display of entering and walking through the room with her with an air of purpose, showing that I had freed my little Untouchable from Severus' claws, would provide plenty of material for the perpetual rumour mill but that meant little to me.

I opened the door to my quarters and let her in. As soon as I had closed the door behind her, I stepped up to her to take off her shrouding cloak. As I pulled her into my arms, she asked:

"I take it you're not happy how it went in the Ministry?" and looked at me uneasily.

"No, but I understand how it came about and I know that I can't always keep you away from everything. That doesn't mean I like it, although, in the end, I'm just happy that you're standing in front of me in one piece," I explained to her. I barely managed to hold on when she threw herself enthusiastically into my arms. She had probably been worried that I was angry with her again and that she might even have to expect a punishment. Not today; not by my hands.

If anything, her behaviour towards Father in the Ministry commanded me to reward her. My gratitude for her deed outweighed my anger at her renewed rule-breaking. That she always had to be so daring! She had already learned that people in our family had to obey and were punished for disobedience. Now she was to learn that people were also rewarded if they followed orders, nevermind adhering to them as faithfully as she had done today. Family comes first, something she had obviously internalised by now.

"How do you think I felt when you told me in Snape's quarters that you stormed Azkaban with Lucius? I thought I couldn't breathe. Goddess be thanked, I didn't even have a clue what you were planning, otherwise I would have gotten grey hair in those hours," she interjected. I understood how she must have felt; her concern for me caused a deep feeling of happiness to rise in me.

I smiled and couldn't stop kissing her fiercely and passionately. This kiss did me well. I felt as if the evils of the day were falling away from me because I knew she understood me. We had experienced something similar today and even though I was unscrupulous and strong in the fight and did what had to be done, it didn't mean that I could simply forget it and pretend it hadn't happened.

We had both taken a step today from which there was no turning back. Even if I didn't want to admit it, it had changed something inside me. I pulled her even closer to me and deepened the kiss, slid my tongue demandingly into her mouth and started a fierce duel with her own. I could hardly wait to feel her soft, silky skin under my hands and to possess her beautifully toned body which displayed nonetheless such incredibly attractive feminine curves.

Impatiently, I began to open her blouse and slipped it off over her shoulders while I continued to kiss her. It felt as if vitality was returning to me when I finally felt her skin and her own wonderful scent rose exquisitely into my nose. I felt that this was still as real and felt as good as it did before the harrowing events we had endured. The chill that had spread inside me shortly after casting the Killing Curse had completely disappeared, making me lose any doubts about my actions and letting me simply enjoy her wonderful body. I swore to give her an unforgettable night. She deserved no less, just as I deserved to forget.

I had to calm myself so as not to jump on her right away but I always did. I kept myself tightly in control because I knew that even if my body was demanding her closeness just as much as my maltreated soul did, going slowly would feel just as good, if not better. I wanted to savour her and explore every inch of her body, experience her anew. While I continued to kiss her demandingly, making my tongue dance with hers playfully, the tips teasingly nudging each other over and over, I skilfully opened her bra and took it off. _All mine_ , I thought satisfied as I gazed at her in front of me.

My hands began to wander from her neck slowly down over her shoulders, her breasts and I let them settle gently on her waist. I paused for a moment, for the urge to grab her and simply take her became very strong. It was always so self-evident that I would normally get everything I wanted or desired on the spot, that I had to outright force myself to exercise restraint.

After having done so much despicable evil today, I desired to be gentle in a way I had never been before.

I began to let my lips follow my hands, giving little kisses everywhere, feeling her tremble beneath me. We were still standing in the room and I had no intention of changing that, even though I would eventually end up on my knees in front of her; it was exactly what she deserved, me kneeling before her to show her how admirable her behaviour had been. I admired that she had even stood against her allies and friends for us and had not shied away from attacking one of her comrades-in-arms to ensure my father's escape and freedom.

Her strength, presence of mind and devotion to the family were admirable. I wouldn't say that openly, but those were my thoughts. I was proud of my Mudblood. My tongue danced tenderly, caressing her collarbone and I inhaled her scent which drove me wild. Meanwhile, I placed one of my hands between her shoulder blades to provide her with support so that she could lean back a bit as she was already trembling precariously. She accepted my gesture immediately and fell back against my hand, thereby presenting her beautiful, well-formed, and firm breasts to me.

I loved to watch her lose control, which happened so rarely, yet only in my arms.

[start of edited part]

I could feel her skin against my chest through the fabric of my shirt. It excited me a lot, but I wouldn't let it make me lose control because if I prided myself on one thing, it was my self-control. That would now benefit her, so I instead let my kisses continue to wander and got rewarded with soft moans. She leaned even more into my arm and I basked in the sensation of feeling her so malleable.

Again and again, I couldn't help sneaking a look at her face. She smiled blissfully, obviously enjoying being pampered so much since we seldom took the time to savour it this way. Usually, we only gave ourselves to our animalistic lust and passionate desire, though not today. I would drive her mad today.

Her hands, which until now had been resting on my back, or with which she had briefly held onto my shoulders, were now sliding into my hair and I felt that she was trying to tug me further down. She probably wanted it faster, as she often did, rolling her eyes slightly; she couldn't endure it any longer, which made me grin contentedly. Hermione always wanted to stay in control just a little bit.

I stood upright again and directed her slowly towards the bed. When she stood directly in front of it with her back I forbade her to lie down. While I pushed her to where I wanted her, I grabbed her neck and initiated another demanding kiss. I got rid of my shirt with one hand while I kept kissing her fervently, when I felt her hands becoming independent and starting to pull at my trousers impatiently and roughly, so I whispering against her lips:

"Let yourself be seduced, just wait and see. Be patient!"

She sighed in pleasure and devotion and I noticed she mentally let go again and left the guidance to me, releasing her grip from my trousers. Good girl.

I enjoyed it when she was so soft, yielding and trusting in bed, everything she would never be in any other situation.

My hands slid purposefully down to her hips and my mouth followed them again. I went down to my knees in front of her. As I kissed my way down her belly to the hem of her trousers, I began to open her jeans and take them off. Then, my lips trailed deeper until they reached the waistband of her delicate silk knickers. Deliberately slowly, I pulled them down, making her growl in frustration. My lips and tongue followed my fingers. I wouldn't let myself be rushed and so I chuckled lightly.

I kissed her tender, warm skin with pleasure, which made her whimper and pant quietly, full of delight. _Oh yes, my girl, show me how much you like it. You'll get much more soon._

"In a moment, you will scream with pleasure." I breathed and teased her some more. When she moaned my name, I finally allowed her to drop onto the bed.

I continued to take it slow, focussing on her pleasure for the moment instead of mine. Her increasingly restless movements guided me and incited me to become more and more passionate.

She was a beautiful sight, so aroused, and I could only barely restrain myself with all my discipline from not taking her right then and there. She had not yet come and before then I refused to stop. Yes, I admit, we Malfoys are quite stubborn.

I intensified my efforts and felt that I was on the right track when she became even more restless, moaning loudly now, time and again interrupted by a panted "Draco".

My hands lay firmly on her pelvis so that I could hold her in position as her movements became more and more uncontrolled. Once more, I deliberately stimulated her and then I felt and heard her coming. Her body twitched and tensed and she screamed out her lust.

"Yeah, yeah, right there, ahhh..."

To have her before me like this, at my mercy, and at the same time being so devoted to her, was exactly what I needed right now. Not only did it arouse me insanely, it also showed me that I was the same person I had been before the events of the last days. I could love her, I could give, and at the same time enjoy having power over her in some way.

I watched benevolently as she succumbed to the aftereffects of her orgasm, a blissful smile around her lips. Exhausted, she put an arm over her eyes. Her breathing was heavy and deep and she seemed very relaxed. Her deep satisfaction brought a very contented smile to my lips and I rose, lay down beside her on the bed and bedded my hand on her chest, wanting to feel her accelerated and strong heartbeat.

I felt it beating boldly and firmly against her ribcage which rose and fell due to her deep breaths. Slowly, she calmed down, visibly relaxed now. I was really satisfied with my performance; it was rare that she let herself go like this. Visibly drained, she removed her arm from her eyes and opened them. Her beautiful, fawn-brown eyes sparkled at me with happiness and satisfaction. Yes, she had truly enjoyed it; I had done well. However, now it was my turn and she would give me everything she had because I was claiming everything.

Slowly, she turned onto her side, looked at me and lay there just as I did. She supported her head slightly on her hand and looked into my eyes for seconds before moving towards me and then kissed me tenderly. However, this tender kiss quickly became a passionate and demanding kiss on my part. While I pulled her with me so that the entirety of our bodies came to rest on the bed, I continued to kiss her and let my hands glide almost roughly over her body, enjoying the warmth of her soft skin. I only interrupted our kiss briefly to get rid of my last remaining garments.

When we finally coupled, I could hardly contain myself anymore. I wanted to enjoy it, wanted to make this feeling last a long time. I knew that I would be deprived of her company for the next few days. Starting out gently, it soon became just as passionate as any other time we found bliss in each other and it didn't last long after that…

[end of edited part]

Tenderly, I locked my lips with hers, one hand lovingly brushing across her face and through her hair as I slowly started teasing her tongue with mine. My kiss was gentle this time around and she too returned it likewise. I was still on top of her. It had been beautiful and I felt exhausted, yet also filled with happiness and satisfaction. The most surprising thing was that with Hermione, I could experience such raw, real and deep feelings and I took advantage of that and indulged in them with her.

I slowly moved off of her, lay down next to her and pulled her possessively into my arms, settling the duvet on top of us both. Satisfied, I noticed how she nestled up to me and sighed with contentment. I lovingly kissed her shoulders and neck.

"What did I do to deserve that," she murmured quietly. I could not resist a smirk while I was kissing her.

"You have to learn that you can be rewarded in my family for doing the right thing," I whispered to her breathlessly. I noticed that she wanted to turn around in my arms, but I wouldn't let her do that, instead pulled her even closer to me: "Don't. Just lie here."

"But I thought I would be punished for running away again," she asked, confused.

I kept smirking. Yes, she should think so. However, today not only had she needed this reward, but so had I. I just had to know that I was still alive, that I could still feel and love, and that I could forget the pictures of those who had died today by my hand.

"That was an exception. You won't always get away with things. Nevertheless, your performance today in the Ministry saved a family member, the Head of the family even, my father, from Azkaban. That's reason enough for an exception! Sleep a little now, our time is limited," I admonished. Of course, I assumed that father could have escaped on his own, but she didn't have to know that.

What drove me this night? The next days, certainly the next week, I wouldn't be able to see her and hold her like this. I wanted to enjoy it as long as it lasted. She had hard days ahead of her and that's why she should also make the most of our time together, the calm before the storm.

 _End of Draco's POV_

 _Hermione's POV_

Wow, I never had a night like this with Draco before. He had been so passionate and gentle at the same time, a completely new experience. A reward for helping Lucius!

I chuckled internally. Unfortunately, for the foreseeable future, it was probably the last chance for us to be together like this because I would be so busy for the next few days that I would consider myself fortunate to get even a few minutes of sleep. He knew this, though, and so he cuddled me so tightly that it seemed as if he would never let me go again.

But of course, he had to let me go, even though that night had done us much good after all the evil we had committed. Draco's first murders had left their marks on him. He had spent a very restless night trying, again and again, to hide in my embrace as we held each other in our arms, downright clinging to each other.

When we couldn't sleep come dawn, we talked. I had told him everything in detail, from the moment we left Hogwarts with Umbridge. He almost died laughing when he heard how I had incapacitated Harry. Umbridge... the centaurs, Grawp, the thestrals; he listened to it all with interest and kissed my forehead from time to time.

Then I told him about the Department of Mysteries, and he laughed loudly at Lucius' saying that I should come with him and that he had boasted to the others that he had bitten me. Draco was very proud that I had managed to handle the Death Eaters well. He cried tears of laughter at the Crabbe story and was very pleased with the Jugson episode.

He listened to my story of the duel in the atrium with Dumbledore against the Dark Lord and Harry's exorcism at the end with great excitement and intrigue because, as he said, he had never seen the Dark Lord fight before. Everything I told him, he found fascinating, wanting to know every detail. As for the office scene with Dumbledore, I kept the contents of the prophecy secret and told Draco that it was up to Harry to tell which he accepted with a cynical laugh.

"Yes, exactly, because Potter would definitely want to reveal it to me!" he said. Then I summarised to him our following night in the Room of Requirement, which he found interesting in so far as Harry was still standing by me, but he also said he was surprised by Harry's powers of observation. Mockingly, he commented: "I'm not sure... Are you trying to tell me he isn't a total fool?" And when I finally told him about Daphne and my plan and where the two were spending the night, he said the same thing as Blaise had: "Oh, is Potter finally making a move?

Well, what else could I say about his dry, sarcastic, commentative nature?

Draco began to tell me how an annoying owl had interrupted his sleep shortly after midnight and he had immediately set off for the Manor where his father had angrily told him about what had gone wrong. Lucius also informed Draco about Sirius' death. I noticed Draco's hard, mean gaze which confirmed my suspicion that he wasn't upset about his cousin's death. I knew he was still holding the kitchen scene at Grimmauld Place against Sirius and I could only roll my eyes - how vindictive! Hold on, I shouldn't say that, I too had proved many times that I never forgot my revenge, even if it took me a long time to get it. We had sought and found each other.

He told us that Bellatrix, looking quite dishevelled, had rushed into their Manor, looking even worse than usual, he added hatefully. He confessed that he could not stand any of the Black family, Narcissa just as much as Bellatrix and Sirius! Oh yeah, Draco truly didn't like the Black family that he was half a part of himself of himself thanks to his mother. He didn't let it count because he was a Malfoy, end of the story! Did I ever say that Malfoys could be terribly stubborn and arrogant?

Hence, I prefered to keep my mouth shut if he was so sensitive about that topic.

Then, he told me of Bellatrix's view on things and how the Dark Lord had taken her with him in his great kindness and generosity, and how he was now raging in his Dark Manor because the prophecy was lost to him. He was raging on them all and they thus now had to hurry to figure out a way to make up for this failure.

Well, then my little blond devil here had the glorious idea to go invade Azkaban.

He described it to me in very vivid colours, even if he was limited to black and grey when he skillfully drew a picture of an island in the North Sea that reminded me of Alcatraz. It was a lonely stone island against which the waves roared loudly, the whipping, cold sea clashing with merciless force against the sharp, inaccessible, slate-grey cliffs. In short, a place hostile to life.

He described it as cold, surreal and rough, the grey-black prison rising out of the rock as if it had grown from it. It was supposed to look like an impregnable fortress.

There were seven of them on this suicide mission: He himself, Lucius, Bellatrix, Greyback - yes, they had brought the werewolf as reinforcement - the two possessed Carrow siblings Alecto and Amycus, and Travers brought up the rear.

They were, as Draco explained to me, the most powerful, but also the most vicious and fanatical group they could put together in a hurry, as this could have been an ugly thing for them. Thanks to the liberation the Death Eaters through the Dark Lord last year, they now knew the hidden, unplottable location of Azkaban.

When they arrived, he could immediately feel the oppressive cold of the dementors, which made the blackness of the night even darker. But the dementors liked the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord and kept out of the now emerging battle and watched, floating calmly, as the Aurors threw themselves into battle.

As had been said, it wasn't pretty, and Draco saw himself forced to kill for the first time in his life. And so he did, as naturally and self-evidently as Lucius and Severus had been instructing him for years: fast, precise and without remorse.

He told me how much it repelled him that the others had to make the killing such a personal thing. He told me of the atrocities of Greyback, how he brutally slaughtered the Aurors; of Bellatrix, who laughed maniacally and threw herself into the turmoil of battle and murdered mercilessly, and then also of the Carrows, who could indulge themselves and their corrupt dark side to the fullest and did so uninhibited. Furthermore, how Lucius always held back with an attitude of distinguished restraint, seeking out the dementors and finding himself successful in negotiating an agreement with these creatures to his contentment.

Draco confessed to me that he was amazed at how little trouble the Killing Curse had been for him, and I confirmed to him that I had found the same thing for myself. This made him laugh sarcastically as he said: "We make quite the couple!

"Did Severus actually hurt you very much when you made your acquaintance with the shelf, as you so beautifully put it?" he asked curiously but also with a touch of concern.

"No, I'm fine, just some bruises and a slight laceration on the head which I healed immediately!"

"Hermione, in the future, don't lie to Severus and Father if they ask you something directly. That's never a good idea. They are and have never been gentle; it's not in their nature. With them, it's mostly verbal and very hurtful attacks, but when they get really upset, they will resort to physical punishments. You should know they didn't become Death Eaters for nothing! They wouldn't be if they were nice men," he warned me urgently.

"Thank you for your concern, Draco, it's very sweet of you... I understood that already. It just wasn't easy for me to admit to Snape that I sent Umbridge to kingdom come," I admitted calmly.

"Hermione, he will always protect you, not harm you. If anything he will help you, as you now belong to the family. Didn't you notice that he is less formal with you now? It is a great honour and shows that he has completely come to terms with your position in my... in our family, which is good, very good!" He looked at me beseechingly, precisely explaining this circumstance to me.

"That sounds good and I will get used to it, just give me a bit of time. It's so weird... Him being so informal with me has really thrown me for a loop," I confessed uneasily.

"I am sure that he will take the next step, that you'll soon be expected to call him by his first name," it suddenly burst out of Draco.

"What? I can't do that!" I exclaimed slightly shocked and downright panicked.

"You can, but you aren't allowed to do it until he offers it to you. However, if he does so and then you don't use it, it's an insult, so don't make that mistake," he warned me urgently and as always I took Draco very seriously.

Wow, a visit to the snake pit always opened up such completely new perspectives. The next morning, as I washed and dressed in the Tower, I realised that today was our last day at Hogwarts. I hurried, very excited to hear what Harry had to tell me about his night.

* * *

 _Review feedback:_

 _ **szabo alexandra1991:** We sometimes explore side characters POV's in our Special Chapters but none of that particular scene. The only POV included in the main work will continue to be limited to Hermione, Draco, Severus, and finally Lucius. Thank you for your review :)_

 _**gentledove2:** Yeah, there are some very sneaky snakes posing in lions' pelts. What better way to be sly and cunning than make the whole world think you are a brash Gryffindor instead? Thank you for your review!_

 _ **Sinner:** Your reviews are always appreciated. Thank you for your continued support :)_


	94. Aurors

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Nik (& Aivy)

* * *

 **Aurors**

Having finished changing my clothes, I now left Gryffindor tower again. Since it was the last day of the term at Hogwarts, I wore a form-fitting, dark blue jersey dress with half-length sleeves, foregoing my uniform. I felt very beautiful and desirable after last night and I wanted to express that. It had gotten quite late and I was in a hurry on my way to the Great Hall.

Despite everything, I felt great. The night with Draco had been wonderful, but Snape's last words to Draco, "she fits right in with us", were difficult to grasp after all that had occurred... I swallowed harder than ever when Snape said that I fitted wonderfully into the Malfoy family.

How much I had changed. I had already broken almost every taboo and he seemed to like what was presented to him. Snape himself had admitted that he was very satisfied with the way I skillfully put everything I had learned into practice!

Draco's last words concerning Snape did not go out of my mind as easily. "You'll soon be expected to call him by his first name." For heaven's sake, I didn't know if I could or even wanted to. I was still very wary when he came as close to me as yesterday because I could never predict what he was going to do to me and that made me a little insecure. Oh well!

What did Draco say? I would snub Snape by acting formally if he wanted to be on familial terms? But please, the two of them were always so formal with one another in public! Well, to be fair, nobody seemed to know that Snape was Draco's godfather and a close relative. That also meant that I would always have to keep up appearances and if I was clever with questions and answers in his presence, maybe I could ignore it all and avoid addressing him in a familiar manner. I was uncomfortable with the thought. He was my teacher... He was... arrrghhh... I would have to take things as they come.

I was in a real mess of emotions because what these snakes did with me was incredible, even on an emotional level. Sometimes Draco was so loving and gentle, but other times, the untouchable sovereign. And don't let me get started with Snape: Sometimes reserved and stoic, then expressing the fiery, violent temper hidden behind his icy mask. Thanks to hiding their feelings behind their facades, they would inevitably bubble over when they got involved, unfortunately acting on those feelings not only verbally but also physically, as I had experienced and suffered yesterday.

With a shudder, this made me think of Lucius. As so often though, I trusted my luck which had so excellently brought me through life so far. I once again took my motto to heart: Take it as it comes! You have to and you will deal with everything!

As I entered the Great Hall, I saw a beaming Harry which managed to cheer me up. He looked up at me, radiating joy. As always, we were the center of attention thanks to many incidents and events as he quickly ran towards me. But we didn't care, long ago having accepted this as the status quo.

Sneaking a quick glance at the serpents' table, I noticed Draco's emotionless facade and Daphne, who also tried somewhat naively to maintain her indifferent Slytherin mask but clearly would have loved to switch places with me. Now, Harry breathed a light good-morning-kiss on my cheek before he led me to our table with a mischievous grin.

"What have I done to deserve such a passionate greeting, Harry?" I laughed quietly as he began to serve me breakfast just like the Twins used to, and I shook my head very much amused. For everyone except Daphne, Blaise and Draco it must seem like we were really a couple because I just received my much-needed coffee from him - how thoughtful of him.

"Here you go... And why, you ask? I think you know the reason! I think I can say I have my first girlfriend and if I have my way, the last one too! She is lovely. I'm deeply in love," he whispered excitedly into my ear and I grinned back happily.

Wasn't he just too darn sweet? Always so loyal and faithful. His first girlfriend and mentally already his last, but that was Harry to a T.

"Wow, do tell! How far did you two go when you make a statement like that?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, we... not what you think, we just kissed. You mustn't forget, she comes from a good family and is still... well, you know, one who likes to wait until marriage!" he said insistently and just blushed a fiery red, looking like Ron at his worst times, and I tried not to giggle.

"Aha! Say, Harry, don't you think that you shouldn't approach a first date in this way? Talking about sex already..." I teased without any hesitation and if you can believe it, he became even redder. There clearly were no issues with his blood circulation. If I told him about my night with Draco, he probably wouldn't have any blood left in his body because everything would get into his head, I thought nastily, yet very amused.

"What? You misunderstood me, I would never behave like that! It was simply that I kissed her and she kissed me. I initiated it and it was much better than with Cho... oh, ... I just wanted to say that I fell in love with her, and, at that, much more intensely and sincerely than with Cho! I am in love, she is so nice, dear and above all honest." His shining green eyes took on a very far-away look and I quickly glanced at Daphne who seemed to be in the process of being mercilessly interrogated by Blaise.

I knew he was supposed to be trying to work on the cottage situation, but as red as she looked, especially given her innate restraint in showing feelings, I wasn't so sure that that was what the conversation was about. Probably not the cottage, but Harry. Poor Daphne, Blaise was just too curious.

In truth, I was glad that she showed such a reaction. It endeared her to me that she wasn't such a hardened bitch as I would call myself. I know this outlook wasn't flattering, but then, I was just being brutally honest with myself.

She and her feelings for Harry came across as being very happy and honest, and she didn't boast about it. Probably for the best as the snakes wouldn't meet the news with much love either. It showed me her feelings were probably also deep, intimate and sincere. That's what I hoped for her, too, because if she only faked it or hurt Harry now that he was so blissfully happy and hoped to have someone here to whom he could build an intimate relationship with, and do all this so recently after Sirius' death, then, Merlin have mercy on her, all the gods of this world would not be able to protect her from my wrath.

Eventually, I pulled myself out of my observations and thoughts and asked:

"Oh, that would be so nice. And her? Is she in love as well?" I wanted to know and was pretty sure of the answer.

"Yes. Unlike with Cho, I am very sure that she liked our date and liked me, t-"

We were abruptly interrupted as the owls came fluttering in with the mail and I waited with dread, wondering how Harry would react to the horror that all Death Eaters had broken out of Azkaban. I quickly drank my coffee while he was reading. I closed my eyes and counted to five. Why did our happiness always have to be so close to bad news?

"What? What? What?!"Harry erupted. The noise level in the hall had also increased dangerously when the first people spotted the cover story. I grabbed Harry by the collar and hissed:

"Compose yourself! Keep your cool; it would be the wrong thing to get all upset in public," I advised him firmly, and now occured what I had been observing from him for some time and what had become so apparent since Sirius' death.

Immediately, he pinched his lips, narrowed his eyes to strained slits, and did what he had promised me in the Room of Requirement that night: First think, then act. First think, then react. Finally, he nodded his head and pulled the Prophet closer to continue reading peacefully and I released my firm grip from his neck.

I looked at the snakes, who now knew that their fathers were free again, but I didn't really see happy faces. They looked as always, even Daphne didn't let me know how she felt. Although Draco had put on an impenetrably masked face he looked at me sharply and nodded slightly, showing me that he had noticed Harry's behaviour as well, and that he was glad that he hadn't exploded like an erupting volcano.

"You knew it, you knew it! How did you know, Hermione?" Harry hissed through clenched teeth and looked slightly wild with his disheveled hair but he still controlled himself with difficulty.

Wow. Slowly, I became concerned. Some time ago he wouldn't have noticed this. I shouldn't be surprised; he had became really attentive and very good at combining clues.

"Hermione, answer me!" He struck the table as Blaise would, which was totally not attracting attention, I thought sardonically. Here and now, I decided that I wouldn't come to breakfast anymore if I was always in the centre of interest. That wouldn't go well for much longer... How good that the holidays started tomorrow.

"No, Harry, I didn't know... I only learned of it last night. So would you be so kind as to turn it down a bit?" I hissed at him angrily and thus earned many confused faces. Ever since I had turned on Dumbledore so cheekily, they were longing to know if my warnings were true and Harry seemed to confirm that to them by saying:

"Hermione, from where do you always get all you information? Why do you always know everything before everyone else?" and with that he gave the curious people around us the revelation that my threat yesterday to Dumbledore was meant seriously; that the headmaster actually caved because I always knew everything before the plebian, ignorant masses.

"Well, that's my secret, Harry! Just think of the beetle, then you might understand that I have many contacts," I grinned devilishly and guessed that this was overheard by some, but that was fine by me. Harry's eyes suddenly reflected his understanding when he remembered that I had told him some time ago that I was blackmailing Rita.

I couldn't tell him that I had my knowledge from Draco. Not yet, but soon!

"Tell me, Harry, when are we going to the infirmary?" I turned to another, more harmless subject, which made Harry blink in confusion behind his round glasses. I waited for him to catch up and looked at him with my head tilted.

"Uh... and you don't have anything to say about this?" He tipped on the newspaper.

"Well, what can you say about that except that the Ministry is best characterised by frightening incompetence?" I elaborated disparagingly, giving a snort.

My scornful words immediately led to a huge whisper and I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Sure, criticism of the Ministry was looked down upon, but after Umbridge you would think they could think for themselves!

"While you're right, isn't this bad?" he admitted sadly and still showed total despair that the Death Eaters had escaped.

"Of course it's bad, but you and I, we can't do anything about it," I confessed realistically and shrugged unhappily, but also fatefully, and drank greedily to avoid getting angry about something we really couldn't change at all.

I turned my attention to other things when all of a sudden two men and a woman, in formation, came in through the large, open double doors. Their steps were loud and very brisk, their demeanor self-confident.

One was Tonks, who today wore her original heart-shaped face along with her inconspicuous, light brown hair and sporty figure. She looked very dedicated and showed a serious expression. The man walking beside her was perhaps a bit older than Tonks, but not by much. He wore his long blond hair tied to in a neat plait, his face meaning business as they walked past the students in such a pompous manner. They sported the striking, scarlet robes of the Auror corps.

"What are they doing here...? Tonks and the one next to her is Williamson, I met him before my hearing," Harry whispered more and more quietly.

"Can't you figure it out?" I pulled up my eyebrow mockingly and could watch as understanding slowly entered Harry's eyes and I nodded contentedly when I realised that Harry had understood it and was now looking up with a downright arrogant look and stretching his chin briskly.

Tonks and Williamson trailed after the brawny black-haired Dawlish. With his brushed haircut, and out-stretched chest, he was the epitome of the embodied discipline and obedience expected of law-abiding aurors.

My gaze went back and forth inconspicuously as Dumbledore rose and addressed the the new arrivals with care:

"My esteemed Aurors, what can we do for you?"

I felt Dawlish come to a stop behind Harry and me.

"Professor Dumbledore, we are here on behalf of the Ministry to investigate the murders of the first Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, Dolores Jane Umbridge and Peter Jugson. In the course of this, we would like to have Miss Granger and Mr Potter sit down for questioning..." The business-like man was interrupted by the loud blustering of the whispered and horrified conversations of our classmates.

I, however, remained completely calm and unmoved at this opening. They could do nothing to me. Nothing would happen to us and certainly not Harry, since he had done nothing at all. This will be fun, so I raised my cup, completely unconcerned, and drank a sip after this revelation. I just wanted to hide my snide grin, which was broadly showing on my face. But this gesture made me look damn cool and relaxed to everyone, which I only realised when when several Gryffindors stared at me in shock.

I had expected something like this, sooner or later. They had to ask us questions. It figured that they had to make a public spectacle of it. Here I shall insert my thesis again: one had to have luck, and of that I had plenty.

"But gentlemen...!", Dumbledore began placatingly but I interrupted him and his this-shan't-be-necessary speech resolutely by standing up with gusto and turning to the aurors. Harry made me proud with his reaction to my action, demonstrating his unity with me by rising almost in sync with me. He hadn't shown surprise either, only frowned reluctantly.

"With pleasure, Auror Dawlish," I chirped at the aurors and looked out of the corner of my eye as Harry nodded. I noticed Tonks pulling the corners of her mouth down in a disgruntled manner and a horrified silence spread that I was once again cutting Dumbledore's word off.

"I'll be happy to join," said Harry said jovially and surprised everyone with his sociable manner, even the Slytherins looked like fish out of water. Dumbledore didn't seem happy at all, but he couldn't do anything if we agreed to cooperate.

"Well, that's good! Would you provide us with a room, Headmaster Dumbledore?" a satisfied, smug expression appeared on the hard face of Dawlish, as if we had already sprung the trap with our consent and had made a confession. What a conceited, rash Ministry man. Too bad he didn't know he had found a born opportunist in me.

"Uh, of course, as you wish. Best right here in this room... here," our headmaster reluctantly pointed behind him to the door through which Harry had had to pass after his name came out of the Goblet of Fire during the Triwizard Tournament. The auror nodded in agreement and Harry and I walked forward under the oh-so-attentive and scandalously curious eyes of the entire Hogwarts student body.

That this was the first interrogation by the Ministry's aurors taking place at school to investigate the murder of a professor. Wasn't that sensational news? Harry Potter and the unexplained, mysterious murder of the former headmistress of Hogwarts. Oh yes, yes, the gossip mongers would have a field day.

When Harry and I, apparently unperturbed, were led away by Dawlish and followed by Tonks and the other man, we were likely to give the image of delinquents who had already been convicted and whose transfer to Azkaban was just a formality. The game was only beginning, though, wasn't it?

And one thing was clear, I was delighted and my fingers were itching dangerously to get involved in the game.

Hopefully, this Dawlish was an opponent with whom it was worthwhile to cross blades. Oh, I was curious about my first interrogation, but then I dared to ask myself for a moment if it would be the last one in my life.

As we left the Great Hall in uproar behind us, I turned around once more and I locked eyes with Draco's. In the light of the candles, his eyes glittered dangerously and I knew if they tried anything, he would order and lead the next attack on Azkaban. The cold flash of the ice-grey eyes sent little waves of excitement through me and I had to deny myself a diabolical grin. It was nice to know that I belonged to a family that also had the power and ability to do whatever it took, without being held back by annoying scruples or misunderstood morals.

When we entered the room, which contained both tables and large glass showcases displaying different trophies, medals and large plates in gold, silver and bronze which sparkled and flashed in the light of the candles. It was clear the room was built to impress, especially with the enormous arched roof. This room had no windows, which gave it a very peculiar atmosphere.

Pretty. I thought. Such a shame that it wasn't open to anyone otherwise, as it was very nice. We headed for a big table. Dawlish sat confidently opposite us, while Tonks and Williamson took up their positions behind us. We were told to take a seat, which we did after the unanimous nod we gave each other.

Their attempt to intimidate us with their encirclement didn't quite succeed.

I was slightly confused. The Muggles always interrogated separately, so that no agreement or influence was possible. I was astonished, even the wizards must have heard of this?

"So... Mr Potter and Miss Granger, as you can imagine, the Ministry has many questions about your deeds and undertakings of the days before last," Dawlish began with a weighty tone and looked at us insistently and sternly. "We are charged by the highest powers that be with answering these unresolved questions about the events that led to the death of Dolores Jane Umbridge, the former Headmistress of Hogwarts. "Statements are to be made about the fighting in the Ministry's Department of Mysteries, which also resulted in a death. We hope for your full cooperation," and he said this seriously and harshly, very routinely.

Suddenly, I felt Harry's knee as he pressed it firmly against mine. Please, if he wanted to, he could go first. I would give him the right of way and so I nudged back inconspicuously.

"Of course we want to help, Mr Dawlish, what would you like to know?" Harry eagerly offered and opened his eyes wide. Faced with such zeal, a happy smile appeared on the Auror's features as Harry quickly continued: "At the Ministry, the Death Eater had gone wild, and we were lucky that all six of us left alive. You can be assured that they were throwing around the Killing Curse without restraint! We, on the other hand, defended ourselves with only Light, Ministry-approved spells. Is that what you're asking about, or is this about something else?" He ended with a provocative question, putting on a concerned expression.

"Well, Mr Potter, if you say so, but we still have a dead man on our hands! Mr Jugson is dead and Mr Nott was handicapped by a Dark curse. Everything here must be written down and recorded; Auror Tonks, if you would be so kind... and now, what exactly did you do, Mr Potter?" demanded the brawny, unappealing auror. We heard Tonks behind us conjuring the requested parchment and heard the quill scratching as it quickly noted down what had been said.

"Oh please, shouldn't the Ministry be looking for the Death Eaters that have broken out?" Harry didn't indulge him at all, looking at him angrily as he asked his provocative question.

"Let the Ministry worry about that. We'll take care of it, don't worry yourself," Dawlish said smugly where it certainly wasn't appropriate.

"Exactly that is what I'm worried about!" Harry murmured maliciously. Hey, Harry's really become quite the cynic. Did he get that from me?

"Mr Potter, really! What happened?" Dawlish rebuked indignantly, becoming impatient.

"Nothing! The curses just flew all around us - what can I say, they were so dumb, it is quite possible that they hit each other with their own curses," Harry angrily folded his arms over his chest and slumped against the back of his chair.

This earned him a pondering look from the attentive auror's eyes. Harry gleamed at him with angry eyes, but kept his temper under control and so the auror's watchful eyes wandered from him to look at me.

"And what about you, Miss Granger? What did you do in the Ministry?" he now enquired, seemingly friendly, and apparently tried to read me. Thought he could unsettle a poor, naive little girl under his piercing gaze. Uh huh, exactly. Come on boy, let's play!

"Much... I ran for my life, for example", I replied very sarcastically.

What an idiot, such a stupid question! What was Fudge thinking about subjecting us to something like that? Maybe... damn it, I had to go to Umbridge's office, hoping it wasn't empty yet, when a terrific idea shot into my head and I forced myself not to get restless.

"Miss Granger, that is not what I meant! We are interested in what you did do, what kind of spells you cast," it came brashly and bossily out of this idiotic man in front of me. While he chastised me and accused me somehow, I blinked in irritation and placed my hand against my chest.

"What... is it not of interest that we were attacked? Us children? They tried to kill underage wizards! And that doesn't interest you? You shock me," I spoke very coolly to him and after a quick glance at Harry I recognised how he was grinding his teeth, his jaw clenched.

Ah, I had forgotten, the Death Eaters had to be protected of course. Forget about protecting the victims, it clearly came behind protecting the perpetrators. We certainly live in a strange world.

"Would you please answer the question?" the Ministry-loyal employee remained stubborn and I groaned with a fair amount of annoyance.

"I defended myself with _Stupefies_ and _Reductos,_ then I hid and tried to help Ginny and Luna", I lied as a matter of course and leaned back afterwards.

"Good and now back to you, Mr Potter," his piercing gaze quickly turned to Harry.

"The same, add in _Impedimenta_ and _Petrificus Totalus_ , that's all!" Harry provided in a strained voice. It was impressive how he fought against his fiery temper.

"Well, then you'll have no problem surrendering your wand to us for inspection," Dawlish hissed suddenly very aggressively as if he had us now and we blinked irritated at this very harsh demand.

I wanted to open my mouth in protest because such an examination would only be admissible after an accusation in court, if at all, but there was someone faster than I and a wand flew in a high arc through the air and landed on the wooden tabletop.

"Yes, well, as you wish", Harry spat out viciously and I just gasped for air.

Was he nuts? I hadn't been able to blink that fast. I had told him at his hearing in the Wizengamot how it worked and the last spell was his Cruciatus Curse on Lestrange. Why had he done that?

The Ministry had no means against us to demand this examination. Harry just gave me a unique kind of heart attack!

"Harry, you don't have to!" I yelled, startled.

"I know that but I want to help our Ministry catch the bad guys," he snarled venomously and I just sat there like frozen and we faced a maliciously smiling Dawlish. However, one thing I could deduct clearly from Harry's answer was that he seemed to know something I didn't know, so I shrugged my shoulders and slumped back. I would do Harry the same honour, trust him and pray that he knew what he was doing.

"The Ministry appreciates your cooperation, Mr Potter."

I could easily hear Tonks breathe a deep sigh from behind me; she didn't sound happy with Dawlish's slimy words. Next, this unsympathetic dimwit of an auror pulled his dark brown wand and pointed it at Harry's still lying on the table and intoned _Prior Incantato_ , and we could all observe how a beautiful, large, silvery bouquet of orchids broke from the top of the wooden stick and came to rest on the table in all its splendour, promptly disintegrating.

Damn, I couldn't believe it, he had conjured a bouquet of flowers for Daphne with the _Orchideus_ spell. And hey, as far as I could say it was really well-done. Kudos, Harry, she certainly must have liked that. But, phew... for a moment I had been worried. Luckily, Harry wasn't stupid. Wasn't he cute? Such a sweet one; Daphne had made quite a catch there, and I was sincerely happy for both of them.

Now we were allowed to look into the deeply unsatisfied face of Dawlish and how he angrily pinched his lips. He turned to me with a snort, more or less gruffly flicking Harry's wand back towards its owner and Harry's face showed deep satisfaction.

"Miss Granger, what happened when Professor Umbridge went into the forest with you two?" he asked me urgently and I turned my cold eyes to him and said nothing at first, took my time.

"What makes you think something happened?" I replied calmly with a counter-question.

"Well, it was learned that you showed no shock about the Professor's death when it was announced," he said with a lot of venom, leaning forward slightly over the table.

"I also stand by that. But only because I didn't shed a tear for the death of a person not particularly close to me, doesn't necessarily mean that I murdered them," I replied dryly and heard Tonks take a startled breath. My only thought was that the dear still had to work on her composure. You had to grant Dawlish that he remained unmoved and continued to scrutinise me.

"You were talking about a weapon in the Forbidden Forest, what was that all about?" He didn't go any further into my statement and one of my eyebrows went up.

"Nothing," I explained briefly.

"What do you mean, nothing?" His gaze penetrated further into me and I brushed a strand of my curly hair behind my ear.

"As I said, nothing! There was no weapon, that was only a trick to escape the torture that the professor threatened us with. She wanted to put the Cruciatus Curse on Mr Potter and I couldn't let her do that. I couldn't think of anything faster to distract her, so please forgive me my ruse," the words dropped cynically from my lips. Sooner or later, I would get payback on the Ministry. Outwardly, I remained cool and played the role of a student eager to help solving the case even if I was seething on the inside.

"Well, are there any witnesses to your claim?" he asked doubtingly and frowned disapprovingly at my statement that the high-born Umbridge threatened to use an Unforgivable.

"Of course, the Gryffindors Ron and Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, the Ravenclaw Luna Lovegood and the Slytherins Malfoy, Zabini, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, and Bullstrode. Professor Umbridge has also said that she was responsible for the attack on Mr Potter during the summer holidays last year and that she ordered the dementors unto Privet Drive that time!" That's when I heard Tonk's quiet but very surprised wheeze, Williamson's hiss, and Dawlish's complacent mask cracked for the first time. That was a shock to the dear aurors, wasn't it? Oh, how I pitied them.

"Miss Granger, you are aware that these are serious accusations against a highly decorated Ministry employee whose memory is held in high esteem," he hissed angrily, turning slightly red, but I remained very calm.

"Yes, but if it's true? How did the much-loved Professor Umbridge insist to say? 'You must not tell lies'", I alluded to Harry's torture with the blood quill and I noticed from the corner of my eye how he instinctively reached for the scar on the back of his hand and lightly stroked it. One could never forget something like that.

"We'll check that during the interrogations of the people you named," Dawlish stuck to protocol with a sour face. The interrogation didn't go as well as he had hoped, I thought maliciously, as he cleared his throat again and tried to continue.

I wonder what Fudge wanted to achieve with it.

Most likely, he hoped - in his peculiar way of thinking - to gather dirt on Harry so he could offer him a small deal to generously sweep everything under the table if he, Harry, allowed himself to be paraded around by the Ministry.

Yes, exactly, only such a power-obsessed and status-clinging fool as Fudge could come up with such a thing. Or was he trying to pin something on me or our friends to blackmail Harry?

Oh yes, that just fit too well with his previous antics, but we wouldn't him get away with it. Dawlish would get a surprise when he interrogated the Slytherins because Draco wouldn't lie for Umbridge. In reality, of course, he would only do it for me, but the Ministry didn't have to know that.

I would have loved to laugh out loud now. The Ministry and Fudge were going to embarrass themselves again. First Fudge's denial that the Dark Lord was back, then the outbreak of the Death Eaters yesterday and now this: a crazy witch who wanted to torture the children of Britain's magical community. Not good at all. Ouch! But I didn't find it in me to feel sorry for him.

"Then what did you hope to get out of this walk in the woods? What happened in the forest that led to the death of Undersecretary Umbridge?" the auror asked again very harshly and tried to re-take the lead.

"I hoped that the centaurs would come to help us, but it didn't get that far..." I explained as Harry loudly interrupted me.

"Yes, it didn't come to that because we, Hermione and I, were grabbed by a root, similar to Devil's Snare. It was so strong that it wrestled us to the ground and pinned us down, nearly choking us to death. It was really frightening in the dark forest! But Umbridge didn't attempt to help us and so we tried to stay calm. It helped. When we had come to terms with our fate, the root became more yielding and we were able to move a little again. After we had done this all by ourselves and got free, there was nobody to be seen far and wide, nobody! It was as if the ground had swallowed Umbridge whole, so we made our way back... We didn't want to spend the night in the woods. On the way back, we met our friends and flew to London on the back of the thestrals. I can't tell you any more than that!" Harry made me speechless. My heartbeat had doubled. He knew it... He had to know, he had to have know!

It was the only way to explain his lie and that he had run over my mouth like that to give me a false alibi. He must know! He had to know, or suspect, why else would he lie like that?

Harry knew I had murdered Umbridge!

And he lied like it was nothing and didn't even blush, stutter or show any other sign of insecurity. He seemed rather sovereign as he told his story of lies and thus let me know what to say.

And what should I say, I accepted the help gracefully and denied myself a smile. Harry was a bigger snake than I had previously thought.

"Exactly, Auror Dawlish, when we had fought our way out, which was hard enough, I couldn't see the Professor anymore. However, I'm sure you are aware how unpredictable the dark and dangerous forest is," I took the same line and could see how Dawlish looked very upset and didn't like it at all how we covered for each other!

"Well, then it shouldn't be a problem for you to hand me your wand for inspection, Miss Granger, right?" He pulled up his eyebrow calculatingly and looked at me superiorly.

"No, sir, as you wish," I quietly pulled my school wand out of my robe pocket and handed him the good, pure and virgin piece of wood.

And just like before, he intoned " _Prior Incantato_ " and a silvery beam came out of it, made a loud, popping noise and flashed red, clearly identifying the _Stupefy_. I had known this was what it would show because I had attacked the shelves and the Death Eaters with my school wand in the Department of Mystery with Stunning Spells and Reductor Curses before I changed to my other, my white wand.

Only then did I perform my dark curses. I wasn't stupid after all.

Of course, the Auror could have gone back further with both my wand and Harry's but after these bitter setbacks, he lacked any basis to do so. The fact that we gave him our wands voluntarily was actually a big courtesy on our part as we didn't have to do that. And with Harry's wand, this was a great blessing!

Dawlish looked very unsatisfied when I pulled my wand out of his hands.

"Satisfied?" I asked, but he did not answer and only looked at us suspiciously.

"Would that be it then, sir? We still have to pack," an annoyed Harry interjected.

"Um, yes, well, we still have to question the others." Dawlish rose unhappily, his bad mood obvious.

We all got up and left the room behind the professor's table, re-entering the Great Hall, stepped down from the dais, looking into an amazingly full hall. Everyone had probably wanted to stay and see whether we would be taken to Azkaban immediately or not.

They looked up at us like blithering idiots and I could see that Draco elegantly raised the aristocratic eyebrow; I nodded minimally which he registered, surprised me as he now raised his voice.

"Are the students Malfoy, Zabini, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, Parkinson, and Bullstrode present?"

Great whispering was the result and the Slytherins, concerned, looked at Draco, who, with a quick look made them understand that this was fine, and thus they came obediently and silently towards us.

"Auror Dawlish, may I ask what you want from these students? I see you've finished with Mr Potter and Miss Granger," Dumbledore demanded, being the only professor present alongside McGonagall, sitting in his seat at the table.

"Of course, Professor Dumbledore. I need these students to clear up the circumstances and verify Mr Potter's and Miss Granger's statements," Dawlish barked which led to a huge rumbling. The Slytherins backing up our story?! Now that was just hilarious and unbelievable! I knew, though, that the Slytherins wouldn't lie thanks to Draco.

And so, armed with the truth, they would confirm our statement and help us. Perfect, there was no better statement to reinforce your own than that from your enemy, and it would show what the toad had really been like. Thanks to Fudge's hasty, much too obvious action Umbridge's misdeeds would become publicly known, and this would then cast a doubly bad light on him and his Ministry. Oh, how wonderful it was dealing with fools.

Rita would still receive a report from me today about what had transpired, and you really couldn't say that the auror's investigation was in any way covert.

Harry and I left Dumbledore and his potential questions behind us, nipping all inquiries in the bud. The aurors disappeared through the door again with the snakes in tow and while everyone would have loved to pester us with questions, we marched on quickly. I still had something to do and Harry would be at my side.


	95. Truths

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Nik (& Aivy)

* * *

 **Truths**

"Hermione, where are you going so fast?" Harry panted breathlessly behind me.

"Shush, Harry, please not now", I demanded brusquely and hurried to the third floor. Thanks to our daily running and training, Harry and I made good progress without getting out of breath too much. Our stamina was really astonishingly good. Since my dress was a little obstructive, I pulled it up over my thighs without any pretence of shyness and hurried on. Harry was truly amazing today. He didn't ask why, just ran along obediently.

Another positive aspect of Umbridge's death and Professor Dumbledore's return was that Professor Flitwick had bestirred himself to make the Twin's previously insurmountable swamp disappear in no time, so the passage and crossing of the corridors was again possible without hassle.

As we entered the hallway where the defence classroom was situated, I put my finger to my lips indicating him to be very quiet. We carefully scampered into the classroom and up the spiral staircase, with me skillfully dissolving the few protective enchantments still lying on the office.

All this happened under Harry's attentive eyes. When I looked over my shoulder and saw his thoughtful gaze, I couldn't suppress a harsh laugh at the fact that we found ourselves once more at another break-in. A mischievous grin spread on his face as well, which had held a somewhat annoyed expression since the interview... scratch that, interrogation with the aurors.

He winked at me amusedly and I turned around again so that we could finally get into the office. Finally, the door swung open and we entered quickly. It still looked exactly the same as it had last time and the kittens were meowing non-stop. I would have liked to muzzle their mouths, as they were unbearable.

Harry stopped, looking a bit lost, as he closed the door and a glance back told me that he was thinking about his Floo chat with Kreacher. I turned to the tidy desk and left Harry to his sad thoughts.

I now bent over to the right drawer to check it for spells and curses, preferring to be cautious. I was getting properly pedantic and suddenly understood Snape better than ever.

When I noticed that there was nothing left on it, no more curses and spells, I smiled slightly and pulled the drawer open, only to shove it back in with a bang, cursing loudly.

What a bummer. This stupid toad annoyed me even in death; she was unbearable! That stupid, ugly toad! If I had at least elicited a few sounds of pain from her throat, then I would now be able to bear this more easily; she... ahhh... didn't deserve such a painless end.

Attentively, Harry stepped up to me.

"What is it, what angers you so much?" he inquired calmly, but also curiously.

"Augh... this disgusting toad," I spat out. "She put a black curse on her papers so that they self-destruct in case of her death. Shit!" I hissed angrily and kicked the desk with my foot. Ouch!

"I'm not sure what surprises me more: that you are railing at a poor, dead woman who has forcibly departed from this life, or that you know exactly where to look," Harry replied in a frighteningly cold but also thoughtful way, pushing the frame of his glasses back onto his nose with his index finger, his face pensive.

"Oh, stop it. I'm not stupid. You know it or you suspect it, otherwise, you wouldn't have interrupted me during Dawlish's interrogation and cheerfully told him that I got captured by the root with you," I snapped. I was positively furious. This was so annoying! Why had she had to put this fucking curse on the files? I would have loved to have all her records - or at least the information she had on Percy - but it appeared she had taken all her secrets to the grave. This was just too frustrating.

"Of course, I suspect something! Do I look like I am stupid? However, it seems as if you're just impressively confirming it," he shouted angrily and assumed an aggressive stance, putting both clenched fists at his side.

"Harry, what do you want to hear? ... One thing after the other. I once found some documents here when I was interrupted. There was a file about Percy Weasley in here, something she had against him. I wanted to know what... but she managed even in death to prevent me from knowing." That annoyed me the most.

"Please don't tell me you did what I suspect you did, please tell me you didn't do it... Please! Hermione," Harry now pleaded very quietly and scrutinised me sharply.

The air left my lungs in a huff, my anger evaporated and I dropped my head and shook it sadly as I confessed my guilt before Harry. "I can't do that, Harry... I can't do that."

"Did you actually...?" he echoed so quietly that I barely understood him while I didn't look at him.

"Yes", my prompt answer didn't cine loudly but very firmly. I still didn't regret it and would do it again any time, only this time she would scream in pain, I swore to myself.

"Oh God," I heard him clap his hand over his mouth.

"Not 'oh God', thank God! She would have always been a danger to you", I objected angrily and self-righteously. What could I say? It had always been my concern that my 'friends' would judge me self-righteously and arrogantly.

"But... but we shouldn't do such a thing... that's not good", he stuttered emotionally. I looked up and fixed him with a hard stare while he paced up and down, ruffling his own hair.

"Oh... but your way is better? You catch the bad guys and the next minute they escape again and slaughter everyone that stands in their way. How many aurors died yesterday in Azkaban? How many, Harry?" I pressed him in a reserved and cold manner, my eyes never leaving him. He stopped abruptly and lifted his eyes towards me with uncertainty.

"Seventeen!" He swallowed visibly and gagged lightly.

"There you have it. Jugson though can't do anything to anyone anymore," I harshly explained to him what I thought of the Ministry's approach.

"Him too?" His big eyes opened even wider and he shook his head in disbelief.

"Maybe?" I said meekly.

"Hermione, what is happening to us? That's not good. You can't have done that, not my Hermione", he was aghast and bare horror shone in his green, soulful eyes.

"Harry, I'm still me," I said fervently, slowly approaching him who eyed me with big, green, totally shocked eyes as if I was a hallucination.

"Yes, you probably are. Isn't that just awful?" he yelled, agitated, but at the same time he pulled me into a surprisingly tight embrace and held onto me resolutely. "What are they turning us into?" he whispered into my hair, sounding defeated, and suppressed his sobs.

"Why?" he asked after a long silence, still pressing himself needily against me as I returned his embrace.

"She wanted to... and did… torture you, ordered the dementor's kiss on you... and most likely much more. What else should I have done?" I explained, convinced that I had done the right thing. He buried his face in my shoulder. Another silence fell until Harry spoke up again:

"I can't approve of what you did..." I felt his hot breath on my neck, his head still resting on my shoulder.

"I'm aware of that. Then it's over, isn't it?" My words sounded bitter because here all my doubts were brilliantly confirmed.

An endless wave of sadness seemed to roll over me and I withdrew, but he wouldn't let me and pulled me close again.

"...But I also can't say that I'm shedding tears for the old, vicious toad. … I even understand you and have true respect for your courage. I wasn't even able to take revenge on the murderess responsible for Sirius' death! She was right in front of me. I'm such a pussy..." Harry replied in a trembling voice, deeply moved. That he hadn't caught Bellatrix affected him very much. He groaned quietly and confessed in a whisper and with infinite sadness in his voice, "I am a failure, nothing else. You would have caught Lestrange if you had been there sooner, you would have managed it. You can do all the spells and curses you want. You are so strong and always so sure of yourself... where I am always so insecure."

I remained silent and listened perplexed.

"You have clearly known for a long time that the distinction between good and evil is not clear ... whether the ministry is good remains to be seen. Just like the question of what Dumbledore is, isn't it? ... Or even my parents - were James' actions good? Certainly not, and I think the worst thing is that he never realised until his death that it wasn't! Because he would have believed that everything you do unto Slytherins is good! But that is not it, they are people, too, like you and me, with feelings... I see that in Daphne alone... She... she doesn't want that either, but what should we do? We are formed by society and now I have to ask myself, was it good to eliminate such an evil toad? She wasn't finished with us in the forest yet, we both know that," the words came breathlessly, literally rushed out of him as he poured out his heart to me. He held me by the shoulders, looking firmly into my face.

I was moved and closed my eyes with emotion before I started:

"Oh no, Harry... there's nothing good about that. I'm often afraid of being bad, but I see no other choice... Who helps me, us? And you're right about your question about good and evil. The Ministry headed by Fudge who would like to put us in Azkaban? Dumbledore, whom I always only see when everything is over? Who, Harry? What should I have done?! Because she wouldn't have let us go, she was fanatical," I justified my actions insistently.

"I know what you mean... We're alone, and it's live or die, regardless", he acknowledged, disillusioned. Harry's green irises flashed in such a way that a chill ran down my back. What had been happening to this boy in the last days?

"I have to... Will you excuse me, Hermione? I have to think. I must think about everything intensively, about everything! But I will tell you one thing: I love you! Always! No matter what you do! ...", he said so convincingly earnestly, so completely honestly, that a wave of happiness almost knocked me over. Yet then my bad conscience immediately set in for Harry still didn't know all I had to tell him, not even close.

"Don't say something like that until you know everything," I requested desperately.

"Good, but that won't change my attitude! You are and remain my sister and I will always love you! ... Everything remains as we have discussed it, okay? But all this... it makes my stomach churn. To suspect something and to know it is two different kettles of fish... I must...! I need rest to process all this! The last days were just too much for me. I know I should discuss everything with you now, but I can't! I have too much on my mind: Sirius, Daphne, you, Fudge, Dumbledore… This is all too much..." he said and he was right, this was all a bit much at once.

"Harry, go to the Hospital Wing, inform the others that they are going to be questioned and tell them to speak the truth, that will distract you. You will have enough time to think until the day I pick you up," I offered him. We hugged again and I stepped back, giving him the space he asked for. He still seemed to be a little unsteady.

"Yes, you're right. I'll go then. See you later," he gave me a despondent smile. He took his shrunken invisibility cloak out of his robes and put it on, leaving me alone in this feline infested room.

After Harry's departure, I rubbed my face violently and moaned in suffering. He knew!

In the end, I should be more happy than sad about his reaction. Although, to know that Harry now knew, partly knew what I was doing, didn't make me proud. Rather it showed once again what I had become and whether I was proud of _that_ was another matter altogether.

I would never have thought Harry would be able to pick things up like that. Well, he was still shocked and I think if he slept over it one night, he would be repulsed. That he had stayed so relatively calm I probably owed to the earth-shattering last few days which seemed to have turned Harry's views and principles all upside down.

I would be the last one to complain about it, though, as I benefited by not losing my best friend. I kept my motto in mind again - take things as they come!

 _Yes, exactly, now pull yourself together, you have to get out of here..._ But wait! A little browsing wouldn't hurt anyone and the headmaster seemed too busy with the visit of the aurors, so I had time. I turned around in circles and took a look at the room.

I systematically walked down the room, as in Rita's apartment, but it seemed as if she had cast this idiotic spell on everything incriminating. Either she had promised confidentiality to her blackmail victims or she wanted to die a hypocrite, only to be mourned all the more. With her, anything was possible. But well, I had the file copies for Fudge and Scrimgeour and I knew that Percy had skeletons in his closet, so that was something... I hesitated in my considerations. What was that?

By the pink récamière, on the small, round side table, was a jewellery box that was not completely closed and the glint from within attracted my attention.

I quickly stepped towards it and knocked the silver lid all the way back, seeing something inside the jewellery box lined with pink velvet. Mhmh... somehow the locket I saw seemed familiar to me and when I lifted it by its delicate silver chain to look at it closely, I recognised it immediately.

But how could Umbridge have come to own it? I knew that I had seen the good piece in a showcase of the salon harbouring the Black family tree. I had thought it would fit in well with the House of Black as there were many snake emblems engraved. I had spent some time in that salon from time to time because the family tree and the branches of the magical families had interested me immensely, the display case having caught my eye. With a tortured sigh, I had felt sorry for the Black family's magical artefacts that would probably fall victim to Molly's cleaning mania. It had been incomprehensible to me but at that time it didn't matter much. These were Sirius' possessions, not mine.

The gem that flashed in the light of the sun's rays falling through the windows had a warm, golden, deep, rich, brown shimmer. It could be a citrine. The stone, cut into octagons and edged in white gold, captured me because of its translucent beauty.

In the middle, a writhing snake had been created with small emerald fragments in the style of the Slytherin symbol. It had been embedded magically. The locket should have been able to be opened, but it didn't wouldn't budge, as I found out after some unsuccessful attempts. I could feel that it wasn't just a piece of jewellery. The magic that flowed through this jewel was palpable.

You could see that it was ancient since the fine decorations in the white gold belonged to a time long gone and the sign was also clearly the same that Slytherin had used for his coat of arms. I was sure that I was holding the locket from Grimmauld Place in my hands. How had it gotten here? I could only imagine, nibbling on my lip, that it had sprouted wings and flown away. The only one I thought capable of this was Dung, and with this realisation in place, I decided I would send off another letter today. I let the locket slide into my pocket. I would take it with me.

My eyes slid back to the meowing cat plates. I wish they would crumble to ashes, I thought venomously and left the office and the classroom. What a pity, it could have gone so well!

Should I also go to the infirmary?

I didn't know if I really wanted to step back under Harry's eyes now after his insights into what I was doing and who I was. But where should I go instead?

Eventually, I decided to write the letters first and then ask Orange to transport them.

I had to give Harry the space he needed and I had deliberately sent him to his friends because I wanted him to feel their warmth, closeness, and friendship so that he saw that there were adequate alternatives to me.

Under no circumstances, I wanted to force myself on him because, if we are honest, I'm not nice. When people chose me, they didn't necessarily choose the sweet, good and nice side. If anything it was the dangerous and mostly not-nice one. The Twins knew what they were getting into, the snakes in any case, but Harry?

Harry probably knew it too, I admitted to myself on my slow way to the tower, absorbed in my thoughts. Yes, Harry was no longer a stupid little boy. No, Harry had matured into a man under my eyes lately and I had to get used to it and see him as an equal partner, like Draco. ... Well, maybe not quite there yet but on the right way. Yes, he was on the way there.

Like Draco, Harry was a person who could lead. Other than Draco, he didn't want it or demanded it as vehemently but people followed Harry all the same.

Where they followed Draco because he showed power, strength and cruelty and they sought protection and success in his shadow, people followed Harry because he apparently also had and showed power, but also compassion and willingness to make sacrifices. In Harry's shadow one also sought protection, but one also found a feeling of security.

Hence, I had to give Harry time and space so that he would consciously make the decisions that would determine his life. In any case, he had to replenish his strength for my next revelations concerning the Malfoy family. That would be something, I thought ironically.

I felt sorry for myself and also for Harry. I had never wanted to put him before such a choice. I stepped through our portrait, sighing and groaning deeply.

Quickly, I ran up to my dorm and fetched parchment and ink when I remembered that I should stow the locket away safely in my trunk. I was sure that it was very valuable when I looked at it again, lost in thought, as it had only been made of the finest materials. I put it in my jewellery box which I had protected with some less than friendly magic. When I rose to leave the dorm, was it just me, or did I feel much lighter again and not as melancholic?

Which was odd, I had to admit to myself! I wondered if the magic of the locket had anything to do with it.

Well, I would keep it in mind but I guess I wouldn't solve the mystery so quickly. I ran into the common room and sat down at one of the tables. Unlike the Slytherins, who had their own desks in their rooms, we had to make do with the tables in the common room. Wasn't that discrimination?

More and more chatting Gryffindors came in and gave me doubtful looks. I felt sorry for these curious children who apparently didn't have a life story of their own, choosing to obsess over mine instead.

I first wrote the letter asking the Twins to corner Dung in the most loving way and to ask him if he had stolen the snake amulet from the family tree room at Grimmauld Place. I formulated it as a very urgent request. Let's see how quickly they got and delivered the information. I was intrigued.

To Rita, I had delivered a long, detailed report about the fight in the Ministry, about our attackers and about Dumbledore's fight against the Dark Lord.

I briefly described Umbridge's death and the circumstances that led us to go into the woods and the current investigation into her death, which Harry had been the focus of, though I discreetly failed to mention my doings. After all, I was nothing to the general public and that was a good thing. With that thought, I sealed this letter and leaned back with a delightful smile.

Already, I could see tomorrow's headlines in front of me!

I got up and blinked perplexed when I noticed that the whole room looked at me very excitedly. I returned their rebellious staring. I was not intimidated by this open display of curiosity and walked self-confidently to the exit but Lavender dared to approach me bravely and stood in my way.

"Hey, Hermione, tell us, what's going on lately?" She was nauseatingly curious but also terribly courageous.

"What do you mean?" I asked indifferently.

"All this, this Ministry thing and now the... that there are aurors investigating," she pried further and revealed a slightly stubborn expression.

"Well, you mustn't ask me, ask Fudge," I shrugged my shoulders.

"Oh, and what was that yesterday with Dumbledore? We should be glad that he's back!" She defended our oh-so-highly acclaimed headmaster fiercely.

"Did I say something? He's better than Umbridge," I explained, only because he truly was better than the toad.

"No, no! You mustn't say the name of a recently deceased person so disrespectfully," she reprimanded me anxiously, showing what kind of dishonest person she was.

"What, why? What could the toad possibly do to me now? In the worst case, I would probably encounter her as a ghost, however, it looks like she preferred to leave the earth forever," I thanked the goddess very much.

"Oh, you are so disrespectful, Hermione, I don't know you like this," she cried out. Really, gossip-mongering and ranting every day and now pretending that Umbridge had been a nice person. How stupid.

"That's all right. If you'll excuse me?" I really had no desire to have such daft, time-wasting conversations.

"No, wait! So what was that about challenging Dumbledore?" I guess she wouldn't let it go. I rolled my eyes, slightly annoyed.

"No comment, I can't say anything about that, sorry," I replied coldly.

Good luck with that, girl, I won't tell you anything. If even the aurors couldn't get anything out of me, you certainly won't manage it, I thought scornfully.

"Oh, because, as you say, you know so much. Aren't you making yourself out to be a bit too important? That isn't good for our reputation," she explained crudely. Ah, so now she was putting forward the reputation of our House. Ridiculous. A disparaging sound escaped me.

"Mhm, that may be," I let her believe what she wanted.

I left the tower behind me and hurried to the owlery.

What a stupid bitch! I couldn't understand what Ron saw in her... I rushed to the west tower where the owlery was and entered the round stone building. It had countless glassless windows so that the owls could hunt at any time. I looked around for Orange; she spotted me with her unique eyes and rose into the air to land on one of the wooden beams in front of me, stretching her little foot invitingly as I tied both letters.

"Hello, Orange, the first letter goes to the beetle, but only to her, understand? Then, fly to the Twins in the cottage; there you'll wait until they come home in the evening and then stay with them. I'll come to the cottage during the holidays, too, understand, sweetie?" I asked her and she nipped my finger tenderly, rose elegantly into the air and fluttered through one of the windows into the open, quickly getting smaller in the fading light of dusk.

On the way back, I walked slower and gazed at the sight of Hogwarts. I wouldn't see this beautiful castle for almost three months. The sight of a big figure tore me out of my thoughts and I saw Hagrid stomping towards the main entrance and I went to intercept him.

"Hagrid, you are back again? How so? Harry will be happy," I beamed up to the half-giant and was glad to see him intact and he was also outright glowing. I realised that he didn't look as battered as he did last time. "Where have you been hiding?"

Hagrid beamed broadly at me with his bearded face and laid his finger on his mouth, miming silence, and whispered:

"Don't tell anyone, but I stayed in the mountain cave Sirius used as a hide-out!"

"Ah... well done, Hagrid," I praised.

"Thank you, but now that Professor Dumbledore is back, everything is back to normal," he hummed contentedly.

"But say, Hagrid, what about Grawp? The centaurs had a disagreement with him," I pointed out and had to rush to keep up with his pace.

"Oh, yes, I know, but they've both calmed down and now, they get along! Since I was away and am now here again, Grawp has become quite sociable. He is happy that I am back!" I doubted this point of view, but if this made Hagrid happy, please, I wouldn't stand in his way. After all, Grawp had saved us from the angry horsies.

"Will you come with me to the Hall for dinner, Hermione?" he asked and I nodded. Since breakfast, this would be the first time I got something to eat today. I really wondered where the day had gone.

Together, we stepped through the double doors. Since this was Hagrid's first appearance after his spectacular escape from Umbridge and the Aurors, it was not a stretch to say that I was back in the limelight. Again. On the inside, I grimaced as if I were chewing on a lemon. Gee, if things went on like this I'd have to skip all my meals. However, Hagrid seemed to benefit from my support as he knew that his escape had made the rounds.

When I noticed that our friends had been discharged and were under siege by the lions - the same seemed to happen to Luna at the Ravenclaw table, who would usually be off to the side - I registered Harry's annoyed glare in the distance under the strands of hair falling into his face. He looked peeved.

When he looked up and saw both of us, joy seeped into his bad-tempered gaze.

He rose up after drawing Ron's attention to Hagrid and approached us to greet the half-giant with relief.

"Hagrid, how nice to see you," Harry said happily.

"Likewise, likewise and thank you for taking care", he said affably and ambiguously because of Grawp. He went waving towards the professor's table and left behind a dumb-looking Harry, who hadn't understood the statement.

"He's apparently more sociable since the centaurs and because of the happiness that Hagrid is back," I explained the cryptic statement quickly in a whisper. When Harry still blinked doubtfully at me,I shrugged my shoulders.

"Ron, how nice that you're all really out here! How are you?" As we sat down, he pulled me into an honest hug, which pleased very few, especially Lav.

"Thank you, quite well. The others too. You see how Ginny has been taken over by Dean and her classmates and Neville couldn't save himself from Seamus, Lavender and Parvati, but they're all back to health. Only Neville limps a little bit because of his nerves, but it will get better, Pomfrey said," he explained readily and I nodded.

"And you?" I asked worriedly.

"Thank you. I'm good, but this will remain!" He pulled the sleeves of his shirt up and looked sadly at his arms because from now on he too would be a marked man forever. He revealed long, still reddened scars where the tentacles had cut themselves firmly into his skin. It really didn't look nice, but he could be happy. I let him know that the one Death Eater who had gotten them on his head and whom no one had helped, looked quite different.

"You know, Hermione, sometimes your understanding of humour can be really cruel," Ron said listlessly as he hid his arms under the fabric again in reply to my attempt to put a positive spin on the situation.

Harry, who spoke little and glanced only here and there the whole time, chuckled at that statement and I was tempted to give him a sharp look.

"How did the interrogations go?" I asked, but since Ron was busy scooping mashed potatoes into his mouth with a spoon in a rather less than sophisticated way, Harry replied for him.

"Well, everything went fine. Our friends made their statements and told the truth about Umbridge's threat and her confession regarding the dementors. Then Dawlish took off with his cloak billowing and looked really angry. Tonks gave us all a happy wink and nothing more. As to what the Slytherins said, I don't know, but look at them, they're sitting there as always," Harry explained and nodded to them and his gaze landed on a very specific person just as my coin began to glow. At once, I let my gaze wander to Draco who just lifted his eyebrow slightly. I got up almost immediately.

"If you'll excuse me, we'll see each other in the tower. l have to go somewhere for a moment," l informed them and both nodded. I left the hall behind me and dashed towards the alcove in the dungeons that Draco and I used most of the time and waited.

I leaned against the cool dungeon wall and felt how I began to freeze in my thin dress but before I could cast a Warming Spell, I heard footsteps clattering on the floor and noticed how the light was covered by a tall man.

"Draco," I breathed delightedly. In no time, he was on me and pressed me even more against the wall.

"Hello, my Mudblood," he greedily kissed my lips and ended it reluctantly, but still pressed his body against mine.

"How was your interrogation?" I asked huskily, put my arms around his neck and played with the tips of his hair.

"Well, we told the truth about what we witnessed in the office. That's what you wanted, isn't it? The truth?"

"Yes, exactly, wonderful! And what did Dawlish do?" I was very curious.

"Oh, he couldn't believe it and asked us if we knew that we were helping Gryffindors! And I replied for us that he had demanded the truth before and that he now got it and that we are not lying!" Now he chuckled very meanly, "You should have seen the face of that Dawlish. He turned red like a howler and struggled to breathe, he could hardly hold onto his composure. The fact that Umbridge did all this - which she did - really seemed to shock him. Also, the other two lackeys barely keep their calm. All amateurs! If I were their boss, I would have fired them long ago," it came contemptuously from him.

"Yes, idiots... Anyhow... Harry knows, Draco!" I changed the subject for it still bothered me.

"What does he know?"

"That I killed Umbridge..." I explained briefly.

"Really...? That's... not good," he echoed in disbelief and stroked my cheek reassuringly.

"He... he shocked me. He gave me an alibi. He lied on purpose, Draco! He suspected it and lied. He spoke over me and said that we had both been held by a root," I described the shocking events to him in a rush.

"Hats off to him. I wouldn't have believed that the hypocritical lion had it in him. Most likely, he only did it for you; for that, he deserves my respect, for standing by you. It must have shocked him very much what you did, my ice-cold darling," he looked at me with pride.

"Yes, I was also amazed and he remained relatively controlled when I confirmed his suspicion... I was... I was afraid to lose him because of it," I quietly admitted, licking my dry lips.

"If he was such a complete fool to give you up, he wouldn't deserve it any other way but I can assure you that won't happen. The fool loves you, as hard as it is for me to admit it. When you came through the door with the oaf of a giant his face lit up and believe me, he only looks like that at you or Daphne. He isn't good at wearing masks," he told me his observations which were very accurate again and gave me hope.

"And you are the master of looking behind them," I teased him a little.

"Didn't I tell you? You are very adaptive and clever," he now grinned slyly.

"I think it will be very exciting when I get Harry out of his prison," I quietly confessed.

"I hope that when he sees me, he has a stroke," Draco proclaimed meanly. I saw his white teeth flashing in the weak light of the alcove.

When he pressed close to me with a groan and I could feel his excitement all too well against my stomach, a wicked smile escaped me.

"Were you afraid or worried about the interrogation?" I wanted to know because the way he behaved I rarely experienced him.

"I am constantly worried about you! Show me a student who in the last fifty years has managed to be interrogated by aurors in their school days?" Where he was right he was right, and so I hungrily locked my lips with his and pulled him close to me, moaning wantonly into the demanding kiss as I heard footsteps again and Draco froze. We stayed like that until he or she continued on their way without bothering us.

"Where were we, Mudblood?" he looked at me lustfully and I laughed at him as his hands already pawed my chest.

"I think you wanted to taste me, but we have a problem. I can't, my Pureblood, no time. So I shall see you tomorrow on the train," I said my goodbyes and gave the surprised Draco a big smack on the mouth.

I had him totally stunned. I wriggled like a snake through his arms, ran to the secret passageway and as I turned back towards him, I saw his frightening grin which let me understand that I would probably regret that I had just... yes, abandoned him with a clearly visible tent in his trousers.

But I only gave him a cheerful chuckle, disappeared behind the portrait and ran to the Tower. One should never make it too easy for a Malfoy.

* * *

 _I forgot last week to link to an architectural design inspired to by chapter 54 one of our readers on AO3 shared with us and gave me permission to show you. Thank you, Bea_Ravendor :)_

 _LINK file/d/1zTyBfgtF-q_UwUfUkSrEJtGoFjEhEzQh/view_

 _Happy holidays to you too, szabo alexandra1991, and all our other beautiful readers._


	96. The Second War Begins

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Nik (& Aivy)

* * *

 **The Second War Begins**

No questions were asked, and Harry only gave me a lenient but somehow sad look that reflected a deep knowledge and understanding. We all retired to our beds early.

I slept quite well, even though I had thought long and hard. My plans had been running through my brain, consuming my thoughts. It would soon become clear whether I had considered everything because tomorrow my parents would pick me up from the train for the last time. Afterwards... yes, soon after that there would be no more Granger family!

Oh man. So I cleared my mind and tried not to think of anything.

When the next morning came, I dressed in a loose red T-shirt and jeans. From now on, I always had to be fully operational because my schedule ran its course tightly. I tied my hair together to a practical ponytail.

Phew. An icy, inner cold came over me as I thought about the next two days. Was I really doing the right thing?

Good question, but I chastised myself for asking it. I knew that there was no turning back. If I didn't go through with my plans it would become blatantly dangerous for my parents in the coming weeks and months. It would be a risk to leave them in their current world.

One thing was clear: Lucius wouldn't give up, and since I belonged to his family because of Draco's branding he would certainly not accept my parents next to him. This was only the first problem, though. After the Dark Lord had reappeared, my parents weren't safe as defenceless Muggles. The signs of a storm beckoned; the attacks would get worse. Now was the time.

The second war was about to begin!

And I was ready. Where the magical society only now slowly awakened from its sleep and began to open its eyes, I was already executing my long prepared plans and planning new ones. I could deal with the fact that the war now began. The next few days would be so exciting as I would experiencing many firsts. I know I said these things before, a long time back, but there were still things I hadn't done yet, even if they were getting fewer. Well, I was really excited to see how I'd accomplish these things because it wouldn't be easy.

We all greeted each other and I was frightened when I saw Harry. He looked like an Inferius! Simply terrible! He had completely sunken cheeks. He seemed to have cried through the night because his eyes were red and puffy. His whole posture was reminiscent of a beaten dog; as it seemed all the revelations had visibly taken their toll on him. Also, his mourning for Sirius shouldn't be forgotten. As collected as he had pretended to be yesterday, he couldn't keep it up today. Even his hair was hanging somewhat limp into his face.

But as sorry as I was, I couldn't help him. He would have to find a way out himself. How he dealt with the new insights was his choice, yet I hoped very much that he would choose me.

We all went to breakfast in silence and in a melancholy mood. I hadn't been able to escape breakfast thanks to some particular hungry people and I suspected what was coming after the mail arrived. I was curious what Harry would say.

We talked about trivial stuff and watched Ginny cling to Dean. Since the events at the Ministry, she didn't look so longingly at Harry anymore. She seemed much more serious about Dean now than she had at the beginning of their relationship. This renewed confrontation with death, which she had already experienced in her second year, seemed to have shocked her and made her aware of the essentials of life again. I think Dean wasn't a bad catch. He looked very smart, hot-headed perhaps, but otherwise very sweet.

I thought it was good that she wanted to give this relationship a chance. Ron also said nothing about it and accepted it with amazing patience that Ginny seemed to be very happy with Dean. He, too, hadn't left the Department of Mysteries without gaining some inner maturity. Ron not only wore the visible scars on his arms; something had changed in him as well. He was astoundingly calm since he had awakened again and when he thought nobody was looking, he had his eyes fixed on Lav. Hence, I was excited for what the upcoming year would bring.

When the mail came and I read it, like everyone else, I couldn't stifle a blissful smile behind the rustling paper. I liked my beetle so much, she had performed wonderfully. How perfect!

Poor Fudge, I didn't feel sorry for him at all!

Rita was dangerously attacking him and boldly asked what bad deeds schoolchildren could possibly have committed in comparison to men marked with the Dark Mark. Those known murderers were now at large again thanks to the Ministry's incompetence. Should the students of Hogwarts now take over the work of the Aurors and search for the escaped convicts? After all, it was only thanks to children that members of this dangerous association had been incapacitated and taken prisoner for a short time. She also asked whether the Department of Magical Law Enforcement shouldn't feel humiliated and question why pupils and children performed better in this field than they had. As bad as it sounded, the slain aurors of Azkaban had apparently not been able to defend themselves successfully, while the group around Harry Potter was still whole. Oh so cruelly put. Only Rita could do that, the sarcasm dripping from every line.

Today's article led to the fact, that our little group was being scrutinised again. Since the others only received more detailed information today about what exactly happened during the fight in the Ministry, we got some dumbfounded but also respectful looks. Luckily, so too did our comrades-in-arms. Since we were all still alive, the others probably hadn't thought that it had been such a perilous affair where it had been touch-and-go whether we came out alive or not.

Well, if they thought we were doing these things for fun or because we wanted to throw our weight around, they had been on the wrong track for years because we had always been running for our lives and nothing less! But they all lived on cloud nine anyway. The article seemed to touch some of them for they eyed us very reverently.

Which, it appeared, seemed to dismay Neville very much. Such adoring attention was clearly too much for him as he was whispering with Harry and appeared very insecure. He usually attracted attention only because of his incompetence and clumsiness.

Harry patted him on the shoulder with encouragement and whispered something to him. And when Neville bit into his muffin, reassured, Harry turned to me with a mischievous glow in his emerald eyes and mouthed:

"Is this your doing?" He leaned even closer to me, his breath brushing against my ear. I nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, of course, I wrote a long letter yesterday when you were in the infirmary," I openly admitted.

"Wicked. Did she add anything, or was it all from you?" he enquired curiously and drank a sip of his coffee. Yes, since he had started running with me daily some time ago, he had also found his salvation in coffee. In Snape's rooms, he had tried it carefully but as expected after his initial disgust he had also fallen for caffeine and was now a coffee junkie as well. Yes, Harry was growing up, no doubt.

"She adopted a lot of things from me, but implemented it well, as usual," I explained in a positive mood because he had asked me level-headedly.

"Why? Why did you want such an article? I would like to understand your thoughts. You know, I don't like the attention and you even less", he questioned with open curiosity.

"All correct, Harry. However, the only means we have at the moment is to manipulate the public and unfortunately this is the only way to do it... if we don't show the people out there how incompetent the Ministry is, they will run into the clutches of the Dark Lord with their eyes closed and we don't want that. We should throw a few spanners in his works! Because I have yet to see the way Dumbledore and his order are educating the masses." I snorted disparagingly as my grim look grazed the professor's table.

"Ah, I understand. You're playing strategy games. Not really my thing, but I understand your explanation under that consideration. Well done. You seem to have Skeeter very well... how am I supposed to put it..." He waved his hand vaguely through the air.

"Harry, Rita will do everything I tell her. She belongs to me! But you knew that since the interview for the Quibbler," I stuck to my new openness towards Harry. He deserved the truth.

"What? Oh no, I know, I know, but when you talk like that I get a stomach ache again; it sounds so cold," Harry's previous self peeked through again which actually disappeared more and more, running his hands through his limp hair with a groan.

"It is, but calm down, nothing will happen to her," I assured him.

"Yes, but only as long as she behaves, or am I mistaken?" he asked knowingly, and sounded very unhappy.

"Mhm... maybe, but she is behaving very good." I shrugged my shoulders and took a quick sip of my coffee. Rita's fate didn't really interest me, only as far as she was useful to me.

"Oh, Hermione...!" He shook his head helplessly and sadly. I looked at the Slytherin table and met Draco's ice-grey eyes who signalled me that he hadn't forgotten yesterday's humiliation when I left him standing. And I noticed Daphne's cheerful, relieved look, which astonished me for a moment but then I realised that Blaise had probably managed to have her stay with him for the holidays despite her father's break from prison. Considering how happy she looked and how satisfied the handsome Slytherin appeared, he had clearly been successful.

"Harry, do you trust me?" I asked solemnly and kept eye contact with him and he looked at me appraisingly.

"Always!" He gave me a great gift with his reply and I showed a happy smile.

"That's good. I'll try to never disappoint you because I trust you too-" I was interrupted when the bells called for departure. Everyone jumped up nervously and hectically to hurry out to the carriages.

As we stepped out of the front gates, the carriages were already in a line, waiting to take us to the Hogwarts Express. The thestrals threw their dragonheads back into their necks and chomped at the bit restlessly. They were gruesomely beautiful. As I passed one of the horse-like creatures, it buried its snout in my hair with pleasure. These animals were developing an ever greater affinity for me. That probably had something to do with my deeds and I reluctantly pulled at the corners of my mouth.

"You see them too, don't you?" Harry approached me confidentially.

"Yes, Harry, since this summer," I confessed with my new-found openness, still answering him honestly.

"What...? Oh, you weren't surprised on the first day of school? I remember. But, but what... who did you see die during summer break?!" The words fell from his mouth wide open with astonishment.

"No, Harry, because I read the textbook and knew about these beings. Good, I didn't know that they pull the carriages until then, but I didn't question my state of mind because of their sight and to get to your other question, I'll answer it for you in private during the holidays!"

"It was so obvious that you would say something like that," he replied very resignedly and didn't push further. Ron captivated him with a question about Quidditch and, apparently, he welcomed the change in conversation.

The ride to the train was as bumpy as ever and we were allowed to watch Ginny extensively exchange saliva with Dean and Ron discussed the expected game results with Harry. Eventually, we arrived at the train station and spotted the red locomotive with the many wagons that would now house us for nine hours.

We, the entire group that had fought in the Ministry, looked for a joint compartment.

Due to our experiences, we were all very subdued. We had all fought and we had all gone to our limits; we six were not the same as a few days ago and so there was no holiday mood.

All of us followed our melancholic thoughts, even Ron was calm and let the landscape pass him by and Luna wasn't merely dreaming; the expression in her eyes was simply too serious. Ginny left us halfway through the trip as she was looking for oblivion in Dean's arms, which I didn't begrudge her in the least. I would have loved to cuddle up in Draco's strong arms myself because I knew that as soon as I stepped off this train a really exhausting time would begin for me.

Harry also seemed restless as he played with his lip all the time. It appeared thoroughly chewed, and that was driving me crazy. I noticed Draco, Blaise and Daphne passing our compartment and Harry giving a start at this picture. Then I realised that he was concerned for Daphne because he didn't have the faintest idea of my plan. Well, I'd buy her a minute to tell him the good news of her being safe with Blaise.

"Harry, do you want to come with me? We will get some candy from the trolley for everyone," I asked casually and gave him a meaningful look.

"Um, sure, I'm coming." Luckily, it clicked for him immediately.

"Should I come with you?" Ron asked sluggishly.

"No, don't worry about it, we'll be back in five minutes," Harry said and waved him off.

We went out together and when the compartment door closed Harry looked at me demandingly.

"I saw your look when the snakes passed by. You must want to talk to her briefly, right? I'll distract the two male specimens," I quickly offered.

"But it's Malfoy," Harry objected, dismayed.

"So what? He's a Prefect, like me. I'll make him patrol the train with me. You better take the chance to talk to her," I decided rigorously.

"Okay, thank you for making such an effort," he, fortunately, didn't pry further.

"Gladly, Harry, always gladly!" We walked along the train and saw the three Slytherins lining up at the candy trolley. I was happy to do it as I would also get a few more moments with Draco out of it.

"Thank you again, Blaise, I don't know how to thank you," we heard Daphne say and I noticed and felt Harry tense up next to me and so I stepped in.

"Oh, Malfoy, I have something to discuss with you, and your friend here will certainly be able to help you with the matter," I drew attention to us in a loud voice and all heads turned to me, looking at me as if I was crazy.

"What do you want from me?" The words came wonderfully bitingly from Draco. He was a born actor because nobody would guess the fact that we regularly shared a bed with the cold and gloating way he greeted me.

"What do you think? You're a Prefect, just like me, and your friend here can join, so if you don't mind please!" The other curious people turned away again since this wasn't turning out as exciting as the sensationalists had hoped with me bringing in the boring, official duties.

"And Potter is probably too stupid to help you... but well, nobody should say that we Malfoys don't do our job. Blaise, come with me. You, Daphne, buy the things! Lead the way, Granger," he growled arrogantly, threw his head back in a stately manner and followed me pompously with Blaise obediently a step behind him. I winked at the two lovebirds.

We stopped in an empty compartment.

"What was that all about?" Blaise asked quietly.

"What do you think? Harry is worried and I wanted to give him the opportunity to talk to Daphne. How did you accomplish it?," I asked curiously.

"Oh, quite simply. Step-mother was very excited not to have to take care of the brats and even now that Greengrass is free, both of them were happy to have the children out of the way because of the tense situation for the family. They wrote to Daphne just this morning that it would be better if they didn't come home this holiday and stay with me instead! Mission accomplished, most beautiful. I hope you are satisfied." He showed his most charming grin.

"Oh yes! I could kiss you!" I showed myself very pleased and beamed teasingly at him when a cutting voice interrupted us.

"Certainly not! You have no one to kiss but me; understood, Mudblood?" Draco pulled me possessively away from Blaise by my waist.

"In a bad mood since yesterday, huh, Draco?" I provocatively raised an eyebrow and examined his crotch pointedly.

"Bloody tease," Draco croaked and came threateningly close to me.

"Always with pleasure. I like how you get... Don't worry, I'll eventually apologise for yesterday," I promised, licking my lips sensually which seemed to attract Draco's eyes like magic.

I had also raised a finger and ran it over his chest playfully. Such games with him were great fun and I heard Blaise take a sharp breath.

"Stop it, guys, otherwise I'll have to jerk off in the toilet. Sparks are flying dangerously between you right now. You can't get down to business here!" Blaise complained. Draco looked at him coolly and then grabbed my hand, capturing it in his, and breathed a wonderful kiss on the back of my hand.

"Unfortunately, to my regret, Blaise is right. So, tell me what you were trying to do with the article today. It was very amusing. I think the beetle had the information from you!"

"As always, perfectly correct, Draco. Why? Fudge! You didn't think I'd forget and forgive him for yesterday's farce of an investigation, did you? This was my revenge, and then something in Umbridge's office upset me... that's all," I took my hand from him and waved it off as if I were chasing away a troublesome fly.

"I enjoy it when you get so worked up, darling," smirked Draco smugly.

"Come on, guys, we have to go back," Blaise threw in worriedly.

"Unfortunately, he's right, but if you need my help, message me via the coin. I'll always appear immediately," Draco spoke with care and now held my face in his hands, looked briefly right and left and then bent down quickly, kissing my forehead sentimentally, whereupon I sighed in delight.

The three of us strolled back to Harry and Daphne who were already standing in the narrow passageway with their hands full of treats, talking and whispering. When they noticed us they jumped apart as if caught. We three overlooked it, generous as we were.

"Harry, come on, I'm all done," I proclaimed, taking some of his load off him and Blaise did the same with Daphne; only Draco wouldn't condescend to such an act, after all, he was a Malfoy, I thought mischievously.

But Blaise got a deadly jealous look from Harry for his helpfulness which almost cost Draco his composure, I noticed, so much did it amuse him. But it was too hilarious. Blaise would never go for Daphne, first of all, she was too precarious for him, meaning too serious because she was looking for a real relationship and he certainly wasn't. I think he liked her too much for that. And secondly, he knew that she was in love and who she was in love with and that I would probably kill him if he tried to come between Harry and Daphne. And third, I think he had so many love affairs running at the same time that I was afraid he wasn't even able to tell what fair maidens he had something running with and whom he had just dumped.

"What are you staring at so stupidly, Malfoy? It's a pity that your father isn't rotting in Azkaban," a bad-tempered, jealous Harry spat into a disparagingly grinning Draco's face and my breath caught. This was not good at all!

"Potter, how dare you talk to me like that," Draco remained calm but he drew his wand as did Harry.

"How dare I? You're just too priggish, you Death Eaters...!" Harry continued to shout. I was about to intervene when I heard Draco's reply and what he said made my heart stop:

"Potter, you shouldn't judge anyone by the actions of their parents but only by the actions they commit themselves and I assure you… I'm not yet one!"

Daphne, too, stared shocked at the suspenseful scene and Blaise also had a bemused expression.

I couldn't believe Draco had just used Harry's own words against him. When Harry reconciled Draco's words with his words about his father in Snape's office, he blinked flabbergasted from me to Draco and back.

Wow. Had Draco done this on purpose? I had never told him about Harry's memory, only about the improved relationship with Snape and that it was based on this just repeated realisation. I was sure that Harry had understood part of that message, for whatever reason Draco had uttered it.

"Hermione, come..." Harry turned his back abruptly on Draco and Daphne gave Harry a clear, pointed look that there was nothing there, and he nodded tightly.

I followed him quickly. As we hurried along the compartments, leaving the Slytherins behind, I noticed Cho and her friend Marietta, the sneak, in a compartment full of Ravenclaws. Just then, I remembered that the girl still couldn't speak and that I had resolved to lift the curse as soon as we were on the train. I saw Cho talking to the other girls while the sneak was leafing through a book.

"Uh, Harry, go on ahead, I'll be right there," I said and he braked jerkily and looked at me sceptically.

"Why?" The question came very suspiciously.

"Because," I made excuses, at least I tried.

"Hermione...!" he replied threateningly.

"Well, wait, then," I hissed quietly, only minimally annoyed by his mistrust and pulled my white wand inconspicuously which made him raise his eyebrows and he saw how I began to recite something. Who had said that the Curse of Silence was a white spell? Exactly, nobody!

I saw a white sphere leave the tip of my wand, and watched it grow. Now Harry stepped curiously close to me and we could both observe that white floating ball enter the compartment and face Marietta.

When some of the girls noticed this, they started screaming, yes, screaming! Hey, please, that was just a white shimmering, transparent sphere, not a dementor.

But well, that made Marietta, whose attention had still been bound by the book, look up in horror and she opened her mouth out of instinct and at that moment the sphere picked up speed and dashed purposefully towards her, and bam, gone it was. It all happened so fast. Marietta and her friends looked at her in panic as that bright little ball vanished into her mouth, never to be seen again.

Marietta dropped the book and grabbed her throat in panic. Smiling, I winked at Harry with a sideways glance and rolled my eyes on account of the theatrics going on and he looked at me questioningly.

I pointed again through the glass and he turned his attention to the inner hustle and bustle. Suddenly, a long-winded scream came out of Marietta's throat. She opened her eyes wide and - for the first time after a long, long time - she began to speak again. Her sudden onset of happiness for having found her voice again went straight to one's heart. Tears flooded her eyes and now ran unhindered over her cheeks. Then she parted her bangs and her disfigured forehead became visible. But that souvenir of her betrayal would remain. I was just about to turn away when I noticed that we had been discovered at the door and it was already ripped open.

"You were the ones...weren't you?" Cho shouted emotionally.

"What, my dearest?" I asked very uninvolved; Harry remained silent next to me.

"You've given her her voice back. Why only now?" Cho hissed furiously and all the other Ravenclaws in the compartment stared anxiously at us. Marietta looked at me in fear as I was now looking at her with my head cocked.

"I thought she would be happy," I explained neutrally. The girl swallowed heavily.

"Why only now? Remove that on her forehead, too," Cho demanded angrily and I gave her a very long look.

"Cho, don't talk to me like that! She should be happy to have her voice again. I didn't have to, this was a great, good-natured act of mine! Don't forget that, Cho! And as for the other curse, well, there's nothing I can do. There's, unfortunately, no counter-curse for the spell... I'm sorry, but with the decision she made at that time, she'll have to live her whole life... Unless… Unless, of course..." I left my answer provocatively open-ended.

"What? Don't make it so exciting," Cho snapped at me indignantly.

"Now, now, I don't know if I like your tone! But fine, if she develops a great talent in inventing spells, then maybe she'll succeed in casting a counter-curse one day," I taunted viciously. "And if you keep yapping at me like that, Cho, I can test the Curse of Silence on you too. At least Marietta seems to be thinking thrice now about what she says before she speaks," I explained spitefully. It seemed to seethe in her when I revealed it so gloatingly and now she turned to Harry trembling with fury. Meanwhile, the snakes had caught up with us and crept past us. Daphne watched the exchange of blows between Harry, myself and Cho closely.

"And you, Harry, do you have nothing at all to say about what your girlfriend is up to?" she snarled angrily at Harry and he lifted both hands placatingly.

"Woah, Cho, hang on a minute! Your friend only has herself to blame," the good guy took my side and I didn't let my happiness show when I watched Marietta put her hand on Cho's arm and quietly ask:

"Chrmm... let it be, it was nice of her to give - chrmm - my voice back to me," she whispered hoarsely, trying to reassure her friend who, however, wanted to object:

"But Marietta..."

"No, don't! Chrmm... She might make it worse. Please, Cho!" Fear was clearly evident in her raw voice. Oh well, now I've already been met with open fear, what would the sweetie here think if she knew that I was aware of what Umbridge had been blackmailing her with. I'd have a new best friend named Marietta before the end of the hour but I'd rather keep that leverage up my sleeve.

"My dear Cho, listen to your friend who has become so wise. Don't annoy me!" My advice was uttered very quietly and very spitefully. This girl was not held in high esteem as far as I was concerned, so I turned my back to her pointedly and Harry did the same. We walked away in silence. When we were out of sight Harry started:

"You didn't forget?" he was a little surprised.

"I never forget anything, Harry," I stated matter-of-factly.

"I thought it was good that you gave her voice back. Why did you want to send me away?"

"Because I didn't want you to be involved. Unfortunately, you are now. If I'm the bad guy it doesn't matter but I shouldn't drag you into this," I explained to him carefully and once again showed him my concern for him.

"Hermione, when will you learn that you cannot get rid of me? I'm rather proud of you that you had the courage to undo it. Not everyone would have done that... and I think Marietta is aware of that fact! ... That wasn't white magic, was it?" he asked gingerly.

"I don't think this is the right place for such conversations, Harry," I interrupted him worriedly.

"You're right, as always. Come, Ron will be starving!"

We had arrived at our compartment, where our return was longingly awaited. I was astonished that Harry didn't insist on questioning me about Draco but I was also grateful because I would soon face my parents.

Thus, we spent some affable hours until we slowly entered the station. On the crowded way out, I took the opportunity to ask him about his conversation with Daphne and he relayed to me that she had told him everything in an abridged version.

What she told him, Harry didn't like at all. With his new foresight, he questioned the motives for Blaise's selfless action not without reason. That it had been my wish I couldn't reveal to him yet and so Harry tried to make sense of it without success. He said to me that Daphne had meant that he shouldn't be jealous, that there would never be anything going on with Blaise. He didn't look happy and seemed to have doubts, but now we had no more time and had to get out.

The platform was full to bursting like every time. There was a huge crowd and I found it as always inspiring to see so many wizards and witches at once. We were greeted exuberantly by the Weasleys. I saved myself from their overbearing nature by saying goodbye to Neville and Luna first. When I finally turned towards all the red, I spotted HIM in the crowd.

I could literally feel his eyes drilling into me. His beautiful wife stood beside him with her fine nose arrogantly turned up as if the stench of the mob was bothering her.

I knew that I was dressed very casually today and with my hair tied back I looked very youthful and sporty. Nonetheless, it was as if Lucius was undressing me when he gave me a very fiery look from his slate grey eyes.

As always, he looked fantastic with his long, open hair and dark green frock coat. He really stood out from the crowd. When he noticed how I reciprocated his gaze, an eager but also confused expression blazed in his eyes. When Draco joined his family and greeted his mother perfectly with a bow and a kiss on the hand, and then also paid homage and expressed his respect to his father by bowing his head, the eye contact broke off.

A fantastic idea came to me and when Lucius turned his attention back to me after Draco's greeting, I curtseyed slightly and bowed my head as I had at the Ministry Ball. I had to present a terrific picture with my jeans and the crowd all around me. However, when I looked up and noticed how Draco's eyes sparkled with amusement, I showed a tiny smile because Lucius seemed absolutely stunned.

Even through the mask he had built and honed for years, I could see this. Then, Draco grabbed Lucius' arm and indicated they should leave. The platinum blonde family disappeared in their noble fashion. Before they left, I saw Draco rolling his eyes. I believed I could actually drive Lucius mad. It would be fun. This man always excited me immensely.

Since everyone was so busy with their reunion, my little exchange had gone unseen. I joined the big Weasley bunch and saw that Tonks, Remus and Moody were also on the reception committee. What were they doing here?

We all left the barrier to the Muggle part of the station behind us and I could spot my parents on the platform behind, as well as the plague that was Harry's relatives.

There was a far too fat, older man with a moustache whom Harry, after saying goodbye to me with a hug and a kiss, approached as if awaiting his execution. Probably, he would have approached even the Dark Lord himself with more enthusiasm than he did his uncle.

I watched the group around Arthur, Remus, Tonks and Moody talk to Vernon and hoped that they wouldn't make it any worse for Harry than it already was. I quickly hugged Ron, waved to everyone else and ran to Mum and Dad. I greeted them happily and for the last time in my life.

* * *

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	97. Mum and Dad

Chapter beta: Olivia

Chapter translator: Nik (& Aivy)

* * *

 **Mum and Dad**

When I came to a stop, Dad was the first to envelop me in his strong arms. I returned the embrace from the bottom of my heart and enjoyed the familiar smell of lemon that he was emitting. I tried to commit it down to memory.

"Hello, my darling! How was school?" Mum chirped excitedly as she also embraced me. I inhaled her familiar scent of Chanel No. 5.

"Exciting as always," I beamed at the two of them falsely. I was happy to see my parents looking so well.

"Well then, let's go. I'll drive," Dad said importantly and pushed the suitcase trolley. It was good that Orange was with the Twins.

With her, we would have been very conspicuous. My parent's bewilderment wouldn't have helped either as they had supposedly given her to me for Christmas which of course wasn't true. These were all things one must always consider when one starts lying.

It results in a vicious cycle!

We got into the BMW and raced away. When I climbed the three white steps to our townhouse, a profound sense of melancholy came over me. Soon this house would belong to me alone. I sighed sadly.

We stood somewhat lost in the hallway with its beautiful, elaborate stucco ceiling which I had always loved as a child.

"It is nice to have you back with us, sweetheart," Mum said, stroking my cheek tenderly, and I smiled at her fondly as sadness threatened to arise within me.

"I'm happy to be back too! Do you have anything planned for today?" I enquired curiously and tried to pull myself together.

"No, nothing special. It's already late. If you want, we can go out for dinner tonight or stay in and cook here," came my mother's well-intentioned offer.

"I would love it if you would cook; I have missed your cooking skills," I flattered her. Honestly, I did like her cooking, but this was also a way I could easily mix the wine with a Sleeping Draught. Let's just put it like this - I was in for another long night.

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that! Thank you for the compliments! We'll have to make another trip to the grocery. What are you going to do in the meantime?" Mum was getting herself into a frenzy, beaming from my praise.

"Perhaps, I will take care of a couple of things but first I would like to get unpacked..." I announced and looked over at my trunk.

"Good, you do that, sweetie; I will accompany your mother. See you later!" My father proclaimed and just like that, I was alone again, just like I wanted. I pulled out my wand and directed the now floating trunk into my room.

I love magic! A wave of my wand and I had cleared out everything I wanted. It sure made life a lot easier. I then took the time to read the Gringotts letter Rangok had written me with great care and focus.

Two months ago, my parents' practice had been successfully sold at a handsome price. From the proceeds, the goblins bought them a chic, stately house with extensive grounds in an exclusive suburb of Brisbane and a high-quality new practice in the city centre. At one PM tomorrow, the transfer of their practice to the new owner was to take place. How fortunate that I looked quite similar to Mum. Just a few transformation spells would be needed; no disgusting Polyjuice Potion necessary. As long as I could get around it, I wouldn't take it. It was very complicated to make and, yes, it just tasted foul.

As it was, there was some cash left even after the purchase of the real estate and two cars. Not much, but combined with the money from the closed accounts in England, their new Australian accounts had a large amount of cash and savings. Mum and Dad would be well off and could lead the same affluent life in Australia as here in England. They would have better weather too, I thought with a grim sense of humour.

I looked at the photos that Rangok had enclosed so that I could see the properties before I gave my approval. They were quite nice. The goblins understood how to carry out their clients' wishes to the fullest satisfaction.

The view that the land offered was incredible. Although it was a bit too dusty for me, I knew Dad liked such a climate and the house was much more spacious than ours. They would both be fine.

Then I reached back into my briefcase, where I stow all my Gringotts paperwork, and retrieved the official-looking document that Rangok had recently sent me by owl mail. It was the guardianship records showing that Gringotts formally took over my guardianship for the remaining two months. It still lacked the signature of my parents with a blood quill that was needed to make it official. Afterwards, it would only be used should anyone demand it.

If not, it would forever disappear into the mills of bureaucracy. It was my protection from the Ministry and Dumbledore, but I would only use it as a last resort if given no other choice. There was a second alternative now. Thanks to Draco, I belonged to the Malfoy family with its draconian head that was nominally my guardian now. While it was the simplest solution, I wouldn't place myself into Lucius' clutches so easily. It was best I had more than one way out.

I had instructed Rangok that the document which magically testified that I was one year older, was not to be sent to the Ministry until I was of age. I wanted to draw as little attention to myself as possible from the magical world. After the dramatic and exciting last few days and weeks, my name was just too prominent. It was better not to be the focus of so much public attention.

There had also been a logistical change in my plan. My parents' car was now supposed to be waiting at six pm at the edge of the forest just before entering Dover, but that too wasn't going to be a problem, Rangok wrote me.

I rubbed my tired eyes. It was already quite late, almost six in the evening and I could not afford to forget a single thing. Tonight would be very eventful, so I was a little excited. I rigorously squashed every doubt.

To distract myself a little bit, I showered extensively and tried to scrub my brains out. Slight shivers of disgust coursed through my body when I thought of what I had planned for today. I needed all my mental discipline to master myself and not abandon the whole scheme before it was too late.

Why did I always think up such shitty ideas? Why did I let myself get involved with these kinds of things? If only anyone knew. What I was about to do in a few hours I hadn't entrusted unto anyone, not Draco, not the Twins!

Everyone would have lost their minds in horror. I agreed with them; it was a genuinely daring undertaking. Bile forced its way up my throat and caused a sour taste in my mouth. Yuck. I brushed my teeth once more to banish the gross, stale taste from my mouth. I should be careful with what I ate today because I didn't want to puke. That would be counterproductive.

Some time later, when I entered the fragrant kitchen in black jeans and a light, tight-fitting, black half-length T-shirt, with my hair tied back into a tight bun and smiled at my parents, I had gotten enough of a grip on myself to play the loving, well-behaved daughter who wouldn't hurt a fly. They had set the table on the terrace and barbecued outside on account of the warm summer night. I went to my cheerful, clueless parents, and sat with them.

It was a pleasant, entertaining evening that lasted a good two hours. We laughed a lot. All of a sudden, both of them slumped down unspectacularly on their chairs in front of my eyes. A glass shattered loudly. I had increased the dose this time because they had to sleep soundly. It wouldn't do for them to wake up, I thought as I stared at my unconscious parents wistfully.

If only they knew... So it began. With a Locomotion Charm, I floated my parents' unconscious bodies into their bed. I hexed their pyjamas on them and approached them, throwing a worried glance at their sleeping, peaceful faces. They had no idea what shocking things their daughter was about to do. How many lines would I cross today? They didn't know that they had just spent the last evening of their lives with their daughter today. Wasn't I evil?!

What did I feel?

Not much, I realised, since I had long decided to wipe my parents out of my life. That's why I had prepared myself for today and only felt a bittersweet overtone of farewell but certainly not the severe and cruel panic that would occur if our parting had come unexpectedly. It was a gentle breeze that drove us apart forever, not an uprooting hurricane.

I bent over my mother, brushing her curly, dark brown hair from her beautiful face. I grabbed a handful of hair, ruthlessly pulling the strands out of her scalp. Although she grimaced painfully, she didn't wake up. Hadn't I known that my potions would be powerful enough? Smiling contentedly, I placed the hairs in a vial.

I did the same with my father's short, dark blonde hair. On the way to the door, I took a look at the blissfully sleeping couple who would soon forget everything about me. If they had ever experienced my true self, they would probably be even grateful for this. Who would want such a daughter? I drew my devastating conclusion.

Composed as I was, I walked back to my room. It was almost half past nine. I was making good time. I put on my coat and looked at myself in the mirror. My face showed deep, haggard lines of determination for what I was about to do would require a lot of will power even from me. I had thought about it for a long time and this was the best, the only plan I had come up with that I could go through with to the bitter end.

I knew I was crazy. But well, I'd do it! I was truly bonkers; my heart was beating unnaturally quickly in my chest. Why did I always come up with plans like this? This was no good, no good at all! However, I successfully fought the panic threatening to overwhelm me. An unbelievable bluntness and hardness stepped into my brown eyes, which even left me speechless for a second. Well, the dice had been cast, Hermione! Phew. Well then... In my mind's eye, I focused on my destination, Hope's Lane in London.

The next evening, the first of July, I found myself in the family suite of The Marquis Inn in Dover, in the so-called The De Parmier Suite. I was cuddled up in my light blue silk nightgown on a brown sofa with silvery floral cushions. Even the wallpaper had these intricate patterns and seemed to smile at me in the glow of the dimmed lamps.

I looked at my shimmering blood-red wine spreading its fragrant bouquet in the bowl of the wide wine glass and inhaled the scent. It reminded me of cherry wood with a pinch of cinnamon.

I sipped the full-bodied fine wine and listened to the macabre sounds of Handel's 'The Messiah'. The most famous part of the oratorio, a loud 'Hallelujah', was playing. It resonated with something deep inside me. I enjoyed the peace that had encompassed my mind and closed my burning eyes. I hadn't slept since yesterday but it would only make my acting more credible.

I relaxed. It was the calm before the storm.

My thoughts wandered back to the last twenty-four hours. In those hours, a lot had transpired. A relieved moan escaped me when I recalled all that had happened:

I apparated into Hope's Lane. The building I stood in front of, which was my destination, was built of red bricks in Italian style. It had a long, narrow hall interrupted by round arches. In the middle of the beautiful structure was a tower reminiscent of a birdhouse out of which a striking chimney jutted out.

Quite pretty, it was situated across from the Jewish cemetery. The building itself was surrounded but vast grounds spotted with lakes and bridges. It was all very idyllic, considering it was a mausoleum and crematorium.

The Golders Green Crematorium had been opened in 1901 and was regarded all over the world as the golden standard of cremation and its methods in this area of expertise. It was also my destination. I had researched hard where I could get what I was looking for, and thereby I had found all the information about this crematorium. What was so special about their methods wasn't entirely clear to me; I mean, cremated is cremated, right?

Protected by the spreading darkness, I scurried over the gravel-covered pathways to the door, which was locked as expected but could not withstand my _Alohomora_. I slipped through the fittingly loudly creaking door and quickly closed it again. I looked around and cast a Confundus Charm. Should there be cameras anywhere, they would see nothing but a dark, thickly mummed figure anyway but I wanted to be thorough and careful.

There was an astonishing coldness prevalent in the brick building, almost like in the dungeons of Hogwarts. It was also hauntingly quiet. The silence of the dead. There were only a handful of objects around - mostly benches - everything else was kept very clinical. It was very dim since the only source of light was the passing, sinking summer sun shining through the windows. It didn't help making my surroundings any more appealing.

I became unnerved as my first steps clattered loudly. I cast the _Sonus Ex_ on my shoes and scurried silently through the cold, empty corridors of the dark crematorium. It produced a sinister effect. A tense, oppressive atmosphere, similar to the one when standing late at night on a lonely, deserted cemetery, and here too the dead were stored, laid out and displayed behind windows, all beautifully decorated and restored for their family members who mourned their deceased. I paid no attention to the dead in their waxy deathly pallor. I had another goal. It is a good thing that I don't scare easily because it was quite desolate here.

A moment later, I found it and stopped abruptly. The sign attached indicated that this was my goal. The locked door was no obstacle for me, and I closed it again behind me after I had passed. I groped for the light switch as it was pitch black in the windowless room. The artificial light of the neon tubes came on with a ping and bathed everything in an unnatural, pale and sickly white. The room reflected it from top to bottom; sterile, cold, and dull. The antiseptic smell, reminiscent of a hospital and of death, settled in my nose and I wrinkled it involuntarily. This smell was not pleasant.

One wall was full of small doors and behind them: corpses! Exactly what I was looking for.

Corpses that no one would miss; preferably deceased homeless people, only carted here to be burned, for whom no one would come looking for. I went to a register attached to the wall and flipped through the charts of the deceased in the hatches.

Very nice. I noted a total of three bodies that were suitable. Wonderfully fresh, just delivered today; precisely what I wanted. These were No. 3, No. 8 and No. 12. Well, let's see who I liked more! I felt astonishingly calm and felt in control both inside and out.

I approached the white metal hatch with the number 3. I grasped the silver-coloured locking mechanism and turned it to the right, the loud squeaking of the metal informing me that the bolt was open. Noisily, I opened the door and pulled out the silver stretcher. The body was wrapped in a white plastic shroud. I pulled off the loudly crinkling sheet hiding the deceased man's face without a second thought.

I stared at the face of a young man, about twenty-three years old, who had died of a drug overdose, according to the notes. He didn't seem to have any family and was, therefore, a good option. His face, eyes closed, looked emaciated. The corpse's pallor was also less than beautiful. However, he had no visible injuries which was also advantageous. The drugs I could remove from his blood... I was astonishingly indifferent as I assessed the dead man in front of me.

So I left him unshrouded, lying in the open, and opened the next hatch closer to the middle of the wall, No. 8. In here lay the only woman in question. I folded back the sheet and revealed an elderly woman who was almost seventy years old. She had died alone in her apartment two days ago. She didn't seem as fresh as the young man, but it could still work. Thoughtful, I looked at the dead, wrinkly, emaciated face of the old woman.

I turned to the last corpse, a man lying in the row above, in hatch number 12, who had committed suicide unspectacularly today, hanging himself in a public toilet. This at the age of forty-six; where was humanity heading? I shook my head in disapproval.

I eyed at the person lying in front of me emotionlessly, the extended stretcher hovering at eye level for me given my short stature. I could see the wound where the pull around his neck had cut into his skin. It wasn't pretty to look at and the broken larynx could be easily made out as the bump in the middle of the neck was unmistakable. The rope, or whatever he had used, had cut deeply into the tissue. But also he looked freshly dead, which was perfect for me. I would take the two men, I decided quickly. I was happy that Lady Luck was so kind to me and had bestowed upon me two perfectly suitable specimens.

I pushed the old woman back into the hatch and closed it conscientiously and then let both men float up from their metal stretchers without inhibitions with a _Locomotor_ and left them in the air. I closed both hatches, grabbed both by their feet without hesitation and apparated. I arrived with my cargo in my family's garden and let go of the cold, dead feet. Sometimes it astonished even me that things like this didn't cause me any nausea.

I walked through the garden to our small, picturesque garden shed and let both corpses sink to the floor. I shrunk the lawn mower and other tools that were in the way with a flick of the wrist and banished them to one side.

A satisfied, devilish smirk escaped me as I inspected my stolen goods. I was so about to commit desecration of corpses. Perhaps the name of a Death Eater would soon suit me better than anyone else, I thought cynically. I put both stasis and cooling spells on my two dead men. They were supposed to be nice and fresh. After all, they would have their big outing tomorrow.

Who would have ever thought that I, Hermione Granger, would one day hide two corpses in my parents' garden shed?

I felt great satisfaction at the thought that everything had gone so smoothly so far and an almost hysterical giggle wanted to escape my throat.

It had all taken longer than I thought, so I hurried back into the house and hurried up the stairs, ripped my coat off my shoulders and pulled out the copy of the book I had borrowed from Sirius' library and studied the whole process carefully. Everything would depend on how accurate and how good I was.

Damn... I had forgotten something. Sluggishly, I got up from my chair again. The long hours of learning at the desk hadn't passed by me without leaving a mark, nor my concern that I had to do everything right down to the smallest detail and already I had made a mistake!

This was exceedingly annoying. I prayed the potion was still strong enough while I scurried back into of my sleeping parents' bedroom.

Slowly and deliberately, I pulled out one of my Horus daggers. The cold, silver steel flashed brightly in the light of the falling moon. I walked towards the bed with it in my hand and kneeled at my mother's side. Carefully, I took her hand off the blanket. I didn't hesitate as I grabbed her palm firmly and cut deeply into her flesh. She flinched back and started whimpering quietly, but I held on tightly. I needed the blood and held a vial labelled with her name underneath and could watch my mum's dark-red blood flow into the tube; then I closed the wound with an _Episkey_.

I performed the same task again with my father, but he wanted to turn around which I wouldn't let him do. I left the room quickly, but relieved. They hadn't woken up.

It was almost five o'clock, and I had thought of nearly everything. I would have to improvise anything else.

I didn't go to sleep that night. It wouldn't be worth it. I stepped under the warming spray of the shower and though I washed abundantly, the smell of the morgue didn't want to disappear from my skin and hair. It seemed to me as if this septic smell had dug into every one of my pores.

I desperately brushed my teeth again, but even here this sterile, rotten smell could not be dispelled. When I closed my overly tired eyes, I kept seeing the three pale, waxy faces of the corpses I had inspected. It hadn't been pretty.

The only good thing was that I had been looking at fresh flesh. Otherwise, I would have been seriously sick. It surprised me a little that it didn't bother me that much, that it didn't unsettle me more or upset my mental balance. When I raised my hand and it didn't tremble, I knew I would stay cool; it remained very steady and I chuckled in relief. I shook my head, getting dressed again. Once more, I wore jeans and a T-shirt; today I would get filthy.

I stood in the kitchen, brooding over my hot coffee cup and inhaling its scent to remove the stale smell from my nose. The idea that there were people who showed up for work there day after day seemed absurd to me. How disgusting! I hoped for them that they got paid well because I couldn't see any other reason why one would choose that job.

At seven o'clock, Mum and Dad entered the kitchen, handsome and appearing very well rested. I looked at them resolutely.

"Good morning, sweetie. Up so early?" Mum enquired in a good mood.

"Yes, I usually get up early at Hogwarts. How was the night?" I asked casually.

"Very good, I haven't slept as well as that for a long time. Now, where did I...?" Mother rummaged around in her far too-large handbag.

"What are you looking for, darling?" Dad asked, amused by his wife becoming more hectic.

"My schedule," Mum said desperately.

"It's upstairs, on your vanity!" He rolled his eyes and Mum ran off quickly. I sat down opposite my father with my quill and the document and he commented: "Your mother's always been like that. What is that?"

"You have to sign that, Dad," I handed him the quill and he reached for the parchment, looking at it with a puzzled expression.

"Sure, what's this about...? Why -?!"

"Imperio!" I was sorry that I now had performed the third of the Unforgivables, on my father no less and taking away his free will, but I didn't have enough time left.

At eight o'clock, the goblins were due to arrive. I felt a foreign power running through my veins and my father adopted a relaxed, blank face, gave up all resistance.

"Sign this, Dad," I ordered and watched as, following my command, his red blood formed the contours of his name. He signed the document with zest. Today was the last day he would use this signature. Considering the fact that I had never used the curse before, it worked very well.

As I heard Mum rush through the door, I cast " _Imperio_ " on her as well. Again, I had this intense, strange feeling as I took over her mind. I felt that they put up no mental struggle and I could easily control them both without having to fear losing control.

"Come here, Mum, you have to sign this too."

She now also had a blank expression on her face and immediately did as I wished.

"And now go into the living room and sit down on the couch, I'll be right there!," I ordered. They immediately executed my wish without resistance. I dropped my head on the kitchen table. Oh, my goddess, I would end up in hell, and I deserved it...

Frustrated, I screamed loudly and roared my frustration out into the world. At this moment, I despised myself deeply. I hid my face in my hands. _Hermione, you have no time for this,_ I told myself, _pull yourself together immediately, right now. Nothing can go wrong with the Obliviation, that would be fatal for their minds, so pull yourself together damn it._ How good that the timetable was so tight. I hadn't the leisure to think much about my actions. Just do, don't think.

Resolutely, I stood up and walked with my head held high to the couple sitting close together on the living room couch, almost as if seeking protection. I sat down on the small, sturdy wooden table in front of them, looking at them sadly, but also very firmly.

I picked up my white wand and groaned resignedly when I first pointed it at Dad and looked into his dull, empty eyes. I swallowed hard.

" _Obliviate_ ," I spoke hoarsely and observed how his gaze became even more absent. I concentrated very hard on my father, focussing intensively and exclusively on him. I deleted every memory of me relentlessly. When I had done this successfully, I gave him the story I had fabricated for them.

Sweat formed on my forehead from my efforts as I was proceeding very meticulously, but I pulled through.

I didn't change too much. He and Mum were married as long as before. They were dentists but no longer had a family. They wanted to escape the bad weather and start all over again in Australia.

When I had done the same with my mother, I walked towards the kitchen. I was exhausted and felt broken; I could barely look straight from all the exertion. I outright fled from the eerie living room where my zombie-like parents sat without their own will or memory and waited to be picked up.

I tried to breathe calmly and suppress the feelings that wanted to rise in me. I quickly drank the cold, stale coffee. One thing was sure; nobody could undo such an extensive memory spell. Tears threatened to pool in my eyes, but I bravely held them back. It was for the best. It was the fairest thing I could do since they had no place in the world I inhabited.

It was better, even if it was now irreversible. Fate or perhaps even I had chosen; the dice had been cast. These people in the living room were no longer my parents! More calmly and composedly than before, I stepped into the door frame and threw them a sad look, losing myself in reverie.

When it finally rang, I opened the front door, relieved but also very controlled, only to go wide-eyed at the sight that greeted me. Quickly, I caught myself. His sneering smile made his face dangerously distorted and it did not become more pleasant to look at.

"Mr Rangok," I nearly shouted in disbelief. "How nice to see you! I didn't expect you to come in person," I confessed and greeted him with a respectful bow. I could see Grophok behind him whom I also greeted briefly. I recognised him as the goblin who had also warded Rose Cottage.

"How nice, Miss Granger, to see you personally again after such a long time and indeed, this is an exception but I was too curious," he admitted with a broad grin and bared his pointed goblin teeth.

"Please come in," I politely invited them in, leading the two goblins into the house and straight into the living room where my two motionless parents were still sitting on the couch.

"So you did it," Rangok said soberly, after just one pondering look, and I nodded in confirmation.

"Then we should be fast; the flight leaves at 11 o'clock. Do your parents have everything?" he asked, looking at the couple with a sly expression.

"Yes, I packed their suitcases just last night. Not much, just the jewellery and the clothes, photos, all without me, but enough to tell a story," I reported in a business-like manner.

"May Grophok...?" Rangok requested and pointed upstairs. I nodded after which the goblin set off in a hurry.

"These are all your parents' important business-related documents," he handed me two thick envelopes. "We took the liberty to falsify your parents' certificates. Do you wish to know their new names?" he asked solemnly. I thought about it carefully but shook my head after some time.

"It's already bad enough that I know where they're going. No, it's better if I don't know," I decided deliberately, noticing a sad expression entering Rangok's eyes but he accepted my choice without comment.

I fetched my father's briefcase and cleared it out conscientiously, put the documents in it, and pressed the suitcase firmly into Dad's hand with the order to take very good care of it, as it contained some cash and all their important documents. I felt his fist closing firmly around it.

Then, I waved my wand in front of both of them and released the Imperio, but they were still spaced out as the Obliviate was still active.

"They are yours. How will you handle it when I end the _Obliviate_?" I asked anxiously.

"We have our means... Grophok, please, take over if you would. Miss Granger, please finalise the Obliviate," Rangok requested. Grophok stood in-between my parents and held their hands. He had shrunk the two suitcases and carried them in his trouser pocket.

I did as requested and immediately the three disappeared with a plop. They were gone. I stood there, all alone. Just like that, my parents were gone forever!

"Excellent," Rangok clapped his hands together and, after a questioning look at me, sat down on one of the armchairs just as Grophok reappeared with another plop.

"Done, Miss Granger. Everything went as planned! Shall my team and I prepare the blood wards for the house?" Grophok asked with zeal. I nodded.

"Yes, please," I said and the goblin dashed away and fetched his team.

"So, Miss Granger, can I assume that you have something ready for me?" Rangok framed his demand as a suggestion.

"Yes, of course. Here you are," I handed Rangok the document. He looked at it and put it away contentedly.

"All your documents from the Muggle world were falsified so that you are now of age in their world. Everything went smoothly. I hope you are satisfied." A pleased, very devious expression scurried across the goblin's face.

"Very much, Mr Rangok. Without you, I wouldn't have known how to do all this. Thank you very much," it came a little sluggish from me. I felt exhausted, but I couldn't relax just yet. We talked about some less important monetary transactions.

After a while, Grophok cautiously approached us. I gave him a questioning look. It had taken longer than protecting the small cottage in the relative seclusion of the countryside, but then this was understandable given the different location of the houses.

"Miss Granger, we'd be ready for you to give your blood, please."

I rose following his weighty words and Rangok followed us.

"If you don't mind, we can go straight to the practice afterwards," Rangok offered, and a _Tempus_ confirmed that the time had come to hand over the practice.

As I stood before the front door, he asked me to put my hand on the handle as I also had done last time. As expected, I felt the needle pierce me and heard behind me the chanted rite of the ward woven onto my house by the goblins.

Again, a visible golden shield manifested itself, settling over my house and shining brightly and radiantly, all of it happening under the observing eyes of Rangok. When the shield faded, I loosened my hand from the handle and healed it quickly. I thanked the team with a bow. Rangok merely waved his hand towards them, and they all disappeared.

"Please understand, Miss Granger, since it has become official that the Dark Lord has returned, our warding team has been busy," he excused their quick disappearance.

"I can imagine. Would you come with me?" I asked. Rangok honoured me by offering me his hand which I gratefully took. I apparated us thusly directly into the practice.

The transformation spells to look more like my mother were quickly cast which Rangok watched in silence. Just a moment later, the bell rang.

Fortunately, everything proceeded very quickly. I handed over the keys since the transfer had already been completed weeks ago by a notary. Rangok had made himself invisible during this time. I had no idea how the goblins could do it. I knew, however, that he was very close-by.

When we both arrived back in front of my house, I said goodbye to him and made another appointment so that we would meet again when I got my school supplies, which made him smile in pleasant anticipation. He coquettishly asked me what I still intended to learn. I blushed from such a compliment; goblins never did something like that.

After Rangok disapparated, I shook my tired head in a positively sluggish manner. I was happy to find some peace and time to think, so I turned to the door and grabbed the door handle, twisting it to open, and was about to cross the threshold of the house when I received a blow from behind, completely out of nowhere.

Less than elegant, I flew into the hallway, barely cushioning the fall to the ground with my hands. When I heard the door slamming shut behind me, I had already rolled over in one smooth movement and quickly turned around. My wand was out, ready to curse the intruder. I aimed, a curse about to leave my lips. I wouldn't let anybody overwhelm me quite so easily.

I paused, thanks to my trained, good reflexes because I recognised that familiar spiteful grin. Being the good girl that I was, I immediately lowered my wand with a resigned, yielding expression and sighed deeply. Why must he always push me?

"Sir!" I breathed, perplexed. What was he doing here?

The thought stayed with me; why did he think that he always had to throw me at something? A bed, a wall, a shelf, or now, the floor?

"Are you surprised?" he snarled provocatively at me. Casually, he pushed off from the door he had been leaning against and made his way confidently through my house and took a seat in the kitchen as if he owned the place. I followed him hesitantly and rubbed my knees.

"A little; what did I do to deserve the honour of your visit, sir?" The words escaped me sarcastically. It was now three o'clock, and my schedule was tight. I had no time for such games.

"Well, you should be happy to see me," he said with a low voice, his long black hair framing his expressionless, pale face.

"Of course, always, sir! Would you like something to drink?" I remained polite, albeit a little ironic, but he denied.

"You don't appreciate me at all! Have you already eliminated your parents?" he asked with interest, and I noticed how he scanned his surroundings, my home, with his all-seeing eyes all the time.

"Yes, sir," I replied brusquely.

"You actually went through with it?" He was audibly astonished and gave me an unreadable look. I didn't fully believe him.

"Yes, sir!" How monotonous of me, but I had no time and even less desire.

"You always manage to amaze me," he muttered quietly. It seemed he was truly surprised. Wow. He took a very close look at my figure and I felt extremely naked under his piercingly sharp gaze.

"Thank you, sir," I said cautiously.

"Well, come then, I will help," he had me there. Help? Since when did Snape help anyone?

"With what, sir?" I asked a bit confused.

"You're packing!", he drawled. Already, Snape had his old harsh tone back. Great, now he wanted to give me orders again. But my plan was set in stone, I didn't need his 'help'. Hence, I asked perplexed:

"Why am I packing?" I brushed over my tightly tied back hair when I asked this question.

"Please don't play dumb. You'll come with me and don't get the idea of refusing," Snape threatened, growling, almost piercing me with his dark eyes. I felt taken aback and swallowed. This couldn't happen, not now!

"Where to?" I inquired carefully.

"Malfoy Manor," he firmly stated, as if there was no other place I could go.

"Does Draco know?" I breathed tensely.

"Of course, I talked to him about it last night!" The good professor seemed to be getting short with me. But what did he have to interfere with my plans for? I was about to blow my fuse.

"I don't believe it. I can't go, not now," I answered resolutely and gave Snape a stubborn expression.

"What is the matter with you?" and here, Snape hit the table hard, "Lucius is making things very difficult for us right now; since he saw you on the platform, he is unbearable! He wants to sound the hunt, so you will come with me..." he hissed angrily.

"Please, sir, I'll come as you wish, but not today and not tomorrow." I jumped up and walked to the bar. When I spun around to look at him again, I was met with his black-clad chest. Great, he had boxed me in again. I had been too careless, damn it!

"That wasn't a request," he rumbled threateningly as he towered over me.

"Sir, I will do whatever you want... but give me this week," I almost begged and let go of my pride.

"Why should I?" Snape pulled up his eyebrow suspiciously, but I didn't know either and, following my instincts, stood on my toes and quickly breathed a kiss on his disapprovingly contorted lips. Where was the detachment I had built up after what he had done to me? I didn't know. My instincts guided me and I tended to listen to them.

I whispered against his closed lips. "Please, a few days of freedom," and kissed the nevertheless so soft lips carefully, supported me with my hand on his broad, muscular chest, grabbing the fine material, and now boldly licked his pinched lips with the tip of my tongue. Clearly, I threw all my other concerns aside when it suited me.

He growled and his arms, which had hitherto hung uninvolved at his sides, suddenly wrapped around me and captured my head hard between his hands. That he had done all that just to turn my advances back on me took me by surprise, even though I had started it. He kissed me with a fervour that took my breath away.

I held my own against him, so trapped in his hands and arms, the counter behind me. I had never witnessed him behaving with such abandon before. This was an entirely new kissing experience and a sigh escaped me unwittingly. I knew that I shouldn't lose sight of my goal but just now I was focused only on him.

He pressed himself closer and closer to me and tried to kiss me out of my mind. I struggled not to give in because I had a mission to accomplish, not to mention the grey eyes I could feel flashing in the back of my head... I couldn't and didn't want to go all the way.

I felt his oh so covetous lips, his tongue playing with mine and it certainly didn't do nothing for me. However, I managed to slightly dislodge myself from the kiss and whisper against his mouth. To get through to Snape, only one thing occurred to me and I hoped I wouldn't go too far with it.

"Severus...", I dared breathing it deeply and roughly into the kiss and managed to reach him.

Violently, he ripped himself away from me. I had suddenly found it easy to pronounce his first name, but now, with his intense look aimed at me, I probably wouldn't be able to put his name in my mouth again.

He looked deeply into my lustful eyes. He did excite me, I had to admit to myself, and he must have recognised clearly that I never played my desire for him, which conjured a contented, diabolical smile on his slightly reddened lips.

"You are a cunning minx," he hissed reproachfully.

"I thought that's what makes me perfect for you," I responded provocatively. Snape replied by lowering his head again and re-conquering my mouth purposefully. I submitted to his demanding lips. It was different now, not as headless and passionate, but rather enjoyable, the duel very equally balanced.

Here I was standing in the kitchen of my parents' house, having sent my parents away today, never to be seen again. Outside in the garden shed, two male corpses were laid out and here I was snogging wildly with my professor, who was several years older than me! And I was enjoying it!

I seemed to be more emotionally affected than I wanted to admit. After I had felt so lost for a short time, Snape's body, familiar as it was to me, brought me a certain constancy in my currently unsettled life. In the knowledge of what was to come, I clung firmly to him.

Breathing heavily, he detached himself from me with an expression that I couldn't interpret. He examined my face intensely and slowly ran his thumb over my lips which had been bruised and reddened by him. I was glad that it looked as if he didn't want more because I couldn't give him more than this.

"I cannot give you a week, Lucius is getting too impatient; it is good that you already have your parents... well, whatever you have done with them! It is good that they are gone. We must break the news to Lucius gently. Draco already has a nasty idea! But you see, the blood protection is not enough," he said forcefully. He had yet to release me from the cage of his arms.

"Will I be a prisoner there?" I asked anxiously.

"I don't believe so." He shrugged his shoulders.

"How much time can... will you give me?" I whispered.

"Two days," he brought himself to concede with a heavy heart. I knew then that this was the utmost I could get out of him.

"Thank you!" Relieved and exhausted, I slumped against his chest. He embraced me, which I had never thought possible until recently. How could he do something like this and how could I enjoy being so close to him after what this man had done to me? Why did it matter so little, suddenly? Why wasn't I worried, or more afraid of his closeness or touch?

He just held me silently and I enjoyed the strong feeling of security he gave me.

Eventually, we parted as if on cue.

"You have two days; then I will drag you out of the cottage if I have to! Even if I am not tied into the Fidelius, do you understand? Draco will also not be pleased that I am coming back without you," he explained seriously, and I understood he meant it deadly seriously. In two days, I would belong to the family with body and soul.

"It's all right, Draco knows I have appointments tonight that can't be postponed. I can't leave without the planning of almost a year going down the drain! The plan is too good and I'm not so afraid of Lucius that I'm going to break it off now," I hissed angrily.

"Such a wildcat," it came from him, scornfully as usual.

"Very funny! But thank you very much for the two days. I will be in the cottage the day after tomorrow! Send your snake and I'll let you in," I cheekily gave him instructions. However, he ignored my tone and just nodded in confirmation.

"Who will be there?" he wanted to know matter-of-factly. It was as if we had never kissed, as if we had not been in each other's arms.

"The Twins - they live there - Blaise, and the Greengrass sisters", I listed as requested.

"What, what are they doing there?" he was visibly surprised. From one second to the next, he was no longer calm but agitated.

"They will keep quiet, that's why I have to go to the cottage. I have to cast the spell on the two sisters, you see," I explained business-like. He paused.

"Indeed!" He turned around. I noticed that today, he was wearing only a long, narrow-tailed frock coat, no over-robe or cloak. He hurried away without another word, farewell or otherwise. I collapsed on the chair with this new information. Phew. In two days, I would have to face Lucius.

Great, really great. Just my luck; I could pull my hair out. I went from one catastrophe to the next.

* * *

 _Review feedback:_

 _ **szabo alexandra1991:** A Lucius fan? ;) Chapter 100 isn't far away. It will be the end of WHF book 2 and around twice the current chapter length. Should be a treat for all the readers waiting for the proper confrontation between Hermione and Lucius._

 ** _Vivian Darkloom:_** _We will and your reviews help keep us motivated!  
_


	98. Very Dark Magic!

Chapter beta: Dani

Chapter translator: Nik (& Aivy)

* * *

 **Very Dark Magic!**

After this new catastrophe, I gave myself an hour to gather my thoughts, still lounging in the garden chair.

I needed this moment of quiet; I had to find my inner peace and balance again. Looking at the garden house, I sipped on my iced tea. I needed something sweet after that shock.

It was unbelievable. I had played the whore again for Snape's benefit. But let's be honest, with that kiss and physical intimacy I had bought myself time. Once again, I had put myself and my body to work to manipulate Snape. My conscience asked me what kind of slut I was, using every means to get my way.

What would Draco say? Would Snape tell him?

Greedily, I drank the cold liquid, feeling it running down my parched throat and cool it nicely on this warm summer afternoon — the very same one on which I would lose everything and that was about to turn into a very dark summer afternoon. With a sigh, I closed my eyes and shook my head in shock. I was stumped that I had acted so naturally with Snape even though he hadn't touched me tenderly even once since that night. Instead, each time was more akin to a brutal strike that sent me flying somewhere. That I kissed such a man deeply and didn't even feel repelled... I let my head slump back. Oh, goddess.

Soon, I was expected to enter the manor and face Lucius. I didn't even want to think about that. What were Draco and Snape expecting or hoping for when serving me up on a silver platter like that?

I had no idea, and I would probably only get a headache if I tried to understand their train of thought. I would have to let it come as it would. There was only one thing I knew for sure, it wouldn't be pretty for me... no, most certainly not!

Snape had shown me that I needed to perform the Fidelius on the house. He had known that as long as he touched me, he could enter the house despite the blood protection, even without my invitation. It was annoying, but unfortunately, it wasn't possible for me to do the spell at the moment because it would take too much out of me. I needed to conserve every bit of my magic for what was to come.

The curses that I had performed today were also nothing to scoff at. But who had said it would be easy? Well, I should get going, I had rested enough!

I should consider myself very lucky that Snape had taken off again. _Now then, pull yourself together Hermione!_ The day was still long and the night even longer, and my acting had to be perfect. The masks couldn't slip even a little bit!

Determined, I got up. After all, I was no toddler, cowering in the corner, crying. I walked resolutely towards the door of the garden shed.

When I opened the door and entered, icy goose bumps covered my skin thanks to the cold that prevailed here and I could see my hot breath rising visibly in small white clouds in front of me. Brrrrrrr... My nipples hardened and an indeterminate excitement about what was to come took possession of me. I swallowed down the feeling of unease. This is how it had to happen. End of story!

Although I could feel my hesitation about what was to come, I forbid myself from thinking about it and tried to suppress the trembling.

I bent over to my stolen goods, indifferently folding back the plastic sheet covering the two lifeless men and looking at the dead. They hadn't changed, which was good, very good; they were just as dead as they had been yesterday!

I couldn't leave contaminated blood in the drug addict's body, so I sank to my knees before him to cast a spell on his body. Running my wand up and down over his entire body, I intoned a difficult cleansing ritual to purge the toxins from his blood. The incantation was _Purgatio de Sanguis_ , which meant purification of the blood.

Greedily, the black magic reaching into me and I could feel sweat gathering on my upper lip, despite the icy cold here, as I extracted the contaminants, washing them out of his impure blood. It was like sinking into a trance.

Phew! I fell on my backside gasped for air when the connection broke; there was nothing left to purge.

Oof... That had been more strenuous than I had anticipated. Why was it so easy to control a person's mind but so difficult to purify a person's blood? Maybe, I should write a paper about it when this fucking war was over!

Back to the matter at hand. Breathlessly, I got off of my butt and crawled over to the junkie. I stared, disgusted, at the dead pale face in front of me before reaching for it, purposefully heading to his mouth to part the cold lips which were almost immovable from rigor mortis.

Eww... the skin felt so elastic and icy cold, unpleasant under my living, warm fingers. I struggled hard to part the addict's lips; not a simple task, seeing as he was dead. Slightly disgusted by myself, to pried his lifeless lips apart with difficulty and poured my mother's blood into his mouth. He didn't have to swallow; it just had to slowly run down his throat. When I had achieved this, I breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't nice to feed something to a dead man. However, things were going like clockwork, thus I turned with a grim smile to my second victim.

For him, a _Lautus_ was enough and I healed and cleaned his strangulation marks forever with a quick _Recuro_. Then, I proceeded to repeat the same act with my father's blood. Here, too, with great physical effort on my part, I managed to administer the blood. I could barely stop myself from wiping my sweaty face, knowing that I certainly wouldn't want to touch myself until I had washed my hands.

I was tinkering with two-day-old corpses, yuck, I shouldn't touch my bare skin.

But I wasn't finished yet. I got up, panting, and positioned myself in the middle of the concrete floor. I took a deep breath, calmed myself, and drew my wand. It was time to begin the real ritual, so I traced a magical pentagram.

The contours of the five-pointed star burned into the concrete, hissing and glowing red. I positioned one corpse to the south, the other to the north. I swallowed again and could hardly stand the tense atmosphere. This was a life-changing decision. Nobody chose to follow this path lightly!

The time had come for my dark and twisted deed to begin.

I closed my eyes and concentrated deeply, trying to suppress all feelings that could make me feel guilty; I suffocated my inner conscience currently begging me to reconsider. There was no turning back. I stoically began to recite the incredibly long incantation. I repeated the spell I had learnt by heart, intoned the chant and swung my wand in the intended, ritualistic, rhythmic movements. I felt my pulsating magic flowing out of me; it was not a pleasant feeling.

It was as if I was losing a part of myself with this steady flow. The magic began to accumulate in the room. I felt sweat running out of my every pore as I was working the magic so entranced and riveted. When in the beginning, I had firmly pushed the old Gaelic words out of my mouth, I now hissed them almost lethargically as it became ever more strenuous to maintain the spell. It became hard to breathe as the concentrated magic in the room threatened to suffocate me and compress my lungs.

Nonetheless, I couldn't afford to stop now. Aborting a black magic rite would have terrible, unforeseeable, and fatal consequences. One doesn't play with dark magic. If you weren't up to it and couldn't control it, then you paid a price and if you were lucky you only paid with your life. Thus, I clenched my teeth until they were grinding against each other and refused to give up. My body trembled and shook under the strain of the chant, but I held on and persevered stubbornly.

Approaching the end of the ritual, I felt slightly dazed, when I began to notice the accumulated magic at the borders of my perception starting to move like a gentle breeze in the shed, cooly brushing over my sweaty face. I startled slightly. It was time; I drew my dagger. Without hesitation, I cut my palm as I had done to my parents last night, feeling no pain. Perhaps I did this too often, I mused, as I watched my red blood emerge fresh from my wound. I distributed it generously by waving my bleeding hand through the air. Droplets of blood landed on the corpses and the pentagram. My blood behaved like acid, eating into the concrete with a loud hiss.

I stared at this spectacle as if spellbound. At last, I pulled myself together and recited the final part of the ritual so that my work might come to fruition:

" _Inferius_ ," I exclaimed fervently. As soon as the fateful word faded away, a beam - black as the darkest night - emerged from my wand and I was unable to suppress a frightened flinch.. A thick black mist suddenly spread through the shed and engulfed everything.

It was dark. Through the blackness, I could perceive plastic covers suddenly beginning to stir, rustling and crackling. Oh goddess, that was eerie. I could barely make out my hands before my face. I shivered with unease, knowing what was making those sounds. Hurriedly and breathlessly, I cast a spell that effectively banished the black mist.

It was time to face the truth. I gazed down at the inferi lying on the ground before me, my creations.

The eyes of the dead men opened as if on command. They looked around frighteningly cold and as if not perceiving anything. With frightening, choppy movements they began to get to their feet. They reminded me of one of those awful horror movies in which zombies were on the loose, except that I was standing in a small garden shed with the two undead. I observed all this with a certain macabre fascination, couldn't tear myself away from the grotesque spectacle as they moved their limbs so stiffly and clumsily. The only thing missing from this picture would be their mouths agape in hunger. They seemed absurd as they marched so threateningly towards me. I had to bite my lips tightly to avoid laughing loudly and hysterically.

Oh, gosh, that was creepy!

As they stood before me in all their naked splendour, I would probably have flushed red from embarrassment if I weren't already harbouring a guilty conscience for committing the most perverse, horrible form of desecration.

I hoped the souls of the deceased could forgive me; it would probably take me a long time to get over that.

The inferi now began to approach me with their distorted movements. I shouted:

"Stop!"

Immediately, they stopped like puppets on a string. Good. I was relieved. The ritual had worked properly, and they obeyed me.

They didn't look so frightening at all; with inferi that always only came when the decomposition process began. As long as they were nice and fresh, they were only scary in the way they were moving. But it would work. It was enough for what I was planning; you wouldn't see much of them.

I examined the sunken, pale, dead faces of the two men, pulling out two vials and handing one to each of them.

"Here, drink this," I commanded, unmoved when they came so close to me. But as a beautiful saying goes: "Everyone listens to my command" and that was what my two dead slaves here did for me. They obediently drank the disgusting brew and reacted completely differently than living human beings did who grimaced and made disgusted, choking sounds. The two inferi, however, endured the transformation without any visible proclamations of distaste. It was a bizarre picture as their bodies distorted.

Now, I stared into the empty faces of my naked parents.

"It is wonderful that everything is working out so well," I announced loudly. I had only been ninety per cent sure that the inferi would transform. This was amazing. I summoned underwear, clothes and shoes from the house and instructed my zombies to dress quickly. They obeyed, a little wobbly and clumsily, but I was patient.

Meanwhile, I cast an _Episkey_ and a strong _Scourgify_ on myself. I was shivering in the cold. I had done a lot of terrible things in this shed. I promised myself I would tear it down when I returned to cast the _Fidelius_ on the house.

I had used very dark magic. Oh, who was I trying to deceive? I had used the darkest magic of all!

I doubted even Snape had ever created an Inferius. But then, I was quite good at crossing lines that should never be crossed. Nobody should go on believing my parents could still be alive. No, after tonight, Mr and Mrs Granger would be history forever.

"Mum, Dad, all set?" I smugly asked my two zombies, as I called them in my mind, and approached them. "Hold on to me," I ordered harshly and immediately apparated with them to the designated forest edge. As we materialised, I quickly freed myself from the inferi's rigid, cold and dead hands. I shook myself slightly. Since it was only 7 p.m., some rays of sunshine still shone through the branches of the trees. My two companions seemed to be uncomfortable, but they would have to put up with it. Soon, they would never be disturbed by the sun again.

I released any potential enchantments with a flick of the wrist and watched as my parents' BMW became visible before my eyes. How very clever of the goblins to keep it hidden with a spell until I came and removed it. The goblins were intelligent, crafty little fellows. That's why I got along so well with Rangok; we were kindred souls in this relationship, I mused.

I opened the doors, pointed to my 'father' and said:

"You drive, and you sit next to him, got it?" I went to the back seat and hoped that the corpse would manage to drive the car without killing us. Wasn't this thought sarcastic? But amazingly, like a robot, he, or rather it, performed surprisingly well.

We drove quickly towards the hotel we had booked, and after a relatively short drive, we arrived at The Marquis Inn. We drove up the black tar driveway and stopped in front of the whitewashed, single-storey, typically English country house with a dark roof that had been converted into a five-star hotel and also housed an excellent restaurant. The hotel's lettering was featured on one side of the white façade, pretty and picturesque.

Immediately, a young man with honey-coloured hair, a little older than me, rushed over to offer his help.

"Can I help you?" he asked me politely as I climbed out the rear door.

"Yes, please. Our luggage is in the trunk, and we have a reservation under Granger," I answered very politely, and continued to speak loudly in a honeyed voice: "All right, Mum, Dad, I'll check us in. You have yourselves a nice evening, enjoy your trip to the White Cliffs. I know how much you love them! I'll see you later... bye!"

After we had closed all the doors of the vehicle, they drove off as planned.

Perfect! I now had to work quickly. I accompanied the page boy to the small reception.

"Your parents want to go to the cliffs?" he asked curiously, though probably also to be polite and start some small talk.

"Oh, yes. My parents spent their honeymoon in Dover, and they enjoy watching the sunset from the cliffs every now and then. It's getting late as it is, but since they have plans to emigrate to South Africa, I wanted to make sure they enjoy it one last time in their old homeland. And let's be honest: I would only disturb them if I came along", I giggled in a ditsy manner, channelling Lav. You can't say you can't learn anything from her.

"South Africa…? How beautiful... I would like to go there too! Are you going with them, if I may ask?" he wanted to know with interest.

"No, I attend a boarding school in Scotland all year round. There are only two years left and then I will follow!"

"Sure, but isn't the weather in Scotland even worse than ours?" he joked, shaking his head. I laughed. The receptionist who had listened to our conversation greeted me enthusiastically as we had booked the suite. I provided my father's credit card as security, and the young man took me to our rooms.

"I hope you like it," he said, opening the door and proudly leading me into the suite.

"Yes, very much. Thank you! I think I'll rest a bit then." I pressed five pounds into his hand and locked the door behind me after he had left.

A moment later, I apparated into the side street where my zombies were waiting for me. They sat well-behaved in the car, the engine running. Even to me, with their rigid, motionless faces, they looked akin to remote-controlled puppets. Quickly, I cast an Invisibility Spell on myself before getting into the back seat and guiding them to the cliffs.

I let them drive back and forth, and when it was shortly after eight o'clock, I got out of the car and ordered them to drive over the cliffs at the viewpoint - it was still well frequented despite the late hour - and to scream nice and loudly. I explicitly told my 'mother' to do this!

It should look like a tragedy.

Still invisible, I stood in the proximity and watched. As commanded, Dad and Mum were gesticulating wildly and loudly calling for help as they approached the cliffs at breakneck speed. I heard hysterical screams from them as the car shot over the cliffs, falling and finally crashing into the rocks below.

I saw the metal at the back of the car bending as the vehicle smashed into the jagged rocks with tremendous force.

Boom! Unexplainable mechanical failure of the brakes… It could happen... All right, a little magic at the right time helped, but 'Dad' had played his part well until reaching the precipice. With all the research I had done in preparation I could become certified as a car mechanic by now. My perfectionism could reach pathological degrees!

I stood on the vantage point and looked at the chaos developing before me, shocked spectators of the deadly accident running around headlessly.

Shortly afterwards I wielded my wand, unseen, and broke the connection to the inferi, returned them to hell and the realm of the dead. I cut off their unnaturally preserved lives with a Gaelic death chant that was drowned out by the loud, roaring waves, the noise of the ambulance sirens, and the screaming of the people. The invoked words flowed from my lips and I felt outright how a heavy load, which had been oppressively resting on my chest until now, fell away. I could breathe freely and easily again. Meanwhile, I turned the living dead back into unliving dead.

It was astonishing how easily I had done it.

Thanks to my and my parents' blood, and the Polyjuice Potion, infused with a drop of blood as well, I had ensured that the inferi would not change back even after their final passing.

They would retain the appearance of Mum and Dad even in death. I owed the whole affair to another stroke of genius. That's how it was, though. These two men would still be my parents even as corpses. Macabre and very scary, but exactly what needed to be done, right?

Now I needed to return quickly. I turned my back to the unfortunate scene.

As soon as I arrived in the hotel room, I calmly ordered their expensive wine and a few canapés from the room service and then quickly went to the shower, where I almost scrubbed my skin from my bones. I relished feeling the warm water flow down my body.

I wanted to forget the inferi; they had been so unreal and cold. That I had made them into my parents' image made even me shudder - how thoroughly revolting. But above all was the knowledge that I had been mistress of these beings, these magical creatures. It touched me deeply, even if I couldn't put it into words. Despite it all, it had been the best, the most practical plan.

Why was I always so rational?

I kept in mind that I should ensure that no one in the magical world took notice of my deeds. Nobody in the magical world approved of necromancy; even the Death Eaters and other dark wizards repudiated this very-frowned-upon branch of magic. I suppose I had once again crossed a major line with aplomb.

Now I sat on the couch, waiting. Again and again, I sipped on the tasty, full-bodied wine and saw the pictures of the day replaying before my eyes. It was really like a film, a bad one at that. I felt exhausted, tired and worn-out. Magically, it had been devilishly exhausting. I thought of the car crash, how the metal had been warped like tin foil on the stone cliffs and the loud crash. It all seemed so unreal as if it had been scripted.

On the soft couch, I nestled down in my silky nightshirt, my still towel-wet hair tickling my shoulders. A loud knock on the door signified that my brief rest was over. I rose with a restrained sigh. Here we go, the act began!

"Mum, Dad, don't be so impatient, you're late anyway," I shouted through the still-closed door and yanked it open, beaming with joy in the pretended expectation of seeing my parents.

"What is it?" I asked, embarrassed as I was only wearing my nightwear after all. I skilfully conjured a shameful blush into my cheeks.

"Miss Granger?" a bald man asked harshly, clad in a dark blue jacket. I estimated him to be in his mid-fifties. The woman standing next to him, wearing her red hair in a bob, also looked to be around the same age. I frowned reluctantly and nodded.

"Yes," I responded with a hint of distrust.

"Why don't you go and put on a dressing gown?" the woman asked empathetically. I got the sense they were attempting to play 'good cop, bad cop' from the start.

"Um, yes..." Of course, I wasn't about to let those two inside during that time. "Please wait!"

After those words, I closed the door and ran into the bathroom, put on the hotel's fluffy white cotton bathrobe and went back to the door.

"Um, please, what can I do for you?" I looked at them anxiously and with uncertainty but, eventually, led them into the living room of the suite.

"Miss Granger, we're with the police," the woman explained with care, while the man looked around, registered the wine, the pastry and his gaze slipped to the stereo. "I'm Detective Steel, and this is Inspector Erwin," she introduced herself.

"What... and what do you want from me?" I said in an uncertain voice.

"Please, Miss Granger, sit down...!" the woman sounded caring and concerned. I got even more hectic in my movements.

"Why...?! Please, tell me what you want from me!" I insisted nervously and became even more restless, hectic and a shaky tone prevailed in my voice.

"Miss Granger, stay calm," the man ordered.

"Tell me what's going on, you're scaring me," I hissed, visibly upset, waving my hands through the air in agitation.

"As you wish, Miss. Your parents had a tragic accident today. As it looks, they are...!", the detective began uncomfortably and looked at her colleague.

"What happened to my parents?" I demanded to know but, at the same time, showed great, recognisable concern in my wide-open eyes and clenched my hands fearfully into fists.

"They were in a car accident. They died immediately," confessed the woman in a calm, now monotonous voice. I slumped into the armchair, as if all life was leaving me, and looked around in silence and shock.

"My parents are what...?" I whispered after some time as if stunned and began to rock back and forth slightly on the seat of the chair. "No, no... no, that can't be!" I played the orphaned daughter well.

"We are very sorry, Miss Granger. Your parents have unfortunately passed away! Are you all right, Miss Granger?" The question came again very worriedly from the woman.

It went on for a while in the same manner, and as I said, I honestly deserved an award here. Even I believed my performance of the grieving daughter. I bravely didn't allow any tears to spill; only my eyes swam in unshed tears. It was heartbreaking.

They interrogated me, and I answered as if numb and detached. Of course, I knew I didn't have to cooperate, or should have called a lawyer. Why didn't I? Simple - if I were too indifferent or too calm, it would raise questions.

Nothing implicated me, and let's face it, at most I was responsible for killing two corpses. That wasn't so bad, I almost smirked cynically.

The two told me that the wreck would be salvaged tonight and that they would pick me up tomorrow morning to confirm whether these two people were, in fact, my parents. I blinked anxiously in their faces as the woman dared to ask me how old I was, and if they should bring someone in to take care of everything for me. I was on the verge of breaking out in laughter.

I hesitated and explained that I had turned eighteen two days ago and had no other family members left. I was alone now. She almost started crying with me; how glorious!

I asked if I could go home to Chelsea. They both replied that tomorrow, after I had been in the morgue, they would arrange for transportation back to home for me, and asked me if they could leave me alone.

When the two fools of the Muggle police had at last removed themselves from the room, I couldn't help but muse that there was really no difference between them and the aurors. The same kinds of people were always attracted to the same kind of job, no matter in which world.

I flung myself on the soft, wide double bed, called the wine to me with an _Accio_ and, now relaxed, drank some more. It was good that this was over so fast. I would be able to keep my promise to Snape and be in the cottage the day after tomorrow.

Fortunately, I had a restful night despite all the exertions. The exhaustion and the relief that the affair with my parents was almost over, had given me a deep, dreamless, almost comatose sleep. The two of them were sitting safely in their plane to Australia; I wondered if they had already landed?

Not a clue. This had been in the hands of the goblins from the beginning!

As I lay in bed, I rolled myself up into a small ball. Unwanted thoughts immediately resurfaced, wafting through my brain and showing me in vivid colours what a corrupt bitch I was. What hadn't I done yet? An _Imperio_ against my parents - the problem was that it had been a highly official, legal document that I couldn't forge, and so I had had no choice but to manipulate my parents to get their signatures.

Did that make it better? How could I explain to Harry that I now could say I had mastered all three Unforgivable Curses? Phew. Probably best to not mention it at all. At least, I had already come to terms with the _Obliviate_. It had been necessary!

What concerned me more was that I had delved deeply into necromancy, a very frowned-upon field. Necromancy, the raising of the dead, was considered dirty even by the black wizards. What kind of person played with corpses, after all? Since the decomposition process couldn't be halted for long, it was a truly disgusting affair. That's why even very dark characters distanced themselves from it. And what had I done? Delved right into it. Bloody hell! I really shouldn't tell anyone anything about it.

I decided I had indulged in enough unproductive thoughts and unfurled my protective ball. Last night, I had sorely missed Draco's warm and strong body. He would have held me in his arms. Unfortunately, you didn't always get everything that you wished. I should consider myself fortunate that everything had worked out so smoothly concerning the necromancy so far and none of the pitfalls, the difficulties or adversities had occurred, which tended to accompany this particular branch of magic.

To be honest, I had found other spells much more difficult. I didn't understand why the books made such a fuss about these things!

Enough of that! Today, I consciously dressed in a dark brown, discreet wraparound dress. I didn't want to lay it on too thick and drape myself in black; after all, who packed only black clothes when going on vacation? So I granted my potentially deceased parents just a dark brown, as I wouldn't have accepted their deaths yet, and thus was still demonstrating hope.

After all, I couldn't come to terms with their passing so quickly. I also reminded myself never to use the past tense for my parents in the presence of the police, and always to speak of them in the present tense. Otherwise, it would seem as if I had already accepted the fact of their passing and that couldn't happen so quickly, I told myself.

I loosely pinned up my hair to give myself a more mature look and packed my suitcases. I had deliberately not put on make-up and therefore looked quite pale and worn out, but that was only fitting. The heavy red wine also had left its traces; I was more used to whiskey. My face showed very decorative bags under the eyes. The magic I had performed had drained my strength. It had been very potent magic, and the blood protection shouldn't be forgotten either. I didn't look like I was in the best of states.

When I entered the lobby with my suitcases, the same page boy as the day before was already hurrying towards me to help me. He looked at me as if he was about to burst into tears but said nothing for which I was grateful.

Yesterday's two civilian policemen picked me up and silently took me to the morgue after they saw my sorrowful and sad appearance.

My footsteps echoed loudly on the tiles of the hall. It appeared entirely different from the dignified crematorium in London, where history had dwelled in every corner. Here we were in a cheap seventies' building, which just seemed depressing. I didn't have to exert much effort play up my bad mood; it came almost exclusively by itself!

The smell was terrible. It seemed as if the employees were trying to mask the smell of the corpses with a strong, orange scented cleaner, but in the end, the slightly sweet fruity fragrance reminded me more of the sweet scent of decomposing corpses than any other smell could have done. It was gruesome. I got goosebumps and I tried desperately to breathe only through my mouth, which I also let the two policemen notice. They should recognise that I had a gentle disposition, and should not be burdened too heavily.

I rubbed my hands over my upper arms because, as in every place where the dead were kept, an icy cold prevailed. This gave me a very lost impression, and the two policemen had noted this too, as I noticed from their pondering, compassionate looks. Good, very good!

They stopped in front of an iron door and waited for me before explaining to me with a lot of words what was about to happen.

Then I saw 'Mum' and 'Dad' lying in front of me. The workers were very concerned with dignity and showed me only a small part of their still intact faces. If one had looked at me carefully now, one could have perceived a very satisfied expression in my eyes. My two cute zombies had not reverted to their own selves. I was a genius! Perfect! Mr & Mrs Granger could now go down in the annals of history!

Let me put it this way - it was a very tearful farewell. Inspector Erwin would have to put on a new jacket because his current one was wet with tears after he had comforted me, appearing slightly overwhelmed. The policemen agreed that everything else would be handled via my solicitor. I gave them the address. He was a Muggle-born magical lawyer who was at home in both worlds and who should be able to take care of everything. He had come highly recommended, with kind regards, from Rangok.

I told the police that I would leave my home after I had brought back my belongings. I wanted to go to friends who wished to help me cope with my loss. I was lying through my teeth. They gave their permission and wished me all the best.

Rangok was instructed to deliver my letter, which I had already prepared, to my lawyer this afternoon. He would arrange everything, like the funeral, and he would also claim the life insurance. If the Muggle authorities wanted something from me, he would contact me through owl mail, as per my instructions.

A uniformed officer brought me to London, to my home. What a service!

The first thing I did was lie in a fragrant bathtub filled with bubbles. I tried to soften my skin as I wanted to wash the last two days out of me. I still thought I reeked to high heaven. Afterwards, I applied the expensive lotion vigorously and dressed casually. A pair of crop trousers in dark silver and an airy twinset in almost the same colour; I let my hair down. I felt a deep-set need to look good.

Dressed like this, I cheerfully packed my things, happy that everything had gone so smoothly. I locked and sealed the house. It was good that I was in such high demand and kept busy. I barely had time to breathe and indeed no time for unwelcome thoughts. I had a plan, and I would stick to it. Next stop: the cottage.

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 _Review feedback_

 _ **Philosophy of Slytherin:** It might take you some time to get here, but thank you for your review. That should get corrected once the rework of the earlier chapters continues :)_

 _ **Vivian Darkloom:** The Battle of Hogwarts is the ultimate end goal. The German original should have (nearly) reached it, coming to an end soon. (Meaning around Halloween 2019). I'm not completely up-to-date at the moment.  
_


	99. The Cottage

Chapter beta: Diana / Dani

Chapter translator: (Nik /) Aivy

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 **The Cottage**

Standing under the oak tree, I was engrossed as I gazed at the house where we had had such a fun time during the Christmas holidays.

Now that it was summer, the cottage looked even prettier, undeniably romantic and idyllic. The roses that surrounded the house shone resplendent in all kinds of colours, shapes and scents. The intense fragrance of the roses saturated the air. I greedily breathed in the gentle afternoon breeze sweeping towards me, driving away the overwhelming and cloying citrusy smell of the orange scented cleaner.

Inside the cottage, there would be life, so unlike the frigid death that had surrounded me the last few days. The Twins would be there because they had already closed shop that Saturday afternoon. Blaise had arrived either that morning or yesterday evening. I wondered how the two girls had reacted to the Twins. Well, we would see. The most intriguing question would be how they would respond to my presence.

In the sunshine, I sauntered to the cottage and opened the door carefully to eavesdrop. I could have saved myself the trouble, as I soon realised that nobody was inside the house. When I stood in the living room, I noticed the sliding glass doors that led to the garden wide open. I heard the carefree and happy laughter of the Twins; it brought a small smile to my face, which had been so haggard and weary. I felt at once how the burden I was carrying got smaller, and that socialisation would do me a world of good.

As I stepped over the threshold to the garden, I paused in amazement. I saw paradise. I hadn't seen the garden in bloom for years, only recently in winter, but what I saw here took my breath away. It was glorious.

Here, you didn't have the typical trimmed English lawn, but rather a blooming wildflower meadow. The most diverse and contrasting flowers proudly stretched their colourful heads into the air. Red, white, blue, purple and yellow were interrupted only by the lush green of the grass. I knew the garden didn't look like this when my grandma had lived here, and I didn't recognise the gravel paths on the extensive grounds either. They meandered in playfully winded lines to the large cherry and apple trees which offered wonderful protection from the hot summer sun under their large branches. My goddess, it looked as if it was right out of a dream.

Small, picturesque beds continued the rose-theme. There was an arbour in the middle of the garden which I didn't recognise. It was made of dark green metal entwining in intricate ornaments in the playful style of Art Nouveau. I liked it. Roses weaved around the winding frame, blooming in vibrant colours.

It was an oasis of calm, peace and beauty. A place where you could forget your worries. Who had made this? The Twins? I was completely speechless. It was beautiful! I would never have believed them to be capable of creating this.

I saw the Twins in the arbour, their carrot red hair like a beacon. They were trying to operate a grill, the ascending smoke testifying to their attempt to master it. The dance they performed around the grill was too funny. I was able to make out Blaise, standing casually with a glass in hand, laughing desperately and shaking his head over the Twins' antics. Daphne and Astoria were sitting on a bench, sporting a broad grin and happily watching the entertainment provided with great curiosity.

I leaned against the door frame, watching the ridiculous spectacle and being happy that they had so much fun. On the other hand, I was trying to thaw my cold heart enough that I also could feel the fun again. Now so much separated me even from these people here, although they knew a lot more about me than anyone else. Wasn't that bad?

Yeah, I guess so. But as usual, I called myself a stupid cow because I hadn't wanted it any other way and they would take me like that regardless. Maybe I just shouldn't go into too much detail. However, to see them fooling around so boisterously and childishly was in such stark contrast to what I had been doing the last two days that I felt almost sick.

Then I looked at the two girls who had probably never had an easy life either... Not even they could compete with my darkness, very few people could. With a deep groan, I pushed off the door frame and strolled towards the exuberant group, so that through them I might learn to feel more again. That was my hope: that their bright, cheerful friendliness would drive the coldness out of me.

While I approached silently, I was thinking about what kind of face the two sisters would make. The Twins and Blaise had refused to tell them beforehand - at least they had told me that they would - because they wanted me to first cast the spell I had put on all of them. They had found it far too dangerous to mention my name before that happened, so I knew the surprise was on my side.

I watched as the Twins' similar faces lifted up as they spotted me. Blaise followed their gaze next, but the two red ones had already dashed forward and swept me off my feet. Overjoyed, they whirled me through the air and I felt my cramped facial muscles relax and a real laugh formed on my face when they showed their excitement to see me so openly. They kissed me exuberantly.

"Most beautiful, you made it so early!" they shouted joyfully and surprised.

They laughed and put me back down. It was like I didn't weigh anything for them. The training that Snape forced on them and that they themselves had continued even outside of Hogwarts seemed more than just fruitful. Already, I was getting pulled into the dark but strong arms of Blaise who also embraced me sincerely and firmly. When he had released me again, he looked me charmingly in the eyes.

"As long as He isn't here," he whispered, showing me his wicked smile, and gently kissed both my cheeks and I returned the affectionate greeting. He was right, as long as the never jealous Malfoy wasn't there, he was allowed to give me a friendly kiss.

I noticed from the corner of my eye that Daphne and Astoria had also come closer to us and observed everything attentively and curiously. Did they realise who they were looking at? We would see. They were surely already surprised enough that I, Hermione Granger, was greeted here so exuberantly and familiarly by Blaise.

"Blaise, you are and will always be a bad boy!" I giggled for the first time in two days full-heartedly and well entertained. I could feel how not only the sun warmed me but also my heart warmed up and I absorbed that like an elixir of life.

"Just don't let a particular platinum-blond beau see that!" giggled Fred giddily, which made us roll our eyes and caused a slightly confused expression on the faces of the two sisters. As I looked more closely at them, I saw that their great confusion was slowly turning into bottomless horror.

I turned my eyes away and, again, focused my attention on the Twins.

"Is that your work?" I pointed with a far-reaching gesture to this flower paradise that spread before me.

"Do you like it, most beautiful?" Fred asked all puffed up.

"Do I like it? How could I not?! It is beautiful. How?" I showed my joy about the splendour of the garden and witnessed how the two of them proudly exchanged high-fives and how George lovingly tousled Fred's hair.

"George thought you might like something like that. We've been working on it since we moved in here, as a surprise…" Fred's ears turned red at the admission.

"Successfully. The garden was never more beautiful!" I said seriously, and I saw Blaise nod his head in agreement.

"They've been forcing us to plant beds since early this morning. We finished for good only a small while ago. Would you have thought that there was a green thumb somewhere under those devilish, little brains?" he asked me with a painful eye roll, which made him look very attractive, and I laughed roughly.

"No, how the hell would I...? I say they must never move out again. I would kill the garden within the shortest time!" I declared cheerfully. Then my words registered and I stopped short for a moment. Still, I noticed how the three men cast worried glances at each other and immediately started to distract me. They had noticed my falter and they knew me too well and some of what I had done, although not everything.

"Don't be afraid, most beautiful, you won't get rid of us that fast!" George linked arms with me.

"We love it here!" Fred added.

"Hey, you don't think I did this just for you, do you?" George threw in a rebuke and shook himself.

"No, of course not! Never…" Fred agreed playfully and pulled me to the arbour. The two brunette girls had meanwhile stepped out under the flower canopy and stared at us with insecure faces, both wearing flowing, light, colourful dresses that caressed their bodies sweetly, as befits pure-blooded girls, and looked at me with their big green-brown eyes. The stunned surprise on their faces had given way, but it was clear that they had thought and obviously drawn their conclusions, which I now received confirmation of.

"A… Abraxina?" Daphne asked stuttering and brushed her long, straight hair behind her ears. She was clearly very nervous and even Astoria seemed to have difficulty swallowing and was completely silent.

"There's a sharp mind in that pretty little head!" it came from me mockingly, when she already wanted to perform a gesture of submission and Fred stopped her and told her to leave it be.

"Hey, as long as Mister I-have-swallowed-the-court-ceremonial isn't here, you can act casual... right?" Fred announced affably but still gave me a questioning look. Funny that he assumed I would insist on such manners.

"Of course she has permission!" I gave my consent. It was delightful to observe that even the Twins asked for reassurance. Draco had to spread fear and terror without consciously perceiving it.

"So you, Hermione Granger, are the one who spreads fear and terror in our common room... Some would die a heart attack if they knew!" it came from the little girl very matter-of-factly, which showed that she was not so little after all. "Who would have even dared to think in their wildest dreams that Draco would pick a Gryffindor - and Potter's best friend at that - and you would go through with it!" she said, impressed. Daphne put her hand on her mouth and looked furtively at me in fear.

The big sister seemed to have more difficult times behind her than the little one. She had probably always protected her sister, from everything and everyone, as it seemed and hazarded the consequences. Oh yes, this told me the concern, fear and also anxiety about my possible reaction to the very frank but also true words of Astoria, so openly shown in her cautious look.

"That's right, little one, that's me!" I looked deep into her bright eyes. I was no monster, even though my performances in the snakes' common room pointed to something else - at least not yet.

"You better be careful what you say. It's best not to tangle with her when she's in a bad mood!" George hissed in fun, which was very helpful in dispersing Daphne's anxiety, but it seemed to amuse him. He wasn't really serious, but the little girl took him at his word, now that Daphne was holding her mouth shut, giving me a scared, appraising look. I rolled my eyes in an exaggerated manner.

"Hahaha…. George, hilarious! Say, how old are you, Astoria?" I asked curiously and struck a very nice note, passing over the crazy twin.

Blaise put a glass in my hand and I gave him a thankful smile. Then I sniffed and frowned. Was it obvious that, deep down, I wasn't doing so well? He had pushed a glass of Muggle whiskey into my hand. I shrugged my shoulders, it didn't matter, and drank a generous sip. You couldn't go wrong with whiskey.

"I'll be fifteen in October. Unfortunately, come September, I'll only be in my fourth year," she replied and I understood. I had the same problem with my own birthday late in the year.

I watched as Daphne seemed to relax a little as I hadn't pulled my wand yet. Harry would have my head if I hexed his girlfriend, I thought amused. What did she think of me?

I just nodded and didn't get a chance to answer at all because at that moment a barn owl sailed towards us and crash-landed quite inelegantly on the table.

"What?" everyone asked and I recognised the official seal of Gringotts glinting in the sun and went to the owl to free her from the letter.

"Shit, George, the grill!" Fred screamed in that minute. I watched the three boys dash to the Muggle grill and Astoria laughed out loud.

"It's been going like that the whole time. If something doesn't happen soon, there won't be any food left!" she prophesied laughing and I looked at the bright, friendly girl who watched fascinated how the men tried to turn everything around very hectically at the same time and stood in each other's way in the process.

"Is your upbringing responsible for her turning out that way?" I whispered to Daphne who never let me out of her sight and observed everything I did suspiciously.

"Yes!" she answered brusquely. Sweet, but I understood that she was careful, that was good!

She still seemed unsettled by the realisation that I was who I was, somehow understandable! Not only that I, Hermione Granger, was the owner of this house and had invited her here, no, it shocked her even more or just as much that I was also Abraxina.

I sank contentedly onto one of the iron chairs that had beautiful cushions that... guess what, exactly, showed roses. The Twins were too sweet.

When I opened the letter and read it, my good mood passed like a candle whose light was blown out all of a sudden and I pinched my mouth. That hurt... ouch!

I lowered the letter and quickly reached for my glass, thankful that Blaise had been so farsighted and downed it in one, enjoying the strong burning. I closed my eyes to the pain and tried not to think at all. Meanwhile, I knew that several or all eyes lay on me and watched me closely.

"Bad news?" Blaise dared to ask carefully and sat down on the chair next to me and I opened my eyes again, looked at him apathetically and shrugged my shoulders. That was when I felt two hands on my neck which began to knead gently and that elicited a light moan from me.

"The last days weren't easy, were they?" George asked softly and sounded concerned.

"No, they weren't! But no reason for moping, everything went successfully!" I tried to sound optimistic.

"Well, you should take some time for mourning," Blaise also threw in a caring shot, apparently my attempt wasn't really successful. The two girls frowned bewildered at the word mourning but didn't dare to ask.

I laughed dryly and turned my head slightly so that George could reach a particularly tense muscle strang and I felt the looks of the two sisters on me.

"No time. I don't know... oh, right now the day should have more than twenty-four hours for me and even that would be too little. Something always falls by the wayside!" I rubbed my face. I was really broken and the letter yet again was talking about death ... Death here, death there ... Man, that sucked.

"What's the letter about?" Fred enquired bravely while putting a plate with grilled goods before us on the table. Vegetables, tomatoes and peppers filled with cheese, meat, potatoes and bread. It looked very good and so everyone sat down hungrily. I hadn't answered yet, first I had a question.

"How was your arrival, Blaise? Did everything go smoothly?" I wanted to know.

"Your favourite word, right? But yes. We arrived last night. I wanted the Twins to be there when we arrived. I think you can ask them yourself. They were surprised, but quickly caught on! And when the Twins left us, they had given us explicit instructions on how the flower beds should look like! Poor Jordan; I would think long and hard whether I want to work for those two…" He looked a bit peeved.

Work, physical work, certainly didn't belong to his preferred occupations, especially lowly garden work. I smirked slightly.

" _You_ made sure we didn't have to go home? Blaise didn't come up with the idea on his own?" Daphne had a flash of inspiration. Amused, I raised an eyebrow. Apparently, she had grasped it only now.

"Yes, that's our most beautiful for you. Always good for a surprise!" Fred said jovially and dished out plenty of food on everyone's plates.

Just now, he strongly reminded me of Molly. Should I annoy him and say that out loud? I thought about it very nastily for a moment, but ultimately, I remained silent. I didn't want to burden him with the prospect of resembling his mother.

"Why?" Daphne enquired.

"Why do you think, Daphne? Harry…" I replied curtly and I noticed how she closed her mouth again, speechless, it seemed.

"Will you tell us now what was so bad about that letter?" Fred was nagging like the toddler he sometimes wanted to be.

"I have to go to Gringotts on Wednesday," I gave in resignedly and bit off a piece of bread.

"Getting information from you is like pulling teeth!" Fred lamented pitifully loudly and George slapped the back of his head in retaliation. He complained in outrage: "Ow! Hey, what was that for?" but his brother only grimaced and rolled his eyes.

"Sirius' last will will be read," I announced and at this moment another barn owl landed on the table, or better on the now fortunately empty plate.

Well, and when the owl strode towards the twins with its beak clacking, I remarked succinctly:

"And it looks like you're invited as well." I had immediately recognised the seal.

"What? Why?" they were very surprised and gawked at each other in disbelief.

"How would I know?" I retorted dryly.

"It makes you sad?" Blaise asked worriedly.

"Yes. I still haven't forgotten him," I quietly confessed and received an expression of incomprehension from Blaise.

That's right, he didn't know anything about that. I just shook my head, but I saw George bending over to him and whispering something to him that sounded like "I'll tell you later".

"Then we can go together!" Fred offered eagerly at once. I answered with a shake of my head.

"No, I'll leave you again tomorrow!" I looked a little sad when uttering these words because I would really like it better here. Hopefully, Snape had told the truth and the Manor wouldn't become a prison for me.

"Whatwhatwhat… Why?!" I looked into absolutely shocked faces.

"I'll have to go…!" I admitted tonelessly.

"No…" it echoed in disbelief. "You can't be serious!"

"Does Draco know what he's doing?" Blaise questioned his friend and leader of his house quite untypically.

"I don't know, guys, I really don't. However, I won't have a choice," I sighed, resigned to my fate, and shoved my food around on the plate.

"Blimey... And you really have to?" the twins made certain with unhappy expressions on their identical faces.

"Yeah, I have to, Fred... I'm not supposed to be a prisoner though, so maybe Draco and I can get away after some time," I said hopefully.

"Then when are you going to get Harry?" George asked, concerned, and I watched as Daphne, who had previously listened to our discussion together with her sister in obvious confusion, perked up her ears.

"I think I'll head him off during this…" and here I waved the invitation through the air, "...and tell him I'll come and get him that evening. Yes, I think it would be a good opportunity, even if I don't know what Sirius wants from me except to insult me in his will. I mean, you guys know how that ended!"

They both shrugged their shoulders, but that's when Daphne interrupted.

"Harry is coming? You are bringing Harry here?" I heard how she tried not to sound too pleased but could hardly control herself in her hope. Astoria looked at her amusedly. Oh yes, her little sister seemed to know about her crush.

"Sure, what did you think? You want to get to know him better, don't you?" I noticed how she blushed a deep red. Astoria spat into her glass laughing and earned a reproachful look for it.

It was all too funny. This really did me a world of good. The funniest thing was, Daphne didn't dare to ask anything and her sister seemed to prefer to watch everything. The questions would probably come later.

The evening turned out cheerfully and with no shortage of drinks. The magic lights that rose as it got dark bathed everything in a very romantic, cosy light.

"What did Molly and Arthur say about your departure?" I asked curiously.

"Raving would be putting it mildly," George said despondently and I saw Fred narrowing his eyes to angry little slits.

"That bad?"

"Worse. But thanks to our friends, we were more than independent in our decisions. It's a proper ice age. If we let it escalate, it could be like Percy, but we'll stay cool," George casually explained their point of view and shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "The business is already going great and now, during the holidays, it will take off in earnest. Lee moved in upstairs yesterday!"

"Mum can't get over the fact that she doesn't know where our money comes from. How would she know that we have such generous contacts? And she can't understand why we moved out," Fed winked cheekily and I chuckled. Poor Molly.

However, I understood the Twins. Here they could live out their love carefree and in all seclusion. They deserved it.

"How good that my mother prefers to give her attention to her husbands or lovers. I think I would suffocate if I had such a mother!" Blaise declared terribly blasé while he was toasting himself.

"You get used to everything, Blaise," the Twins showed themselves resigned with a desperate groan.

"You are a strange bunch," Astoria announced confidently.

"Hey, you want to insult us?" Fred shouted, pretending to be upset but not serious and gave a wolfish grin.

"Uhm, yes… I never thought you guys could be so serious," she said as an explanation for the Twins and Daphne squealed in shock.

"Astoria, how dare you be so rude! It is very kind of them to help us and spare us... home! For that, I must still thank you. Please excuse me, I was a bit overwhelmed... Learning all those news... You... you understand?" She waved her hand excitedly through the air.

"Her name is Hermione," George threw in stupidly and Blaise laughed dryly, whereupon Daphne uncomfortably wriggled on her chair.

"They're right, you can call me that. Actually, we have been there before," I reminded her of our introduction through Harry.

"Thank you," she replied softly.

"So, now we come to the serious part. As you two pretty girls must be aware, we have to protect ourselves and for that, I would have to cast a spell on you. May I?" I asked a purely rhetorical question because it was clear to everyone that they would not escape me and my spell.

"You have a wand?" Daphne asked visibly surprised and we all burst out laughing. That was too funny! If I didn't have one, well, a lot of things would have gone differently.

"Yes, I do. Alas, may I?" I still chuckled slightly.

"What kind of spell?" Daphne asked sceptically.

"A spell that guards our secrets. You can't tell anything about this, so it would also protect you because it is absolutely safe…" I pointed at us.

"I don't know any spell like that," Daphne remarked thoughtfully with a deep frown.

"Oh, Daphne, you underestimate our Hermione. It's her invention, she is a real genius!" Blaise explained. Daphne stared at me with huge eyes and I smiled slightly as her little sister already nodded her head in agreement.

I didn't hesitate, pulling my white wand, pointed it at Astoria, and spoke:

" _Credere Tacientiae._ " I added all our names, as well as those of the absent Malfoys and Snape's and, of course, most importantly Harry's.

"Astoria…! Don't be so hasty! What kind of spell is it? What exactly does it mean?" Daphne hissed angrily.

"'Bound to secrecy'. Nothing happens, you just can't talk about the secret in front of uninitiated people," I explained once more.

"Daphne, do it, please! They help us and I like them. It didn't hurt at all either," Astoria spoke quickly to her older, more cautious sister and she nodded - finally giving in - very slowly. But I understood Daphne; she was cautious for understandable reasons. No one could blame her for that.

I repeated the motions. After that, I felt better but I also keenly aware that the last days had been draining my strength. I closed my tired eyes after the spell was done.

Necromancy seemed to take it out of you when I thought of how I had felt my magic flow out of me and into the room.

Yes, it was no simple magic and so I allowed myself to show weakness inside the trusted circle and brushed my hair out of my face, rubbing lightly over my aching temples.

"What's the matter, Hermione, do you feel unwell?" Daphne now enquired in a motherly fashion after she apparently hadn't been able to notice any change in herself after the spell.

"Mhmh, oh, it's alright, a little tired maybe!" I waved off her concern.

"Since when do you get tired?" Fred immediately shot his question at me with great anxiety because that wasn't like me.

"You hardly ever sleep!" George added very attentively.

"What have you done this time?" it sounded reproachfully from two mouths and I admitted defeat and laid back in the face of their care and enjoyed it maybe, a little bit.

"Much... too much. I've slept maybe five hours the last two day, at best," I confessed tiredly.

"Then you go to bed now. When you get there tomorrow you have to be rested. Draco will kill us if you show up as a walking corpse!" Blaise decided and everyone nodded. I had to swallow heavily at his ignorant words. They didn't even know what kind of truths they alluded to, I thought cynically.

"I -" I began but I was quickly interrupted.

"I'll carry you if you don't follow. I don't care whether I have the permission!" Blaise growled positively aggressively. These Slytherins were all the same, I thought, shaking my head, and rose slowly as I was a little dizzy after eating, drinking, and spell-casting. I wasn't the youngest anymore, I tried to take it with humour.

"Wait, I'll take her," Fred jumped on his legs, hugged me tightly and steered my sluggish steps towards the cottage.

When we left the garden behind, Fred was unstoppable and he took me completely by surprise when he lifted me up in a smooth and swinging motion. I squealed in shock as I suddenly lost the floor under my feet and floated in the air.

"Fred! Are you crazy? What are you doing?" I squealed. He carried me amazingly securely in his arms.

"Nobody can see us here, most beautiful! I will carry you up... You know, you don't always have to be strong!" he whispered to me conspiratorially and showed me a seriousness in his gaze that I had never seen before with him.

The time in which they had to stand on their own independent feet also seemed to have changed the Twins.

"Thanks," I said resignedly. I wouldn't argue about something like that and I watched how a satisfied expression appeared on his face.

He carried me into the bedroom I had already shared with Draco, which surprised me.

"What…?" I was already cautiously laid down on the bed.

"We chose your aunt's bedroom. This is the biggest one and therefore yours!" he announced weightily and I frowned.

"But I'm rarely even here!" I protested.

"No buts!" he refused decidedly. "This is your room and Draco's... Hihihi, you should have a look at ours, we decorated it pretty colourfully."

"Oh goddess, not your colour schemes! It always took some time getting used to them," I shuddered in pretended disgust.

"That's what I say. However, I think it turned out well," he grinned very devilishly but then became serious seamlessly and sat down next to me on the edge. "Are you really all right, Hermione? You look very pale."

"Yeah, I'm really fine. The magic of the last days was just unfamiliar and probably therefore so exhausting... Don't worry. Tomorrow I'll take you apart!" I grinned with a relaxed smile and still enjoyed just being able to lie down.

"We're looking forward to it... Sleep well, most beautiful. If you need us, we are there for you," he offered caringly and quickly disappeared. I took off my clothes lying down and covered myself naked as I was now. I was so tired. The contemplative evening had been good for me. My eyes closed already and I fell asleep quickly.

Unfortunately, the night proved very restless. I would have been in need of someone next to me.

Hence, I woke up with a sigh. Pooh... I had dreamed weird stuff, nothing pretty... But when I could see the dust grains dancing in the light of the rising sun, I was surprised. What time was it? When I spoke the _Tempus_ , my mouth opened in amazement.

It was almost eleven... Heavens, how long had it been since I had slept for so long?

Laughing, I fell back into the pillows. They had deliberately let me sleep for this long... Well, now it didn't matter anymore and I went naked as the gods had created me into the bathroom and drew a bath.

Today, I would do a lot for myself. I wanted to look good!

I enjoyed paying so much attention to myself for once, lit the scented candles and poured the oils into the warm water, threw in some dried rose petals and inhaled the spreading scent in the small bathroom. During the time until the tub was full, I brushed my teeth thoroughly. After this was done, I slipped into the water and submerged myself.

I put so many rinses and cures into my hair that I spent over an hour in the water. When I came out I was all shrivelled and my skin thanked me when I slathered myself thoroughly with body lotion. It started to smell pleasant after absorbing it like a sponge and became wonderfully soft. I had chosen a cream today that brought a light golden shimmer to my skin and I loved the way I glittered in the glow of the sun.

As soon as I sat in front of the small dressing table in my bedroom, I conscientiously plucked my eyebrows and applied make-up, but very discreetly. I kept to a light golden shimmer on my eyelid, even my eyelashes were only lightly dyed in brown. It was as if I was preparing for tonight like for a fight. My toenails and fingernails also got a slightly golden shimmering nail polish, I was just a perfectionist and I was excited, I admitted it, but what was I supposed to do?

I combed and brushed my long, curly hair with devotion until it flowed over my back in soft, big waves. I looked pretty and the signs of exhaustion had disappeared as well despite the restless night. I seemed much healthier again.

Afterwards, I put on a short, light summer dress in vintage style in powder blue. The narrow lace straps merged into a filigree embroidery and lace that surrounded my décolleté. Below the chest the dress fell in gentle folds over my body, became a little wider and, at hip height, the thin, powder blue fabric was replaced by a transparent fabric embroidered with gold floral patterns.

Only a thin chemise prevented that you could see my skin through the gold-embroidered material or the following, fine organza. The dress ended well above my knees, with fine lace. Accompanying the dress, I chose half-height, matt-gold sandals with a small spiked heel and thin straps. Dressed up as I was now, I went down to the kitchen to get my urgently needed dose of caffeine.

Blaise stood at the bar and noisily choked on his juice.

"My goodness… like… a dream!" he breathed, admiring me with slightly glazed eyes. What, did I look that much different than usual? "Heavens, Hermione, you'll drive them all out of their minds if you go there looking like that," he whispered hoarsely and it seemed he couldn't take his eyes off me.

"Hey, what has you drooling…?" the Twins asked, entering the kitchen from the garden, and stopped abruptly in amazement when they caught sight of me, immediately making panting noises.

"Guys, I don't look _that_ different today!" I dismissed their stupid behaviour and poured coffee for me.

"Oh, really? I don't know, Hermione, most beautiful, how to tell you this... I'm gay, I'm in love and I'm stiff as hell!" Fred stated very dryly and I almost choked on my coffee.

"You're too vulgar. But he's right, you don't leave me cold either!" George admitted, blushing lightly.

"Maybe we should ask a professed heterosexual. Blaise?" Fred wiggled his eyebrows provokingly and very provocatively and what never happened to such a hardened Slytherin happened: Blaise turned slightly pink.

"Ohohoh, there's something stirring in his pants!" both Twins cackled devilishly and I broke out in loud laughter. I mean, what else is there to do in this discussion? And when the two sisters also came into the kitchen, giggling, an embarrassed Blaise let his head meet the tabletop with a bang.

"Good morning, Hermione," Daphne greeted me in a good mood. She seemed to have settled in and was beaming openly at me. "They're absolutely right, you look radiant today!"

"Thank you, Daphne. You, too, look more relaxed than you did at Hogwarts!" I tried my best in polite smalltalk.

"That's right, but I didn't know back then that I didn't have to worry about the holidays," she explained cheerfully and with sparkling eyes.

"Come on, let's sit outside. The Red Devils didn't go to all this trouble for nothing," I said, going outside and taking a deep breath. It was wonderful here, I didn't want to leave at all.

"Red Devils?" Astoria asked giggling.

"My nickname for the two rascals, it fits them perfectly. I give you an advice: Always take them seriously and never underestimate them!" I warned urgently while I kept firm eye contact with her. She returned my look and then nodded very solemnly.

"Thank you," she said, smiling conspiratorially.

"Anytime!" I enjoyed the sun, savouring how the men cared for me and served me a light brunch. It was too beautiful to behold how they swarmed around me.

"And you like it here?" I asked the sisters after a while.

"Yes, you have created a paradise here, Hermione," Daphne replied kindly.

"I'm glad you like it. Will you get along with the Twins?" I enquired.

"Sure, I like them but I'm worried about Astoria. She'll be very hard to control, with the Twins around; she's always planning some kind of mischief." Daphne was relaxed and open, telling me her concerns.

"Leave her be. You don't have to look out for her here. She can do whatever she wants. And let's be honest, she is not that small anymore! Didn't you notice the looks Blaise is throwing at her?" I asked and she groaned deeply.

"Then I didn't imagine it... unfortunately! Yes, I did! What should I do?" she asked my advice confidentially.

"You really want to know what I would advise?" I made sure.

She just nodded and together we observed the four young people who continued to beautify the garden with enthusiasm. Even Blaise, who allegedly didn't want to, was participating with zeal. Only the two of us sat under the shade of the arbour and watched them work.

"Leave her alone, you'll only make it worse. Astoria certainly appreciates your protective nature, but she's coming… or better, she already is at an age where she won't thank you for it anymore. Don't ask what I did at her age... She is no longer a child, don't make the mistake of seeing only that in her. She is a young woman with - and I am sorry to tell you that - a strong character. She probably got that from you!" I flattered, trying to prevent any discord or quarrel between the siblings.

"Oh... Hermione, what a pity that I can only get to know you now and I understand why Harry... why he likes you so much!" she stuttered uncertainly, turning red.

"Not 'like', Daphne, he loves me… and I love him too!" I made it clear with determination to set the course and she nodded anxiously when I showed her her place. I immediately tried to dispel her visible concerns. "But don't be afraid, I see in him what you have in Astoria."

"I know you're a lucky girl. But do you really think I shouldn't get involved? Blaise is…" she voiced her concerns.

"I trust Blaise. He will flirt with her but he will not go all the way, I promise; I will make it clear to him. Let's see what develops and be glad if Astoria doesn't put on an act and does it secretly, because honestly, Daphne, that's what most girls do," I explained calmly and was glad to be able to talk to her, that the atmosphere had become relaxed.

"Mmm, you're right, but for me, she'll always be my little baby girl," she whispered calmly, but also anxiously.

"You are sweet. are you looking forward to Harry's arrival?" I distracted her.

"Yes, very much. Although I know so little about him, only the whispering and gossiping and what I have heard about him in the last five years, which wasn't much…" she confessed sadly and I smirked at her.

Alas, I showed compassion and began to tell her: About our meeting on the train, our first year and how Harry and Ron saved me from the troll, about his fight with Quirrell. About his second year when he was cut by the student body because he could speak parseltongue and about his fight with the basilisk, which she didn't believe me because it sounded so incredible. About our third year and Sirius, which again made me slightly melancholy. About our fourth year and how I helped Harry to survive all this. Regarding fifth year, I told her the light version of the Ministry.

She also asked about his family, but here I refused, pointing out that Harry would have to tell her personally, as I was not in a position to reveal this, which she accepted immediately. But she caught my allusion that this was a sore point in Harry's life with razor-sharp wit, as I could see from the sad, knowing sparkle in her eyes.

This somewhat reserved girl showed excellent observation skills and empathy that could stand up to Harry's whims. Because one thing should be clear to all of us, Harry was no easy character either. But this pretty girl had gone through a hard school and knew patience and perseverance, which everyone needed when confronted with Harry and she seemed capable of deep feelings. I liked her very much and enjoyed talking to her; she was a good listener.

It was late afternoon when Astoria suddenly gave a high, frightened scream because a large, silvery boa constrictor slithered towards us and showed the sour facial expressions of its creator and George jumped up immediately.

"I'm going," he shouted in a hurry.

He ran past the house and probably wanted to open the garden gate for him. I fell silent, consciously brushed my hair back again and took a deep breath. The game was on. I put on my mask, taking control of myself, and waited for him.

A 'good-humoured' black-haired man, next to a serious George, came striding quickly towards us over the meadow around the cottage. Today, he had also renounced his black cape, wore only the tightly cut, long frock coat with the high collar and the white plastron, which peaked out at the front, otherwise, every little button was meticulously closed. His face was sour. Well, anyone who walked around like that in this heat could only be in a bad mood, I showed myself to be cynical.

I felt Daphne stiffen at the sight of Snape, which was a surprise for her.

He held in front of me with an ironic grin on his face and a greedy glow stepped into his deep, dark obsidians at my dressed-up appearance, which he couldn't hide from me but I knew none of the others noticed as you had to know him really well to spot the signs. I, too, had to think about our intermezzo two days ago.

My outfit seemed to appeal to him as well if the slight upwards motion of the corners of his mouth was any indication, but such an obvious reaction as from Blaise or the Twins could really not be expected from a Snape.

I had stayed seated and looked at him calmly, waiting for his inspection to end.

"Come on, we do not want to be late. You are expected!" he just snarled coldly and Daphne looked hectically and dismayed back and forth between us.

"Oh, and I thought we would have the chance to offer you a glass of iced tea!" I smiled sardonically.

"Very funny. Now come!" he pushed and I rose obediently, not wanting to irritate him too much. "Miss Greengrass, Mr Zabini, … the red plague!" he said goodbye to the round in his own charming way.

"Hermione, take care of yourself. Get in contact!" They all said goodbye somehow anxiously. Snape rolled his eyes. Now probably at the end of his nerves, he still offered his arm very gallantly and I obediently laid my hand on the black fabric, waved goodbye and walked outwardly calm and silently towards my fate. What might they have planned? What would await me at Malfoy Manor?

* * *

 _ ** _Thank you to our regulars for your reviews on last weeks chapter!_**_

 _We'll reach the end of Book Two with chapter 100. For the occasion, you will get a chapter that is about twice as long as a short regular chapter!_

 _I can't say when you will get the update as I'm mentally in a bad place right now and we used up all our buffer during the month so we are back to "whenever a chapter is ready."_


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